Alabama Cattlemen's Association

What’s Going On Wednesday: May 8, 2019

The weather is heating up. Grills are heating up. The legislature is heating up. Hay cutting is heating up. Field days are heating up. Yep, all this heating up is a sure sign that summer is near! There’s all kinds of work to be done, and we’re busy doing it. Keep reading to learn what’s going on at the ACA this week, and as we’ll be meeting next week for our Spring Board of Directors meeting, we’ll talk again on the blog on Wednesday, May 22.

Bama’s Best Beef Contest Gets Competitive

It’s the final week of the 2019 Bama’s Best Beef contest, hosted on the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association Facebook page. We’re on the hunt for a delicious, well-loved dish served up at an Alabama restaurant or food truck, and our finalists have come down to the Beef Brisket at Smokin’ on the Boulevard in Florence and the Bourbonzola Brisket Burger at Roadside ‘Que in Fort Payne. Let us tell you, folks, it’s a nail-biter of a contest. Right now, only 10 votes separate these finalists from their fight for the title. Polling ends Thursday morning, and we’ll have a statewide announcement out by the afternoon. If you haven’t already, get on over to the Facebook page and submit your vote by clicking the photo of the dish that looks the tastiest to you! We’re excited to find out the results of this checkoff-funded contest that increases awareness of local restaurants and gets Alabamians excited for BEEF on social media!

Talkin’ Meat Labeling in the House

HB518, a meat labeling bill for the association, will be debated on the House floor this afternoon. If it passes, it will be sent upstairs to the Senate next week for committee action. The bill outlines that cell-cultured products cannot be labeled as meat in Alabama. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Danny Crawford and co-sponsored by Reps. Joe Lovvorn, Will Dismukes, Ralph Howard, Reid Ingram, Rodney Sullivan and Wes Kitchens. Stay tuned!

Proud to Host Congressman Mike Rogers

This week we hosted Congressman Mike Rogers for a brunch at the Cattlemen’s building. This event draws several associations in Montgomery to attend as he provides an snapshot of the current events in Washington, D.C. ACA President Chris Langley was able to attend and visit with the Congressman.

County Field Days

It’s a busy season…and one perfect for county field day events before the weather gets too steamy! This past weekend, staffer Kayla Greer enjoyed gathering with the Montgomery County Cattlemen’s Association for a farm tour of CK Cattle and Frank Turner & Sons farms. The group of 20+ enjoyed a day of learning about local farms’ beef cattle and forage programs! Meanwhile, ACA President Chris Langley visited the St. Clair County Cattlemen’s Association who also hosted an excellent field day with over 70 in attendance. Kayla Greer is also looking forward to spending this coming Saturday in Lee County for the chapter’s annual field day with an added bonus…a steak cook-off!!

Excellent job to all the counties who are putting on local events for its members and beyond. We’re proud of your work. If you’ve got one coming up, be sure to let us know about it by emailing Jessica Kennedy.

Spring Board of Directors Meeting

Board members, don’t forget next week’s Board meeting! We’ll meet at 10 a.m. on Thursday morning, May 16 to update you on association and checkoff news where Board members even get a sneak peak into the upcoming construction project of the The MOOseum. GET EXCITED! After lunch, we’ll head over to the State House to mingle with our legislators and learn more about the legislative process and get updated on current issues taking place. Don’t forget to RSVP to Jessica Kennedy…and don’t forget those cowboy hats, boots and iconic red coats!

YCLP Class IV Kicking Off

Next week is an exciting time in the association, not only because of the Board meeting, but because we’ll be kicking off the SIXTH class of the Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program (YCLP). This program, funded by the Alabama State Beef Checkoff, is designed to develop young cattlemen ages 20-40 into future leaders for Alabama’s beef cattle industry. We meet throughout the year, learn about our many different leadership styles, discuss industry hot topics, encourage leadership growth and explore the industry from pasture to plate through farm tours, educational workshops and consumer events. We’re excited next week to kick off the class with the Board meeting, where the 25 students will be introduced to the Board and will explore the legislative world, followed by farm tours at Frank Ellis Charolais, McLane-Garrett Cattle Company and a tour of the Cargill Feed Mill here in Montgomery. We’ll also host a social on the evening of May 16 at Kick Back Ranch & Events Center for alumni of the program! It’s gonna be a great time. Be on the lookout for photos.

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

The membership count of the day is 7,836 members and counting! HELP US GET TO 10,000!! County secretaries, be sure to be submitting that information to the i4a membership software or here to our state office! Hopefully by now, you’ve input all the renewals that flooded your mailboxes from the renewal statements. Don’t forget, that Over the Top deadline of June 15 is drawing near quickly. CONGRATS are in store for Elmore and Montgomery counties who have already gone Over the Top. Great work!

Thanks for reading this week’s post! Until we post again, we want to remind you that you can stay in touch with us by following us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

What’s Going On Wednesday: May 1, 2019

When, oh when, did it become May?! Weren’t we JUST ringing in the New Year? Wow, well we guess the old adage is true, “time flies when you’re having fun,” because we sure do have fun working for you fine folks. Speaking of working, keep reading to find out what we’re up to this week in Montgomery.

Alabama Bicentennial Day Celebration Briefing

ACA staffer Ali Cantrell attended a briefing on Alabama Bicentennial Day on Monday to learn more about the upcoming festivities to come on December 13 -14. To celebrate Alabama’s 200 years of statehood, Montgomery will be hosting a parade on December 14 with 75 floats and entries showcasing Alabama history, counties, high school All-Star bands, Alabama notables, and the parade would not be complete without the beef truck and steer in tow! The rest of the day will host several celebrations, performances and demonstrations throughout downtown Montgomery including The MOOseum. Make it a point to come see us on December 14 and witness a wonderful chapter of history for the great state of Alabama!

Beef for Father’s Day Proclamation

Today the ACA and ACWA are heading to the Capitol Building to witness Gov. Kay Ivey sign the “Beef for Father’s Day” Proclamation. This is a annual tradition for the ACA to partner with ACWA to promote buying beef for the dad in your life on their special day. Let’s fire up the grill this coming Father’s day and treat those dads to a nice juicy steak!

HB518 in Committee

HB518, the association’s meat labeling bill addressing cell-cultured products, is in committee today The bill can be found here: http://alisondb.legislature.state.al.us/ALISON/SearchableInstruments/2019RS/PrintFiles/HB518-int.pdf The Senate version will be dropped tomorrow by Sen. David Sessions.

Bama’s Best Beef: Brisket vs Ribeye Showdown

As a reminder, this year’s Bama’s Best Beef finalists are:

Smokin’ on the Boulevard (Florence) Beef Brisket
Roadside ‘Que (Fort Payne) Bourbonzola Brisket Burger
The Anatomy of Pi Food Truck (Jasper) Steak & Mushroom Pie
Little Savannah Restaurant & Bar (Birmingham) Spicy Coffee Rubbed Cowboy Ribeye

Last week’s Facebook poll challenge resulted in a win by Roadside ‘Que of Fort Payne, knocking out The Anatomy of Pi. This week’s Facebook poll challenge has the Beef Brisket from Smokin’ on the Boulevard going head-to-head with the Spicy Coffee-Rubbed Cowboy Ribeye, and so far, the brisket has got the lead! Next week’s poll challenge will put the two finalists in a dual where they’ll duke it out for the title! Head on over to the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association Facebook page to participate in the voting!

Industry Meetings: ADEM & ADT

The ACA was a part of a quarterly stakeholder meeting at the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM). We stay engaged on land, water and air regulation as it pertains to the agricultural sector. We will also be involved in the Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) working group meeting at the Department of Ag and Industries on Friday. The ACA is heavily involved in the changing landscape of animal identification and is a key partner to the state veterinarians office as conversations and action move forward on the topic.

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

The membership count of the day is 7,707 members and counting! County secretaries, be sure to be submitting that information to the i4a membership software or here to our state office! Hopefully by now, you’ve input all the renewals that flooded your mailboxes from the renewal statements. Board Members, be sure to save the date for our upcoming Board Meeting to be held Thursday, May 16 at 10 a.m. We’ll see you there!

Grilling Season & Consumer News

With May comes the kickoff of summer grilling season! Fire up those grills and throw down those steaks and burgers…yuuummmm. Also, throughout April we celebrated the bright, flavorful tastes of spring with savory springtime salads! Beef Checkoff Contract Dietician Elesha Ergle published a blog about the topic, and we blasted a consumer newsletter to over 10,000 inboxes with links to BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com. Be sure to check out all the consumer communication pieces!

Thanks for reading this week’s post! Until we post again, we want to remind you that you can stay in touch with us by following us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Savory Springtime Salads

By Elesha Ergle, RDN

Photo: BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com

Baseball, softball, proms, and graduation invitations…all things that tell us that summer is about to be upon us. Will your summer plans include a beach, cruise, mountains or hiking? Or will it be like a lot of us cattle farmers, life as usual…just a lot hotter? No matter what your summer plans are, you can include beef as a part of your healthy diet whether you are looking forward to swim suit season or just keeping it real around the farm.

Most people immediately think of salads when they think of healthy eating. Salads can bring a variety of fruits and vegetables to our diets, but can also be deceiving by the amount of calories they pack in due to the addition of high-calorie items such as dressings, cheeses and high-fat meats. Pack your salads with lean beef to cut down on calories and ramp up the protein!

Sprout up your Salad

Check out this Four Seasons Beef and Brussel Sprouts Chopped Salad from Beef It’s What’s For Dinner. There are several variations listed in the recipe, one that is sure to fit all your preferences, and at only 360 calories and 32 grams of protein per serving, you couldn’t ask for a better meal. The addition of nutrient-dense brussel sprouts is a great way to pack in extra vitamins and minerals!

Meat and Potatoes

Are you a self-proclaimed “meat and potatoes” person? How about turning that passion in to a salad? Food Network’s Steak-and-Potato Salad is one to give a try. Full of a variety of ingredients, but simple and easy. Here’s a Warm Steak and Potato Salad that might be the keeper for your family. Try something different with it and substitute your favorite salad greens instead of the mixed baby salad greens.

Taco Tuesday

On Taco Tuesday, you don’t always want a salad…try this Beef Confetti Taco Salad that has only 220 calories, 31 grams of protein and is certified by the American Heart Association as a Heart-Healthy Meal. Delicious and easy to prepare, it is sure to be your new Taco Tuesday ritual!

Salad Tips

Remember to keep the variety going no matter what kinds of salads you enjoy. Try different recipes and salad dressings to keep from getting “burned out” on the same things. Try dressing the entire salad and tossing it rather than taking a portion out on a plate and then adding the dressing. You will find that you will use less dressing (thereby cutting down on calories) because the ingredients are more fully coated when tossed.

Not Sold on Salad

If you are just not sold on salads, or your body just cannot tolerate the roughage, no worries…it doesn’t mean you’re not healthy! All food is fit, and you can get in your lean beef and vegetables in many other ways. Cook up your favorite lean beef recipe and add your favorite cooked vegetables as your sides.

For more information on beef nutrition, recipes and to learn more about beef from pasture to plate, visit www.BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com. On your Amazon or Google Home devices be sure to check out the new “Chuck Knows Beef” platform that can answer all your beef questions and look up quick recipes for you.

Happy Spring!!

This article was funded by the Alabama Beef Checkoff Progam. Paid for by Alabama beef farmers and ranchers.

What’s Going On Wednesday: April 24, 2019

Oh, happy day! The temps are warm. The grass is green, and grills are lit! It’s an exciting time of year as we sneak into the summer months and all that come with them. For now, we’ll enjoy the spring and hold tight to those cool, dewey mornings. While you enjoy those outside days, your state staff is inside on the grind as we plow through beef promotions, membership, producing a magazine and playing a watchdog role for you in the state house. Keep reading to learn more about what’s happening in our neck of the woods this week!

Bama’s Best Beef Competition Fires Up

We’re proud to announce this year’s Bama’s Best Beef finalists:

Smokin’ on the Boulevard (Florence) Beef Brisket
Roadside ‘Que (Fort Payne) Bourbonzola Brisket Burger
The Anatomy of Pi Food Truck (Jasper) Steak & Mushroom Pie
Little Savannah Restaurant & Bar (Birmingham) Spicy Coffee Rubbed Cowboy Ribeye

Screenshot 2019-04-24 08.30.36 This week’s Facebook poll challenge has the Steak & Mushroom Pie going head-to-head with the Bourbonzola Brisket Burger, and so far, the burger has got the lead! Walker County folks- get voting! And great work to Jackson County fans on pushing your local dive so far to the lead! Next week’s contest will put our other two finalists in a dual…then the two winners will duke it out for the title! Head on over to the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association Facebook page to participate in the voting!

BEEF 101 Spring Programs Wind Down

Last week, ACA hosted Trenholm University Culinary students in Auburn for a BEEF 101 and AJCA members, Chelsea and Chandler Langley, joined in as part of their Junior Pasture to Rail program. It was a successful day full of beef industry knowledge and hands-on experience with live cattle evaluation and fabrication of a beef carcass. Chelsea and Chandler have 10 head of cattle in the Junior Pasture to Rail program where they retain ownership of their cattle and learn how to market cattle on the grid. Throughout the time of the program, they are asked to attend educational programs that will explain the how their feeder calves are expected to perform in the feedlot and how they should manage their expenses and herd health. Great work, juniors!

Youth Production Field Day Postponed

Screen Shot 2019-04-24 at 3.23.52 PM It may come as no surprise to you- especially you parents out there- as kids these days are just busy! Due to so many spring activities lining up on top of each other here at the end of another school year, we decided it best to reschedule the Spring Youth Production Field Day scheduled for this Friday, April 26 in Atmore to a later date! Between important FFA eliminations, sporting events, a judging clinic and end-of-year activities, youth have too much on their calendars for now! We look forward to getting down to south Alabama for this field day later on in the year.

National Report in the Works

It is required each year that the Beef Checkoff publish a report of checkoff Checkoff_Funded by Beef Farmers and Ranchers activities! Your state checkoff team is at work pulling numbers, putting our writing caps on and evaluating programs from 2018. After the report comes together, it will take a trip to Denver for design and approval then come back just in time for the June issue of the Alabama Cattleman magazine. Be on the look out and get last year’s report in the palm of your hand!

Samford University Nutrition and Dietetics Advisory Board

ACA Director of Education & Outreach Ali Cantrell has been invited to be on the Samford University Department of Nutrition and Dietetics Advisory Board where she will be an integral part of the counseling body for the department. She will be traveling to Samford University on Thursday for the first Advisory Board meeting to learn more about her new role and advocate for the beef industry. Ali will provide advice, leadership and support for continued development of high-quality academic programs in the Department of Nutrition and Dietetics. We are excited about this new relationship with Samford University!

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

The membership count of the day is 7,544 members and counting! County secretaries, be sure to be submitting that information to the i4a membership software or here to our state office! Hopefully by now, renewals are flooding your mailboxes as renewal statements were sent in the past two weeks. Board Members, be sure to save the date for our upcoming Board Meeting to be held Thursday, May 16 at 10 a.m. We’ll see you there!

Thanks for reading this week’s post! Until we post again, we want to remind you that you can stay in touch with us by following us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

What’s Going On Wednesday: April 10, 2019

The word of the week is BEEF! Between the BEEF Cook-off, BEEF 101, the BEEFit 5k and Bama’s Best BEEF…you could say we are amping up springtime BEEF promotions here at the ACA. Not to mention the upcoming youth field day, an ongoing legislative session and membership activity on the move. It’s a busy time here at the Cattlemen’s office, so keep reading to learn more about all the exciting events taking place in Downtown Montgomery this week!

ACA’s newest Staffer

We’re excited to announce that Morgan Pounds has joined Team ACA as Director of Field Services. A River Region native, Morgan will complete her degree in communications at Troy University next month and begin work full-time at the association on May 13. She will be working part-time throughout the month of April.

Morgan is a product of the AJCA program as she was an active showman in the state and very involved in the American Junior Brahman Association. She is passionate about youth leadership development and has some innovative ideas for the Young Cattlemen’s Leadership Program. She is no stranger to stockyards and sales as she grew up attending these events with her family, notably her grandfather Dr. Robert Barlow of Mathews in south Montgomery County. She brings passion, enthusiasm and an outgoing personality to our team. If you would like to welcome Morgan to the staff she can be reached at mpounds@bamabeef.org.

ALABAMA JR. AND SR. HIGH SCHOOL BEEF COOK-OFF

We enjoyed hosting over 30 students from all over the state of Alabama to come and show off their best culinary skills. The cook-off took place this past Saturday morning at Carver High School in Montgomery. The students brought a cooked recipe to present to the judges, and WOW did they impress! While judging took place, the students participated in learning activities with Chef Loren Lunde from Trenholm Community College and Alabama Beef Checkoff- contracted Registered Dietician Elesha Ergle. Check out this year’s winners and view their dishes by clicking here.

Overall Best in Beef

Dylan Dozier, Russell County, Ribeye Steak with Baked Potato

Junior North

First Place: Abby Grace Tuck, Jefferson County, Rosemary Thyme Filet Mignon
Second Place: Lauren Jones, Chilton County, Beef & Bean Roll Up
Third Place: Alexia Mugovero, Shelby County, Creole Steak Sheet Pan Supper

Senior North

First: Genesis Smoke, Jefferson County, Korean Braised Beef Short Ribs
Second: Anna Gunderman, Franklin County, Low Carb Mexican Stuffed Bell Peppers
Third: Allison King, St. Clair County, Italian Beef Salad

Junior South

First: Savannah Loper, Washington County, Taco Rings
Second: Elise Belmar, Baldwin County, Cheesy Ground Beef Pasta Skillet
Third: Jalan Jenkins, Montgomery County, Pancake Burgers

Senior South

First: Dylan Dozier, Russell County, Ribeye Steak with Baked Potatoe
Second: Acadia Thomas, Dallas County, “Philling” Philly Cheesesteak
Third: Shelby Singleton, Washington County, Shelby’s Pot Roast

CATTLEWOMEN’S 5K

The Alabama CattleWomen’s BEEFit 5k is THIS SATURDAY, April 13 in downtown Montgomery, and we’re excited to launch Team Bama Beef at this event. Team Bama Beef will be comprised of beef-loving fitness enthusiasts and will be supported by the beef checkoff. We’re looking for people who are committed to living an active, healthy lifestyle and who love eating beef! If you’re interested in being a part of Team Bama Beef, contact Ali Cantrell by phone or email to get some more information.

Registration for the event is now live on the CattleWomen’s website, http://alabamacattlewomen.com/beefit/.

Bama’s Best Beef Kicks Off

Know of a beef dish that’s worth writing home about? WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT during this year’s Bama’s Best Beef contest. We kicked off our nominations round on the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association Facebook page, this Monday, and we want to hear about your favorite unique beef dish served up at an Alabama restaurant or food truck. Submit those nominations by commenting on the post link above. You have until this Sunday, April 14 at midnight!

A Busy Beef 101 Season

Staffer Ali Cantrell hosted a BEEF 101 yesterday for Coastal Community College Culinary students and Junior Pasture to Rail participant, Jay Collins. The Junior Pasture to Rail program had 26 feeder calves that were sent to Hy-Plains Feedyard back in November and should be getting results from that program in the next couple of months. As part of the program, the participants are asked to attend a Beef 101 and a BQA session in order to enhance their knowledge of cattle production in all sectors.

There will be two other BEEF 101 programs on this Thursday, April 11 and on Monday, April 15 with Bishop State Community College Culinary Program and Trenholm Community College Culinary department. Chelsea and Chandler Langley who are also Junior Pasture to Rail participants will be in attendance at the April 15 program.

MEMBERSHIP UPDATE

The membership count of the day is 7,401 members and counting! County secretaries, be sure to be submitting that information to the i4a membership software or here to our state office! Be on the lookout for more renewals as dues statements will be sent to all non-renewed members soon. BIG congrats to our Early Bird Drawing winners:

Prize of $250: Bryan Cooper of Flat Rock, AL
Prize of $150: TJ Riner of Tuscumbia, AL
Prize of $100: Cole Cranford of Auburn, AL

ACA Executive VP Erin Beasley looks forward to traveling to Sumter County Thursday evening for its annual meeting at the Livingston Community Center! She’ll get to enjoy a Diamond Jim’s steak and catch up with a few of our west Alabama Cattlemen!

2019 SPRING YOUTH PRODUCTION FIELD DAY

We’re proud to announced that the Alabama Beef Checkoff will be hosting its Spring Youth Production Field Day on Friday, April 26 at Perdido River Farms in Atmore! The event will be held this year on a weekday as voted on by the Junior Board as a way to be more inclusive to FFA groups and agriscience classes who have a hard time obtaining permission and/or logistics for weekend field trips.

Join us for a day of interactive, hands-on learning about timely topics including hay testing, soil sampling, figuring stocker capacity, annual cow checks, handling and administering vaccines and a farm tour of Perdido River Farms! Registration is now open online for this FREE event at www.BamaBeef.org/FieldDay.

Working with Wood Fruitticher

Ali will also be traveling to South’s Finest Meats in Tuscaloosa on Friday to learn about the Beef products that they provide to the Foodservice company, Wood Fruitticher. This is in order to create a Beef 201 program for Foodservice reps that have already graduated from the Beef 101 program. This will be a program that goes into more detail about the different cuts of beef and how their sales reps can market their product in more versatile ways.

Thanks for reading this week’s post! Until we post again, we want to remind you that you can stay in touch with us by following us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

What’s Going On Wednesday: April 3, 2019

Oh say can you see…all the boots on the Hill! Legislation is the word this week as our state leaders are in Washington D.C. attending the NCBA Legislative Conference and meeting with Alabama delegation about important issues and topics in the cattle industry. But that’s not all that’s happening, so keep reading to learn more about what’s going on at the ACA this week.

Alabama Jr. and Sr. High School Beef Cook-Off

IT’S BEEF COOK-OFF WEEK! ACA Director of Education & Outreach Ali Cantrell is gearing up for almost 40 students from all over the state of Alabama to come and show off their best culinary skills. The cook-off will take place this Saturday morning at Carver High School in Montgomery. The students are asked to bring a cooked recipe with beef being the main ingredient to be evaluated by a panel of judges. While judging is taking place, the students will participate in learning activities with Chef Loren Lunde from Trenholm Community College and Alabama Beef Checkoff- contracted Registered Dietician Elesha Ergle. It’s going to be an exciting day full of delicious beef! Stay tuned for the winners.

Alabama BCIA Annual Meeting Success

We were thrilled this past weekend to host the Alabama Beef Cattle Improvement Association (AL-BCIA) Annual Meeting & Awards Program at our building in Downtown Montgomery! The large group gathered for a business meeting, awards ceremony, live auction to benefit the foundation and an interactive educational component with American Simmental Association Executive Vice President Dr. Wade Shafer.

We hope to have the opportunity to host this group again. Be on the lookout for information regarding award recipients!

Membership Update

The membership count o’ the day is 7,241 members and counting! County secretaries, be sure to be submitting that information to the i4a membership software or here to our state office! Be on the lookout for more renewals as dues statements will be sent to all non-renewed members next week.

Producer Communication E-Blast Sent

As written in the Alabama Beef Checkoff Marketing Plan with the goal of keeping cattle producers informed about the work of the association and the beef checkoff here in Alabama, we’ve issued the Cattle Call producer communication e-blast to over 10,000 inboxes this week. This piece featured a wrap-up of all that has gone on during Q1 of 2019- January, February and March. If you did not receive the Cattle Call in your email inbox, but would like to see it and receive it for future issues, please contact ACA Director of Social Media & Communications Kayla Greer on our staff at kgreer@bamabeef.org.

Boots on the Hill

ACA President Chris Langley, President-Elect Larry Reeves and Vice President Clay Kennamer will join Erin Beasley at the NCBA Legislative Conference next week in Washington D.C. They will also be joined by Region 2 Policy VP Jimmy Holliman and Evelyn Greene, American National CattleWomen president-elect. Today is full of Hill visits with the Alabama delegation to discuss cattle industry issues!

Beef Promo Firing Up

The next couple of weeks are going to be filled with Beef 101 programs at the Auburn University Beef Teaching Unit and Meats Lab. Staffer Ali Cantrell will be hosting three pasture-to-plate programs on April 9, April 11 and April 15 with culinary students from Coastal State Community College, Bishop State Community College and Trenholm Community College. If you would like to come and participate in any of these Beef 101s please contact Ali Cantrell at acantrell@bamabeef.org or call our office at (334) 265-1867.

2019 SPRING YOUTH PRODUCTION FIELD DAY ANNOUNCED

Lowndes County Cattlemen Tour Golden State Foods

The Lowndes County Cattlemen’s Association took a unique trip at the end of last week to the Golden State Foods plant in Opelika to learn about how McDonald’s quarter pound beef patties are processed! This plant does an excellent job with tours and is an awesome way to learn about what happens to your beef when it leaves the farm. We appreciate Golden State Foods for being such gracious hosts and send kudos to Lowndes County for offering its members this educational opportunity!

BAMA’S BEST BEEF READY TO FIRE UP

Know of a beef dish that’s worth writing home about? WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT during this year’s Bama’s Best Beef contest. Kicking off with a nominations round on this upcoming Monday, April 8 on the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association Facebook page, we want to hear about your favorite unique beef dish served up at an Alabama restaurant or food truck. Get ready to submit those nominations beginning April 8!

CATTLEWOMEN’S 5K

The Alabama CattleWomen’s BEEFit 5k is April 13 in downtown Montgomery, and we’re excited to launch Team Bama Beef at this event. Team Bama Beef will be comprised ofbeef-loving fitness enthusiasts and will be supported by the beef checkoff. We’re looking for people who are committed to living an active, healthy lifestyle and who love eating beef! If you’re interested in being a part of Team Bama Beef, contact Ali Cantrell by phone or email to get some more information.

Registration for the event is now live on the CattleWomen’s website, http://alabamacattlewomen.com/beefit/.

Thanks for reading this week’s post! Until we post again, we want to remind you that you can stay in touch with us by following us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

What’s Going On Wednesday: March 27, 2019

Springtime is in full bloom in Alabama! Cool mornings, warm afternoons and all that ever-lovin’ pollen…bad on the allergies, but oh so good on the spirits! With the spring returns some of the normalcy at the ACA office as we have convention, rodeo and county annual meetings in the rear view and look forward to summer events, beef promotion and all sorts of youth activities coming our way! Keep reading to learn more…

Green New Deal Fails on Senate Floor

The Green New Deal was put to a vote on the Senate floor yesterday and failed 0-57. Although 43 democrats voted “present,” three did vote no, including Alabama Sen. Doug Jones. The Green New Deal, a non-binding resolution, was proposed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and promises to eliminate all U.S. carbon emissions while remaking the U.S. economy. “The Green New Deal suggests we ditch air travel in favor of railroads, rebuild the nation’s buildings entirely, provide every person with a living family wage, socialized healthcare and more.” said Amanda Radke, a BEEF magazine contributor. The ACA will stay actively engaged in this topic as it is a direct threat to American agriculture and targets the beef cattle industry.

2019 Spring Youth Production Field Day Announced

ACF Scholarship Banquet Success

We were thrilled by the events of Saturday evening’s first-ever Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation Scholarship Banquet held at the Wetumpka Civic Center here in central Alabama. Almost 50 of the 74 students awarded scholarships were in attendance with their families, and we were honored to also have with us the families of each of the endowed scholarships. Also in attendance were Commissioner Rick Pate, Auburn Agriculture Dean Dr. Paul Patterson and Auburn Department of Animal Sciences Head Dr. Wayne Greene, all of whom helped present the tag scholarships! More detailed coverage of the event will be in the May issue of the Alabama Cattleman magazine, so keep an eye out for your favorite scholar! Also, early this week, individualized press releases were sent to each recipient’s hometown, so be watching your local papers for those shining faces. Congrats to all!

Ag in the Classroom

On Wednesday, ACA Director of Education & Outreach Ali Cantrell met with ALFA to gear up for Alabama Ag in the Classroom Summer Institute 2019. This program is a workshop for full-time teachers, Alabama Cooperative Extension system agents and coordinators to help incorporate integrated agricultural activities in the classroom. Most activities will be geared toward grades K-6. The Summer Institute will be hosted in Florence, AL on May 29-31 and will include field trips to farms in the area to develop a better understanding of the everyday farm.

Headed to The Hill

ACA President Chris Langley, President-Elect Larry Reeves and Vice President Clay Kennamer will join Erin Beasley at the NCBA Legislative Conference next week in Washington D.C. They will also be joined by Region 2 Policy VP Jimmy Holliman and Evelyn Greene, American National CattleWomen president-elect. Wednesday will be full of Hill visits with the Alabama delegation to discuss cattle industry issues.

Cattle By-Products Talk

On Friday, staffer Ali Cantrell will be traveling to Goodwin High School in Montgomery to give a presentation about the different by-products that come from cattle. She will give an overview of the history of beef cattle in Alabama and talk about the everyday utilization of beef outside of just on the plate!

Bama’s Best Beef Getting Ready to Fire Up

Know of a beef dish that’s worth writing home about? Is it “slap ya mama” good? WE WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT during this year’s Bama’s Best Beef contest. Kicking off with a nominations round on April 8 on the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association Facebook page, we want to hear about your favorite unique beef dish served up at an Alabama restaurant or food truck. Get ready to submit those nominations beginning April 8!

CATTLEWOMEN’S 5K

Registration for the event is now live on the CattleWomen’s website, http://alabamacattlewomen.com/beefit/.

Thanks for reading this week’s post! Until we post again, we want to remind you that you can stay in touch with us by following us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

What’s Going On Wednesday: March 20, 2019

Happy Spring! In true springtime fashion, we were greeted by cool temps, sunshine and chirping birds this morning, and as the day goes on…things are starting to warm up. Textbook springtime behavior, and we are so grateful for it as it means green grass and the end of feeding season is near! We are also grateful for a full calendar ahead as it means staff gets to get out and about to see you guys. Keep reading to learn more about what’s going on this week at the ACA.

ALABAMA CATTLEMEN’S FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP BANQUET

You may have noticed something different at the annual Awards Banquet if you joined us in Birmingham for the 76th ACA Convention & Trade Show. The room wasn’t quite as full, and the program was a bit shorter, and that’s because the annual Foundation Scholarship portion of the evening has been moved to its own, private event! That’s right, we now are able to give these stellar recipients a special evening where they and the endowment families get to shine! So with that said, this Saturday the Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation will award $64,000 in scholarships to 74 deserving students at the 2019 ACA Scholarship Banquet. The banquet will be at the Wetumpka Civic Center at 5:30PM. Coverage of the banquet will be in the May magazine, so be on the lookout for your favorite scholar!

Nebraska Disaster Relief

The bomb cyclone that hit America’s heartland is still causing problems long after it’s gone. Our thoughts and prayers are with the cattlemen of Nebraska and the Dakotas that fought monumental snowfall and now, torrential flooding. If you want to help, disaster relief funds have been established and supplies are being requested.

Supplies Needed

Hay
Feed stuffs
fencing material
volunteer help
equipment
other

Contact Nebraska Dept of Ag for assistance 1-800-831-0550 or visit nda.nebraska.gov/resources/

Disaster Relief Funds (Information below provided by Drovers)

The Nebraska Cattlemen Disaster Relief Fund is organized in the State of Nebraska as a not-for-profit corporation and will be seeking to qualify as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charitable org under which all donations made to the Fund would be tax deductible for the donor in accordance with applicable federal tax laws. All of the proceeds will go to cattlemen and women of Nebraska who are dealing with the devastation of the flooding.

To donate write a check to Nebraska Cattlemen Disaster Relief Fund and mail it to:
Nebraska Cattlemen Disaster Relief Fund
4611 Cattle Drive
Lincoln, NE 68521

NDA’s Hay and Forage Hotline, 402-471-4876, connects buyers with sellers of hay, pasture and other types of forage. This hotline service is available at no cost to buyers and sellers.

SLE Rodeo & JBE Wrap-Up

Screen Shot 2019-03-20 at 11.16.17 AM — Photo: ALFA Farmers

We enjoyed an awesome week at the SLE Rodeo and Junior Beef Expo! We want to start by saying congratulations to Harmon Butler of Dale County who exhibited the Supreme grand Champion Market Steer and Ashlyn Ruf of. Limestone County who took the grand prize in the heifer show. We’d also like to acknowledge the more than 130 youth who received scholarships from the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. Pictures from the scholarship luncheon are available by clicking here and Junior Beef Expo photos, provided by the Alabama Farmers Federation, are available at the links below. Congrats to all on an outstanding weekend of exhibiting, performing and enjoying the western culture of rodeo!

Heifer Show: Click Here

Market Show: Click Here

Showmanship: Click Here

CATTLEWOMEN’S 5K

The Alabama CattleWomen’s BeeFit 5k is April 13 in downtown Montgomery, and we’re excited to launch Team Bama Beef at this event. Team Bama Beef will be comprised of beef-loving fitness enthusiasts and will be supported by the beef checkoff. We’re looking for people who are committed to living an active, healthy lifestyle and who love eating beef! If you’re interested in being a part of Team Bama Beef, contact Ali Cantrell by phone or email to get some more information.

Registration for the event is now live on the CattleWomen’s website, http://alabamacattlewomen.com/beefit/.

MEMBERSHIP REPORT

The membership count of the day is 6,639 members of the ACA…and
counting as Membership and Producer Contact Coordinator Jessica Kennedy and our county leaders are steady inserting renewals and new members or NEED to be! Jessica is working to get all membership up-to-date so she can then begin sending out membership statements to all non-renewed members in April as well as county liability insurance information. Stay tuned for more!

Thanks for reading this week’s post! Until we post again, we want to remind you that you can stay in touch with us by following us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Celebrating Nutrition with Trendy Beef Cuts

BY Elesha Eagle, RDN

Welcome, sweet springtime! 🌿🌼 We are seeing new calves, green grass popping up, and flowers starting to emerge. March is National Nutrition Month, so let’s spring in to March by focusing on the awesome nutrition found in some of our favorite beef cuts.

Stewing Up Nutrition

Even though the cold weather is (hopefully) starting to leave us, you can utilize stew meat to keep making stews even through the spring. Stew meat packs the beefy protein punch of 25 grams per serving and will beef up any of your favorite stew recipes. I found this recipe for Instant Pot Tex-Mex Beef Stew that is full of flavor and great for those cool spring evenings.

Flanks for the Memories

Flank steaks are often over looked at the meat case, but this lean steak can be the centerpiece of your family dinner. Packing 23 grams of protein with only 160 calories, use flanks steaks for fajitas and fill up your table with toppings and condiments. Make memories around your dinner table by letting the kids prepare their own fajitas and having a happy, peaceful mealtime sponsored by lean beef.

Get Shorty

Short ribs are full of flavor and fall-off-the-bone tender when slow cooked or braised. With flu season continuing to linger here in the south, keep your immune system going with this delicious cut of beef. Short ribs contain 70% of your DV for immune-boosting zinc and are packed with beef’s awesome protein of 24 grams per serving…you are going to want to serve these all year long. Never tried short ribs? Try this recipe for Braised Short Ribs from Taste of Home.

A Brisket-a-Tasket…

A Brisket is fantastic. Brisket Half Flat is a lean cut of beef from the animal’s breast and is loaded with beef’s awesome protein of 28 grams per serving with only 170 calories. This super lean cut is great for braising, roasting, slow-cooking or pressure cooking. I don’t know about you, but I’m celebrating St. Patrick’s Day all month long using brisket for this recipe for Homestyle Corned Beef with Dilled Cabbage.

Be sure to check out Beef It’s What’s For Dinner for more recipes, tips, nutrition information, and to learn more about beef from pasture to plate. For more information on National Nutrition Month, visit the website for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Happy National Nutrition Month and celebrate good health with beef!

This article was funded by the Alabama Beef Checkoff Progam. Paid for by Alabama beef farmers and ranchers.

What’s Going On Wednesday: March 13, 2019

Hot, to cold, rain to dry…one thing is for sure, the only thing about the weather that’s consistent is the pollen count. But hey, pollen means spring. Spring means calving and green grass, and green grass means a muddy winter of feeding is almost behind us! Hang in there, cattlemen. Brighter, hotter days are surely ahead!

While we wait for them, though, let’s get an update from the state Cattlemen’s Association this week. It’s rodeo time, and we’re gearing up for a big weekend at the Garrett Coliseum. Buckin’ broncos, barrels, show calves and scholarships, we’re looking at a jam-packed weekend with the SLE Rodeo and Junior Beef Expo ahead. Keep reading to learn more about what’s happening this week in Montgomery!

Special Session Comes to a Close

The special session ended yesterday afternoon after the Senate passed the Gas Tax (28 yes to 6 no) with no amendments to the House version. Gov. Ivey signed the bill into law a few hours later and ended a week and half of buzz around town. Legislators will come back for their second day of the regular session next Tuesday, March 19 to resume work on the rest of the issues in front of them.

Saddle Up!

It’s here! Rodeo week is upon us, and we’re excited for the round-up of events ahead. As you read this, the barns at Garrett Coliseum are filling up with superior show stock as junior cattlemen, 4-H and FFA students from across Alabama are gearing up for a weekend of exhibition in the Junior Beef Expo. We’d like to wish all those young people good luck and a safe, successful weekend!

Back in the Coliseum, we’re excited to be a sponsor of the 62nd annual show! There’s bucking broncos, barrel riding, bull fighting and trick riding to be seen, and you don’t want to miss it! Kicking off the fun is a parade through Downtown Montgomery on Thursday followed by a 7 p.m. show where kids 12u enter FREE! On Friday night, we invite everyone out but especially retired and active military and first responders as we’re offering a BOGO deal on tickets. Don’t forget you’re I.D.! Then on Saturday, at 2 p.m., we’ll bring all the rodeo action at the matinee performance followed with MORE fun that night a 7 p.m. You’re not going to want to miss Roman Rider Dusti Crane Dickerson, Rodeo Clown and Professional Barrelman Rockin’ Robbie Hodges, the elite stock of Frontier Rodeo Company and all those cowboys looking to make it to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.

To purchase tickets, call 888-2RODEO2, visit SLERodeo.com, stop by the ACA or visit the Garrett Coliseum Box Office.

And don’t forget to bring your youngins to the stick horse rodeo each night at 5:30 p.m. and the Western Festival on Saturday from 10-noon. Both events are FREE and open to the public!

High School Beef Cook-off

This week is the last week to get registered for the Alabama Jr. & Sr. High School Beef Cook-off happening April 6 in Montgomery. If your county hosted a beef cook off this year, please be sure your winners get registered by THIS Friday, March 15! They can do so online at www.BamaBeef.org./Cookoff.

Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation Scholarship Banquet

You may have noticed something different at the annual Awards Banquet if you joined us in Birmingham for the 76th ACA Convention & Trade Show. The room wasn’t quite as full, and the program was a bit shorter, and that’s because the annual Foundation Scholarship portion of the evening has been moved to its own, private event! That’s right, we now are able to give these stellar recipients a special evening where they and the endowment families get to shine! So with that said, next Saturday the Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation will award $64,000 in scholarships to 74 deserving students at the 2019 ACA Scholarship Banquet. The banquet will be at the Wetumpka Civic Center at 5:30PM. Coverage of the banquet will be in the May magazine, so be on the lookout for your favorite scholar!

MEMBERSHIP REPORT

The membership count of the day is 6,514 members of the ACA…and
counting as Membership and Producer Contact Coordinator Jessica Kennedy and our county leaders are steady inserting renewals and new members or NEED to be! Jessica is working to get all membership up-to-date so she can then begin sending out membership statements to all non-renewed members in April as well as county liability insurance information. Stay tuned for more!

CattleWomen’s 5K

The Alabama CattleWomen’s BeeFit 5k is April 13 in downtown Montgomery, and we’re excited to launch Alabama’s Team Beef at this event. If you are an avid runner and are interested in being a part of Team Beef, please contact Ali Cantrell at our office, and she will get you registered for the 5k and provide you with Team Beef apparel.

SAVE THE DATES: 2019 AJCA ROUND-UP

Deck the barns with boughs of shavings fa-la-la-la-la-la-la-la-la. This year at the 13th annual Alabama Junior Cattlemen’s Association Round-Up, we’re bringing the heat to Christmas in July! We’ll return to the Teague for three jammed-packed days on July 18-21 as we take on the show ring and all our many other career development and beef educational contests! Save the dates for the most wonderful (and hot!) time of year- July 18-21 at the Garrett Coliseum Livestock Barns in Montgomery.

Thanks for reading this week’s post! Until we post again, we want to remind you that you can stay in touch with us by following us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.