Category: Bama Beef Blog Weekly Update

Happy New Year!

With the first post of 2019 comes all sorts of updates from your Alabama Cattlemen’s Association. We hope you and your family had a blessed Christmas and New Year season and are settling back into a routine. For most of Alabama’s cattlemen, that routine is quite a muddy one. Yikes! Fortunately a few sunny days have re-brightened spirits and begun to dry things up. While we wait for the mud to dry, take a breather to catch up with all that’s happening at the ACA this week- it’s a busy start to a new, exciting year!

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76TH ANNUAL ACA CONVENTION & TRADE SHOW

We’re beefin’ up the ‘Ham…Birmingham, that is! Join us at the 2019 ACA Convention & Trade Show at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) February 15-16, 2019. There are endless activities, learning opportunities and networking experiences awaiting your registration including dynamic and educational Cattlemen’s Colleges, a trade show with the industry’s elite equipment, tool and nutritional names, a menu of delicious beef meals and fun for the whole family at Friday evening’s Boots & BBQ event and Saturday’s Awards Banquet!

 

We look forward to the 76th annual ACA Convention and Trade Show, and you should too! REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN at www.BamaBeef.org/Convention or call Jessica today at (334) 265-1867.  EARLY BIRD PRICING EXPIRES TOMORROW AT MIDNIGHT…DON’T WAIT! Mail-in forms are also available in your recent issue of the Alabama Cattleman or on the site listed above.

 

*Note to vendors: Ali Cantrell is now your trade show contact! Email Ali

 

 

County Annual Meetings Going Strong

We’ve enjoyed seeing the highlights from all the county meetings and loveto see the hard work of counties executed in their annual meeting. We look forward to many more still to come, which can be found on the Bama Beef Events Calendar. As a reminder, leading up to your county’s annual meeting, please contact Jessica Kennedy in our office to infor her of the date, time and location and to request a speaker! Remember, the earlier you get those dates to us, the earlier we can get them on our website and in the magazine!! Following the meeting, send Jessica any officer updates in order to update our system with corrected contact information for 2019. RVPs, we encourage you to reach out to your counties to let them know you plan to attend their meetings! That way, they can account for your meal.

 

ACA officers and staff are traveling across Alabama to attend meetings and are looking forward to visiting with YOU! This week, ACA Director of Education & Outreach Ali Cantrell will be attending the Limestone and Madison County meetings. She’s excited to see our north Alabama members!

 

As you’re collecting membership information to put into the system, remember how important phone numbers and email addresses are! It is essential to county leaders and to us here at the state to be able to contact our members when needed. It helps everyone in the long run. Also, as a reminder, the three-year member dues have changed to $120 with $82 coming back to the state office.

 

 

Goodbyes and New Faces

This week brought about one sad event in our office as we said goodbye to a loyal and hardworking staffer. As of Tuesday, Michael Agar is no longer on staff at the association as he has accepted a new position in his career journey. Here’s a note from Michael from his Facebook account:

 

“Toward the end of the year, I accepted a position as an outside sales representative with Cargill Feed & Nutrition covering a territory from Birmingham south to the Florida panhandle. While I am excited to begin a new chapter with Cargill, it has been a bittersweet ending to my time with the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association. I am surrounded by a fun, hardworking staff in Montgomery that have become family and truly made this decision difficult. This association has so many volunteers across the state that have been a blessing to me and while those relationships will change, they will not end. I look forward to continuing to build on those relationships as I advance in my career. Thank you for letting me grow with this association, and I look forward to seeing everyone at ACA Convention – just in a different hat!”

 

With that said, to help fill in the shoes he left behind as well as the shoes left temporarily vacant by staffer Kayla Greer- who is out on maternity leave with her new baby girl who arrived on Dec. 21- we have hired a spring intern, Stephanie Fuller. Stephanie comes to the ACA by way of Auburn University’s Department of Agricultural Economics and her hometown of Valley in Chambers County. Expect to see Stephanie’s face out and about, especially at our upcoming convention! Send Stephanie a welcome!

 

 

Inaugural Events at the ACA

Inauguration Day is January 14 here in Montgomery! We will have a lot of folks trekking in and out of the building, and hope to see you. Our parking lot is open for members, and we invite you to stop into the lobby of The MOOseum for refreshments before you head toward the festivities happening in the downtown area. The beef truck and trailer will be in the inaugural parade, so look out for us! If you or your children would like to participate in the parade with us, contact Ali Cantrell!

 

 

SLE Rodeo- Coming to Town!

The 62nd annual SLE Rodeo will come bucking back to town March 14-16 for the best show on dirt east of the Mississippi! Early Bird ticket sales are now available, so give Kara Coplin a call at 888-2RODEO2. To learn more about this year’s SLE Rodeo & Livestock Week, visit www.SLERodeo.com.

 

 

New Year. New You.

Have you started a New Year diet? Are you trying to shed a few of those wintertime pounds? Are you trying to build muscle to gain that more tones look? Don’t forget to add plenty of protein to your diet. Learn ways to do that by reading this month’s article written by Alabama Beef Checkoff Contract Registered Dietitian Elesha Ergle now live on the Bama Beef Blog. She’s offering great tips and recipes to kick start your weight loss and healthy lifestyle goals. Read the Article

 

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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.

Only a few more blogs before the year’s end. Where, oh where, did 2018 go? As we prepare to settle in for the holidays and take on a busy Christmas season, we want to take what fleeting last opportunities there are to bring you all the updates with what’s happening at the ACA. Keep reading to learn more.

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76TH ANNUAL ACA CONVENTION & TRADE SHOW

We’re beefin’ up the ‘Ham…Birmingham, that is! Join us at the 2019 ACA Convention & Trade Show at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) February 15-16, 2019. There are endless activities, learning opportunities and networking experiences awaiting your registration including dynamic and educational Cattlemen’s Colleges, a trade show with the industry’s elite equipment, tool and nutritional names, a menu of delicious beef meals and fun for the whole family at Friday evening’s Boots & BBQ event and Saturday’s Awards Banquet!

 

We look forward to the 76th annual ACA Convention and Trade Show, and you should too! REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN at www.BamaBeef.org/Convention.  Mail-in forms are also available in your December issue of the Alabama Cattleman or on the site listed above.

 

 

Farm Bill Watch

The Farm Bill passed out of conference committee on Monday and should be on the floor this week. Now is the time to get it across the finish line before Christmas, and Congress is being urged to “vote yes” on this important piece of legislation. Of note for cattlemen, the bill still includes an authorization for a Foot and Mouth Disease vaccine bank.

 

 

Producer & Consumer Communications

Stay tuned as this month wraps up a series of communication pieces that target beef consumers and Alabama beef producers. On Thursday, the final consumer e-newsletter of 2018 will hit over 10,000 inboxes across the state. Titled “Home for the Holidays,” you can bet this piece is all about the many ways to incorporate beef into your holiday plans. After Christmas, the fourth and final “Cattle Call” producer communication e-newsletter will blast and bring a quarterly wrap-up of all that has gone on in the Alabama beef cattle industry since October. If you would like to receive these newsletters, contact ACA Director of Social Media & Communications Kayla Greer.

 

Tis the season for county meetings

We’ve enjoyed seeing the highlights from all the county meetings and loveto see the hard work of counties executed in their annual meeting. We look forward to many more still to come, which can be found on the Bama Beef Events Calendar. As a reminder, leading up to your county’s annual meeting, please contact Jessica Kennedy in our office to infor her of the date, time and location and to request a speaker! Remember, the earlier you get those dates to us, the earlier we can get them on our website and in the magazine!! Following the meeting, send Jessica any officer updates in order to update our system with corrected contact information for 2019.

 

Also, as you’re collecting membership information to put into the system, remember how important phone numbers and email addresses are! It is essential to county leaders and to us here at the state to be able to contact our members when needed. It helps everyone in the long run. Also, as a reminder, the three-year member dues have changed to $120 with $82 coming back to the state office.

 

 

ADT Working Group

The Alabama Animal Disease and Traceability working group will meet on Friday to further discuss the advancement of animal disease traceability in Alabama. This fall USDA announced that states would no longer has access to metal ear tags beginning in January 2019 but would implement a cost sharing program on electronic identification tags.

 

 

Beef on ABC

On Tuesday, if you were in the Birmingham area, you may have seen ACA staffer Ali Cantrell on the ABC cooking segment at 9am. She cooked up a hearty pot roast and some Mexican beef sausage cornbread muffins from BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com to beef up the holiday season.

 

 

A VERY MOOEY CHRISTMAS

Each Christmas season, The MOOseum and the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program looks forward to a time of giving back to the community with a cowboy-themed MOOey Christmas event! Local care centers bring their classes for Christmas cookies, The MOOseum tours, a look at live animals and, of course, a sit on Cowboy Clause’s lap. This year we are excited to host this event on Friday, Dec. 21 and invite you to bring your little ones out to experience the magic of Christmas…with a Western flare!

 

 

SLE RODEO TICKETS

The 62nd annual SLE Rodeo will come bucking back to town March 14-16 for the best show on dirt east of the Mississippi! Elite and Premiere ticket sales are now available, so give Kara Coplin a call at 888-2RODEO2. Give the gift of rodeo this Christmas!!

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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.

And just like that, it’s December! As we roll into the last year of the month and prepare for the holiday season ahead, we want to take what few opportunities are left to keep you updated with association and checkoff happenings. Keep reading to learn more about what’s happening this week…and stay warm out there!

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76TH ANNUAL ACA CONVENTION & TRADE SHOW

We’re beefin’ up the ‘Ham…Birmingham, that is! Join us at the 2019 ACA Convention & Trade Show at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) February 15-16, 2019. There are endless activities, learning opportunities and networking experiences awaiting your registration including dynamic and educational Cattlemen’s Colleges, a trade show with the industry’s elite equipment, tool and nutritional names, a menu of delicious beef meals and fun for the whole family at Friday evening’s Boots & BBQ event and Saturday’s Awards Banquet!

 

We look forward to the 76th annual ACA Convention and Trade Show, and you should too! REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN at www.BamaBeef.org/Convention.  Mail-in forms will be available in your December issue of the Alabama Cattleman or on the site listed above.

 

 

FFA Joint Leadership Development Conference

AJCA President Michael Morrison and Clay County Cattlemen’s Vice President Mike Morrison joined staffer Michael Agar as they set up a booth in the FFA section at theJoint Leadership Development Conference (JLDC) in Birmingham. Michael engaged youth attendees by educating them on beef cattle retail cuts and where they come from on the live animal. He also discussed beef by-products and promoted AJCA membership and events.

 

 

NEW YEAR ADVERTISING SPECIAL

Listen up, advertisers! You’ll want to hear this! The Alabama Cattleman magazine is offering a discounted rate in the January and February issues if you reserve a full-page, four-color ad in both issues. The February issue is also our convention ssue and will be distributed at convention in addition to the regular mailing. If you are interested in reserving a full page color ad in both of these issues at the reduced rate of $850 per insertion, contact Production Coordinator Nicky Bechard by THIS FRIDAY, December 7th. P.S.- This is a $150 savings!

 

 

COUNTY MEETINGS NEAR & FAR

We’ve enjoyed seeing the highlights from all the county meetings and love to see the hard work of counties executed in their annual meeting. We look forward to many more still to come, which can be found on the Bama Beef Events Calendar. As a reminder, leading up to your county’s annual meeting, please contact Jessica Kennedy in our office to inform her of the date, time and location and to request a speaker! Remember, the earlier you get those dates to us, the earlier we can get them on our website and in the magazine!! Following the meeting, send Jessica any officer updates in order to update our system with corrected contact information for 2019.

 

Also, as you’re collecting membership information to put into the system, remember how important phone numbers and email addresses are! It is essential to county leaders and to us here at the state to be able to contact our members when needed. It helps everyone in the long run. Also, as a reminder, the three-year member dues have changed to $120 with $82 coming back to the state office.

 

 

Stay Tuned…for BEEF!

If you’re in the Birmingham area, tune in next Tuesday to the ABC station to see ACA staffer Ali Cantrell on the cooking segment at 9am. She will be cooking up a hearty pot roast and some Mexican beef sausage cornbread muffins from BeefItsWhatsForDinner.com to beef up the holiday season.

 

 

A VERY MOOEY CHRISTMAS

Each Christmas season, The MOOseum and the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program looks forward to a time of giving back to the community with a cowboy-themed MOOey Christmas event! Local care centers bring their classes for Christmas cookies, The MOOseum tours, a look at live animals and, of course, a sit on Cowboy Clause’s lap. This year we are excited to host this event on Friday, Dec. 21 and invite you to bring your little ones out to experience the magic of Christmas…with a Western flare!

 

 

SLE RODEO TICKETS

The 62nd annual SLE Rodeo will come bucking back to town March 14-16 for the best show on dirt east of the Mississippi! Rodeo ticket sale open up for Elite Buyers on Tuesday, Dec. 4 so if you qualify, give Kara Coplin a call at 888-2RODEO2. Don’t forget to save the dates!

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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.

We cattlemen are in a unique position. In a time of year when others are slowing down enough to stop and be grateful for their many blessings, we cattlemen don’t have to do that. You see, we cattlemen practice gratefulness every single day already. It’s basically in our job description. We’re thankful for each newborn healthy calf and each mama with a full bag. We’re thankful for sunshine, and we’re thankful for rain. We’re even thankful when it stops raining. We’re thankful for a barn full of hay; heck, we’re even thankful for leftover baling twine when the old chain around the gate decides to finally break. We’re thankful for each generation of children who  work beside us, and we’re thankful for those who have gone on before us and paved our way in this industry. We’re thankful when the market prices are strong, and we’re thankful when a day of working cows goes smoothly. We’re thankful for sunrises, for sunsets, for green grass and for the natural ponds and waterways that paint our farms. We’re thankful for leather gloves when rusty fence posts are downed on a hot, summer day, and we’re thankful for a warm coat on frosty mornings when the cows still need to be fed. We’re thankful for old farm trucks, loyal dogs, the kind of neighbors you can only find in the South…the ones who would give us the shirt off their backs…and mostly, we’re thankful for the opportunity to live and work on the land with the animals our Good Lord gave us. If we’re not in the business of gratefulness, then what are we in? 

 

Just like your long list of daily thanks, we here at the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association are thankful, too. We are thankful for you. We’re thankful for your work. We’re thankful for your leadership, and most importantly, we’re thankful for the impact you have in feeding our world. No matter where you enjoy your meal- whether it be around the table, in the seat of a harvester or far from the comforts of home- we send you and yours our warmest Thanksgiving wishes!

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2019 ACA Convention & Trade Show

We’re beefin’ up the ‘Ham…Birmingham, that is! Join us at the 2019 ACA Convention & Trade Show at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) February 15-16, 2019. There are endless activities, learning opportunities and networking experiences awaiting your registration including dynamic and educational Cattlemen’s Colleges, a trade show with the industry’s elite equipment, tool and nutritional names, a menu of delicious beef meals and fun for the whole family at Friday evening’s Boots & BBQ event and Saturday’s Awards Banquet!

We look forward to the 76th annual ACA Convention and Trade Show, and you should too! Registration opens online Monday, November 26 at www.BamaBeef.org/Convention. Mail-in forms will be available in your December issue of the Alabama Cattleman or on the site listed above.

 

 

Budgets & Marketing Plan

As a result of this month’s Checkoff Task Force, executive committee and board of directors meetings, we are proud to report that the 2019 Alabama Beef Checkoff Marketing Plan and all major budgets have been approved. Next year brings a whole new round of exciting projects, programs and procedures to act as a roadmap for staff here at the ACA to follow, thanks to the input of Alabama’s cattlemen and our outstanding volunteer leaders. We are grateful to all who played in a role in this month’s activities!

 

You can check out the marketing plan on the website beginning in January at www.BamaBeef.org/Checkoff.

 

 

Sec. Perdue Visits the Wiregrass

Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue visited Alabama last week to visit with farmers and assess damage from Hurricane Michael. ACA staffer Ali Cantrell filled in for Erin as she was with the officers in Georgia for another meeting of the Southeastern cattlemen’s associations. The Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation is still collecting money for disaster relief and we are happy to report that the excavator has been moved into southeast Houston county to begin helping cattlemen in the area move debris and clear fence rows.

 

 

Fake Meat Update

Last week, USDA announced the following regarding lab-grown meat. “We have concluded that both the USDA and the FDA should jointly oversee the production of cell-cultured food products derived from livestock and poultry. Drawing on the expertise of both USDA and FDA, the Agencies are today announcing agreement on a joint regulatory framework wherein FDA oversees cell collection, cell banks, and cell growth and differentiation. A transition from FDA to USDA oversight will occur during the cell harvest stage. USDA will then oversee the production and labeling of food products derived from the cells of livestock and poultry. And, the Agencies are actively refining the technical details of the framework, including robust collaboration and information sharing between the agencies to allow each to carry out our respective roles.”

 

This announcement essentially means that USDA will have primary jurisdiction over the most important facets of lab-produced fake meat. It is certainly an important step in the right direction, but there’s still a lot of work to do on this issue to ensure that real beef producers and consumers are protected and treated fairly. We encourage cattlemen to file official comments before the new deadline of Dec. 26. Contact Erin for help on where to file a comment and how.

 

 

County Annual Meetings

County meetings are off to a very strong start! We’ve had the pleasure of attending serval county events lately and love to see the hard work of counties executed in their annual meetings. As a reminder, leading up to your county’s annual meeting, please contact Jessica Kennedy in our office to inform her of the date, time and location and to request a speaker! Remember, the earlier you get those dates to us, the earlier we can get them on our website and in the magazine!! Following the meeting, send Jessica any officer updates in order to update our system with corrected contact information for 2019.

 

Also, as you’re collecting membership information to put into the system, remember how important phone numbers and email addresses are! It is essential to county leaders and to us here at the state to be able to contact our members when needed. It helps everyone in the long run!

 

 

A Very MOOey Christmas

Each Christmas season, The MOOseum and the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program looks forward to a time of giving back to the community with a cowboy-themed MOOey Christmas event! Local care centers bring their classes for Christmas cookies, The MOOseum tours, a look at live animals and, of course, a sit on Cowboy Clause’s lap. This year we are excited to host this event on Friday, Dec. 21 and invite you to bring your little ones out to experience the magic of Christmas…with a Western flare!

 

 

SLE Rodeo Tickets

The 62nd annual SLE Rodeo will come bucking back to town March 14-16 for the best show on dirt east of the Mississippi! Rodeo ticket sale open up for Elite Buyers on Tuesday, Dec. 4 so if you qualify, give Kara Coplin a call at 888-2RODEO2. Don’t forget to save the dates!

 

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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.

Happy Halloween! We hope this update is the least scary part of your day and that you can take just a few minutes to enjoy what all it has to say. With October Beef Month wrapping up, the checkoff referendum passed and ___, our sights are now set on sales, 2019 checkoff planning, the last board meeting of 2018 and the upcoming holiday season and all the beef promotion that comes with the most wonderful time of the year! We know you’re busy, too, with calving season, the beginning of feeding season and wrapping up a busy harvest for many of our diversified producers, so we’ll make this short and sweet. Keep reading to learn about what’s happening at the ACA this week.

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Alabama Cattlemen Checked yes!

Thank you to all producers and volunteers that helped (and voted yes!) with the Alabama Beef Checkoff Referendum last Wednesday. We are thrilled to report that we successfully passed the referendum with over 97% of cattle owners in favor of continuing the program for another five years. The vote total was 662 YES to 23 NO votes.  The referendum passed in all 67 counties! Thanks again for your hard work and for electing to continue the work of the beef checkoff in Alabama.

 

 

ACF SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATIONS CLOSE TOMORROW!

The Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation provides over $70,000 annually to qualified high school and collegiate students, courtesy of funds raised through the purchase of the Cowboy vanity car tag and generous endowments. Scholarship applications for the 2019-2020 school year are NOW AVAILABLE online at BamaBeef.org/Scholarship.

 

Applications will close at midnight on November 1- TOMORROW!. Visit www.BamaBeef.org/Scholarship to review application requirements and to apply today!

 

 

Hurricane Michael Relief Fund

The disaster relief money being collected through the Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation will be used to rent heavy equipment to assist producers in the affected areas of Hurricane Michael. The equipment will help clear debris and fence rows for cattlemen to begin building back their farms. Please consider making  a donation today at www.BamaBeef.org/HurricaneRelief.  Thank you to all individuals and county cattlemen that have donated time and resources to help those in need!

 

 

MEMBERSHIP Corner

County leaders: county renewal statements go out Thursday, Nov.1. Be on the lookout as renewals begin coming in be vigilant to update them in the i4a system to ensure memberships are being renewed and kept us as the member expects! If you need to make secretarial changes or need a refresher on the i4a membership software program as we enter into county meeting season, contact ACA Membership & Producer Contact Coordinator Jessica Kennedy.

 

Speaking of county meetings, we’d love to hear about yours! Let us know when, where and what time your county annual meetings are, and we’ll add them to our online calendar and get a staff person or officer there in attendance. That’s the perfect time also to make your napkin and placemat requests, too! Following the meetings, send your updated officer information to Jessica (email above) so we can update that information in our system and ensure that the new president and secretary gets pertinent information they need.

 

 

BEEF 101 Teaches About Beef From Pasture to Plate

Last week, ACA Director of Education & Outreach Ali Cantrell hosted two BEEF 101 programs with the help of cattlemen and the staff at the AU Meat Lab and Beef Teaching Unit. On Monday, FACS teachers from all over the state of Alabama attended to learn more about the beef industry, while on Thursday, salesmen from Wood Fruitticher and FACS students from Jefferson County High school came out as well. Fall BEEF 101 programs are quickly wrapping up, and the spring calendar is already in the works!

 

 

Cattle Sales

On Saturday, October 20, staffer Kayla Greer made the haul to West Point, MS to represent Alabama Cattlemen at the Town Creek Brangus & Ultrablack Sale. Over 130 Brangus and Ultrablack bulls averaged $5,108 while 244 commercial bred heifers averaged $2,004. Beautiful facilities, gracious hosts and fine cattle made for a great trip west. We enjoyed seeing so many familiar Alabama faces and meeting new ones, too!

 

Last Friday, staffers Michael Agar, Erin Beasley and Kayla Greer headed just south of town to attend the CK Cattle Headquarters Sale in Hope Hull. They were joined by a whole host of producers, but two special guests included ACA President Jack Batts and President-Elect Chris Langley. The livestock performed great as Angus bulls averaged $4,070, ChiAngus bulls averaged $4,129 and SimAngus bulls averaged $5,400. Congratulations to the Madaris/Evans families on successful sale!

 

ACA President-Elect Chris Langley and staffer Ali Cantrell attended the Debter Hereford Sale in Horton this past Saturday. With 103 bulls averaging $5,257, bred Hereford heifers averaging $2,932, open Hereford heifers averaging $1,756 and commercial bred heifers averaging $1,875, congratulations to the Debter family are in order for another successful cattle sale.

 

ACA staffers Erin Beasley and Michael Agar headed north to Fort Payne for Tennessee River Music’s High Cotton Angus and Hereford Bull Sale on Monday. Thirty-three Angus bulls averaged $3,660 while 21 Hereford bulls averaged $3,171 and one commercial Angus bull averaged $3,000. We would like to congratulate the TRM family for yet another successful sale and thank them for their hospitality.

 

 

Checkoff Task Force to Gather in Montgomery

Tomorrow the Alabama Beef Checkoff Task Force will meet at the ACA headquarters in Montgomery to begin working on the 2019 Marketing Plan. This group of 40 cattlemen, stakeholders and industry partners will brainstorm ideas for programming. Those ideas will then be put into a draft marketing plan for the Executive Committee and Board of Directors to approve later in November. We look forward to hearing the recommendations of producers about how they would like to see their checkoff dollars put to work!

 

 

BCIA Board Meeting

Last Thursday, ACA Director of Industry Relations and Youth Programs Michael Agar attended the Alabama Beef Cattle Improvement Association’s (BCIA) Fall Board Meeting. While there, Michael gave an ACA update to the board and discussed ways that the checkoff can further support producer education in the state. The ACA will look forward to hosting Alabama BCIA on March 30, 2019 in Montgomery for their annual meeting.

 

 

Save the Date- General Elections Nov. 6

Just in case you haven’t heard or seen enough political ads across Alabama, here is ONE MORE reminder to head to the polls next Tuesday and cast your vote in the Alabama General Election. As with any, this vote is very important as it will seat the political representatives we will work closely with over the next four years to protect the best interests of beef cattle producers in Alabama. Your vote matters, so take a short break from your work next Tuesday and head to the polls!

 

 

 

 

BEEF ON IBOTTA

Calling all Ibotta shoppers! The popular consumer app now has a rebate for any fresh beef products at most Alabama retail chains that offers $0.25 back on your beef purchases. The Alabama Beef Checkoff Program is excited to offer this incentive for shoppers as a way to encourage increased beef sales throughout October Beef Month. Download the app and start shopping today!

 

 

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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.

Welp…here we are. October 17 and it’s still hot as blue blazes outside. Mother Nature sure has it out for us outdoor workers this year! On another note, it has been two whole jam packed weeks since the last blog, so we have got a lot to catch up on this week. Keep reading to learn more about all that’s happening around Alabama’s beef cattle industry.

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Hurricane Michael Devastates Wiregrass

Our hearts, our thoughts, our prayers go out to cattlemen in the Wiregrass, Florida Panhandle and Georgia’s southwest corner who bore the path of Hurricane Michael during his landfall last week. Knowing catastrophe all too well, the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association has opened a Hurricane Relief Fund through the Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation to purchase materials and supplies needed most by cattlemen affected by this historic weather event. Donations can be made online at www.BamaBeef.org/HurricaneRelief.

 

ACA Executive VP Erin Beasley attended a producer meeting in the Wiregrass on Tuesday to discuss hurricane relief and strategy to assist farmers in the affected area.

 

The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) is encouraging Alabama farmers to to work with their local county Extension officers to document agricultural damages to crops, livestock, structures and infrastructure. Farm and damage information includes: crop yields harvested before the storm, estimated crop yields after the storm, livestock losses, damages to equipment and farm buildings.  Note that the damage assessment form requests pictures and video of the damage if available.  Extension asks that all damage reports be submitted to County Offices no later than Friday, October 19 at 5:00 p.m.  Next week, ACES will submit the state summary to FSA, state and federal leaders in an effort to obtain federal relief dollars.  All producers are encouraged to complete the ACES 2018 Damage Assessment Form  to help assess damage in the Wiregrass. It can also be found at michaelrecoveryinfo.com. Damage reports, pictures and video can be submitted HERE . Reports can be submitted from your phone, tablet, laptop or desktop computer.

 

Important info for producers who had death loss on cattle- these cattle likely qualify under the Livestock Indemnity Program with Farm Service Agency. Contact your local office to file and have pictures available if possible. Contact Erin with any questions.

 

 

CHECKOFF REFERENDUM VOTE- NExt Wednesday

Cattle owners across the state will vote on October 24, 2018 to continue the $1.00 Alabama Beef Checkoff Program. Voting will take place for the referendum in every county Extension office in the state and will be open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on October 24. The Alabama Beef Checkoff Program is essential for beef promotion efforts, issues management, producer programs and youth involvement carried out each year throughout the state. The program has been in place since 1962 as one of the first in the country and was reactivated in 2004 as cattle numbers declined. To date, the program has contributed to thousands of youth being involved in the cattle industry, multiple generations of producers taking part in educational programs and enormous return on investment from research efforts focused on beef cattle production. The wide array of programs available for funding through the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program can be found at www.BamaBeef.org/Checkoff. For questions about how your dollars are used, contact the ACA office.

 

 

Partners in Action Conference

Last week, three members of Team Beef headed to snowy Denver for an update from the Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner team about what to expect in the 2019. Throughout the week, Erin Beasley, Kayla Greer and Ali Cantrell got to visit and brainstorm with fellow state beef council staffers, learn about new programs and initiatives in the works for the Beef brand and gain insight on tools the national office offers state beef councils to help achieve goals and monitor activity happening around the cattle industry and beef products. It was a great time of learning…and enjoying some cooler temperatures! We’re just sorry we couldn’t bring them back with us!

 

 

Membership FYI

County leaders: changes to membership statement return addresses need to be sent in by THIS FRIDAY. Once the list is sent off to the printer, changes can not longer be submitted. If you need to make secretarial changes or need a refresher on the i4a membership software program as we enter into county meeting season, contact ACA Membership & Producer Contact Coordinator Jessica Kennedy.

 

 

Pike County Students Visit ACA

On Monday, ACA Vice President Larry Reeves along with ACA staffers Ali Cantrell and Michael Agar hosted 70 high school students from Pike County at the ACA office. While here, the students enjoyed hearty beef brisket for lunch, toured The MOOseum to learned more about beef through a fun round of “Who Wants to Be a Beefonaire?” The students also got news of the Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation scholarship program while here just in case any qualified! Special thanks to Vice President Reeves and his daughter, Amanda, who helped coordinate this visit as part of her teaching internship.

 

 

Kudos to Counties- October Beef Month Fun

County Cattlemen’s chapters across Alabama have been getting out and celebrating October Beef Month! We’re very proud of all their hard work and wanted to highlight all the events we’ve been made aware of either by email, phone, shared photos or on social media!

• Jefferson County Cattlemen’s Association members fired up the grill with Western Supermarkets at the Birmingham Food & Wine Festival!
• Clay County Cattlemen’s Association served up steak sandwiches and all-beef hotdogs at the Hackneyville Fall Festival and have participated in several Cowboys in the Classroom programs with the help of their local treasure, Silver the Bull.
• The Morgan County Cattlemen’s Association Cook Team grilled up steak sandwiches at Eva Frontier Days!
• Chambers County Cattlemen’s Association kicked off their social media footprint by creating a Facebook page to promote beef online!
• Miss Shelby County Cattlemen’s Association doned her Cattlemen’s gear at local events and the county chapter is gearing up for their high school cook-off next Saturday!
• Choctaw County Cattlemen’s Association is offering up beefy giveaways to celebrate October Beef Month as well as promoted beef at Butler Fest!
• The Blount County Cattlemen’s Association promoted beef from pasture to plate at the Blount County Fair!
• The Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association donated a steer to Family & Consumer Science programs at the county’s high schools just like they do every single year. Great work!!
• The Limestone County Cattlemen’s Association sold ribeye steak sandwiches at the annual Fiddlers’ Convention in Athens!
• The Colbert County Cattlemen’s Association is gearing up for their annual Beef It Up event at the Colbert County High School football game this Friday night followed by a Ribeye Steak Sandwich Sale at Rural King on Saturday!
• The Cullman County Cattlemen’s Association hosted their annual county High School Beef Cookoff and gave away a Yeti cooler at their Cullman County Fair booth to one lucky winner!
• Lauderdale County cattlemen have hit local elementary schools in Rogersville  with the Cowboys in the Classroom program!
• The Elmore County Cattlemen’s Association fired up the grill to help serve ribeye steak sandwiches at the Beef Day event!
• On Saturday, the Lee County Cattlemen’s Association will promote beef at the Pioneer Days event in Loachapoka.

 

…and the list goes on! This is just what we know about!! If your county has been at work promoting beef, hosting events or getting involved, let us know about it by tagging us on social media or giving us a call or email to the state office!

 

 

October Beef Month “Beef Day”

Today is an exciting day as we will be hosting Beef Day at the Teague Arena in Montgomery along with Commissioner John McMillan and his team at the Alabama Department of Ag and Industries! This is a special time as we not only get to promote beef, but we get to honor a special group and highlight their work and their achievements. Today, we will be honoring the First Responders of Montgomery, including the Montgomery Police Dept, Montgomery Fire & Rescue, Emergency Communications and Emergency Management Agency. We will be serving them ribeye steak sandwiches cooked by the Elmore County Cattlemen’s Association to thank them for their service and dedication to the community. We look forward to this fun event each year and can’t wait to enjoy good food and good company!

 

 

ALABAMA CATTLEMEN’S FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS- NOW OPEN FOR APPLICATION

The Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation provides over $70,000 annually to qualified high school and collegiate students, courtesy of funds raised through the purchase of the Cowboy vanity car tag and generous endowments. Scholarship applications for the 2019-2020 school year are NOW AVAILABLE online at BamaBeef.org/Scholarship.

 

Applications will close at midnight on November 1. Visit www.BamaBeef.org/Scholarship to review application requirements and to apply today!

 

 

Tune in for Beef

On Tuesday, ACA staffer Ali Cantrell appeared on Talk of Alabama on ABC 33/40 in Birmingham along with industry partner Comedienne Joy to teach viewers how to serve up Nacho Beef Dip at  their next tailgate and to talk about all that’s happening with October Beef Month! Also on Tuesday, ACA staffer Kayla Greer visited WSFA in Montgomery to film a Business Break with the River Region news station that will air on Monday, October 22 during the 6 a.m. news. During the segment, Kayla will be discussing who the association is, the origins of October Beef Month and discussing the impact of the beef cattle industry in Alabama.

 

 

BEEF 101

Fall BEEF 101 programs are happening all in the midst of the many October Beef Month events that have staff burning up the highways! This Thursday, staffer Ali Cantrell is excited to host students from the University of North Alabama with the help of Lauderdale County Cattleman and UNA alumni Jim Akin. This is just one of many BEEF 101 programs happening at Auburn’s Beef Teaching Unit and Meats Lab throughout this busy month!

 

 

Fort Payne Stockyard Visit

ACA Director of Industry Relations and Youth Programs Michael Agar has been on the road visiting stockyards in north Alabama. Recently, the stockyard in Fort Payne was purchased buy Perry, Matt and Tim Gibbs from previous owners Glean and Mary Plunkett. We would like to thank the Plunkett family for over 20 years of market work serving Alabama cattle producers. The Gibbs family has renamed the auction, Fort Payne Livestock, Inc. and have already made great improvements to the barn. Wednesday featured a full house and nearly 800 head of cattle sold through the barn. We wish them the best as they take on this new endeavor!

 

Beefin’ Up Rick & Bubba

Ask and you shall receive! At last year’s Checkoff Task Force Meeting, producers expressed their interest in beefin’ up the Rick & Bubba Show during October Beef Month! Well, the time has finally come, and THIS FRIDAY we invite you to tune in as Bibb County cattlemen and YCLP graduate Ashton Cottingham and staffer Ali Cantrell team up to beef up the popular morning talk show. The duo will be talking beef, cattle production and firing up the grill to serve up delicious steak and eggs for breakfast. They’ll be on air all morning, so be sure to tune in and hear the conversation about our favorite protein, beef!

 

 

BEEF ON IBOTTA

Calling all Ibotta shoppers! The popular consumer app now has a rebate for any fresh beef products at most Alabama retail chains that offers $0.25 back on your beef purchases. The Alabama Beef Checkoff Program is excited to offer this incentive for shoppers as a way to encourage increased beef sales throughout October Beef Month. Download the app and start shopping today!

 

 

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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.

Hello again to our friend, October Beef Month in Alabama! It’s a real treat for us to get to celebrate this delicious month of beef promotion and education throughout the state. Cattlemen are busy promoting beef and raising the beef as calving season is also in full swing across our great state! It’s a busy time…and we know you know all about it, so instead of wasting any more, we will get straight to the point on ALL that’s happening at the ACA this week. 

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Young Cattlemen Gather in South Alabama

On Friday and Saturday, the ACA hosted the YCLP Class V group in Fairhope, AL during their third leadership development session. The group received BQA training from Extension Veterinarian Dr. Soren Rodning at the Gulf Coast Extension and Research Center and then after had the opportunity to tour the facilities with facility director Malcom Pegues. Dr. Mulvaney led leadership training activities throughout the whole trip that challenged our young leaders to think outside the box! To top off the trip, the young cattlemen toured Mark Kaiser’s diversified cattle, poultry and row crop operation and discuss his many ventures such as eggs, peanuts, hay, and his 600-head cattle operation. Overall, it was a successful trip filled with productive conversation about leadership in the beef industry and a ton of fun. Special thanks to all who volunteered their time to make this weekend’s session a success!

 

Bama’s Best Beef Winner Announced

 

 

Alabama National Fair Beef Shows

The weekend, ACA Director of Industry Relations & Youth Programs Michael Agar joined forces with the Alabama Farmers Federation to put on the Alabama National Fair Youth and Open Beef Shows. The event featured around 150 head of fine show calves exhibited by over 100 youth. Big congratulations are in order to Limestone County Junior Cattleman and District 1 Director Ashlyn Ruf who won Grand Champion Market Steer and Grand Champion Breeding Heifer. Congrats are also due to AJCA At Large Director Emma Merriman of Etowah County who won Grand Champion Senior Showman, Curt Williams of Marshall County who took the title of Grand Champion Intermediate Showman and Callie Rae Childers of Morgan County who was awarded the title of Grand Champion Junior Showman.

 

Great work to all these junior cattlemen and future leaders! Also, huge thanks to our AJCA directors who stepped up when needed to help in the ring and to make the show a success.

 

 

Policy Corner: Electronic logging & Trade

Livestock haulers have been granted an additional extension on the ELD delay until December 7, 2018. We will keep you current on what manifests from the remainder of the appropriations bills that need to be passed. These will include language and guidance for where we stand with ELDs in 2019. Stay tuned. In the meantime, trade negotiations continue as Mexico, Canada and the U.S. announced the USMCA this week to replace NAFTA. Details on this agreement will come out in the coming weeks and we will let you know how it immediately effects beef cattle. On the surface, the agreement is excellent news for the U.S. dairy industry.

 

 

Membership Update

Membership bailouts for the 2019 year are in the works. Be on the lookout for those to begin hitting mailboxes around November 1. ACA Membership Coordinator Jessica Kennedy will be sending out county contact information to leaders and will need to be notified of changes asap, so be watching those inboxes. We look forward to working with you as we head into a busy 2019 membership year!

 

 

BEEF 101 With Sysco Gulf Coast

On Monday, ACA Director of Education and Outreach Ali Cantrell hosted a BEEF 101 at Auburn with Gulf Coast Sysco’s sales representatives. They received an overview of the beef industry along with a tutorial of the fabrication process and a live cattle evaluation. The salesmen left with a better understanding of the purpose of each beef cut to increase their sales of beef products.

 

 

Cattlemen’s Convention & Industry Trade Show

Let’s Geaux to New Orleans!! ACA members can take advantage of a special discount code as they register for the Cattlemen’s Convention and NCBA Trade Show which will take place Jan.30-Feb.2, 2019 in New Orleans. Call the office or email krharden@bamabeef.org to confirm your membership status and receive the code for $75 OFF a regular registration and $25 OFF a trade show only pass. Registration for the event opened on October 1.

 

 

CHECKOFF REFERENDUM VOTE- OCTOBER 24

Cattle owners across the state will vote on October 24, 2018 to continue the $1.00 Alabama Beef Checkoff Program. Voting will take place for the referendum in every county Extension office in the state and will be open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on October 24. The Alabama Beef Checkoff Program is essential for beef promotion efforts, issues management, producer programs and youth involvement carried out each year throughout the state. The program has been in place since 1962 as one of the first in the country and was reactivated in 2004 as cattle numbers declined. To date, the program has contributed to thousands of youth being involved in the cattle industry, multiple generations of producers taking part in educational programs and enormous return on investment from research efforts focused on beef cattle production. The wide array of programs available for funding through the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program can be found at www.BamaBeef.org/Checkoff. For questions about how your dollars are used, contact the ACA office.

 

 

BEEF Hits Radio and Television

Beef Month in Alabama his radio waves across the state last week to help us as we kicked off this delicious month of beef promotion and education! If you listen to Rick and Bubba or any iHeart media affiliated radio station you should hear the “Beef. It’s What’s for Dinner” campaign coming through your speakers on a radio near you. Later this month on October 19, ACA’s Ali Cantrell and Bibb County cattleman Ashton Cottingham will be visiting the Rick and Bubba studio to grill up some juicy steaks and discuss October Beef Month and the impact of the cattle industry in Alabama. Also, be on the lookout for our TV commercials on news stations across Alabama specifically in the local Birmingham, Huntsville, Mobile and Montgomery stations. We hope you enjoy seeing BEEF on your screen!

 

 

Beef on ibotta

Calling all Ibotta shoppers! The popular consumer app now has a rebate for any fresh beef products at most Alabama retail chains that offers $0.25 back on your beef purchases. The Alabama Beef Checkoff Program is excited to offer this incentive for shoppers as a way to encourage increased beef sales throughout October Beef Month. Download the app and start shopping today!

 

 

Food Tours with Comedienne Joy

The Alabama Beef Checkoff has partnered up with Comedienne Joy to host Beef Food tours in the Birmingham area every Sunday this October. ACA Director of Education & Outreach Ali Cantrell and Birmingham-area food blogger Joy King will take people throughout Birmingham to try beef meals from four different restaurants and then conclude at Western Supermarket for a mini BEEF 101 course. This promotion will also be featured on Comedienne Joy’s show with Fox station.

 

 

ALABAMA CATTLEMEN’S FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS- NOW OPEN FOR APPLICATION

The Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation provides over $70,000 annually to qualified high school and collegiate students, courtesy of funds raised through the purchase of the Cowboy vanity car tag and generous endowments. Scholarship applications for the 2019-2020 school year are NOW AVAILABLE online at BamaBeef.org/Scholarship.

 

Applications will close at midnight on November 1. Visit www.BamaBeef.org/Scholarship to review application requirements and to apply today!

 

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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.

And just like that, September is riding off into the sunset. Time sure flies when you’re having fun, and promoting beef, attending producer events and planning ahead for big events sure make our top list of fun things to do on the job. This year is making a quick escape, but there’s still much left to do including October Beef Month, checking yes to the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program, planning for next year’s checkoff program and hosting another Board meeting. The last three months of the year sure keep us on our toes..just about as much as those calving mamas at your farm do you! Keep reading to learn more about what’s going on at the ACA this week and buckle up for a wild ride as we prepare to tackle the last quarter of 2018. 

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Checkoff Referendum Vote- October 24

Cattle owners across the state will vote on October 24, 2018 to continue the $1.00 Alabama Beef Checkoff Program. Voting will take place for the referendum in every county Extension office in the state and will be open from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. on October 24. The Alabama Beef Checkoff Program is essential for beef promotion efforts, issues management, producer programs and youth involvement carried out each year throughout the state. The program has been in place since 1962 as one of the first in the country and was reactivated in 2004 as cattle numbers declined. To date, the program has contributed to thousands of youth being involved in the cattle industry, multiple generations of producers taking part in educational programs and enormous return on investment from research efforts focused on beef cattle production. The wide array of programs available for funding through the Alabama Beef Checkoff Program can be found at www.BamaBeef.org/Checkoff. For questions about how your dollars are used, contact the ACA office.

 

 

Membership Update

The Membership Task Force will meet in Montgomery on Thursday to further discuss details associated with the new membership year. These volunteer leaders have meet in-person and via conference call several times over the course of the last several months to hash out details associated with moving the membership fiscal year from July-June to January-December. We feel strongly that this move will be beneficial, but it will require transition as does any change. We ask that if you have any questions or concerns about this change to give us as call at the state office at (334) 265-1867.

 

Speaking of membership, the last of the membership cards have been mailed, so county secretaries should be on the lookout for their cards to hand out to renewed members at upcoming county meetings.  Keep in mind that on July 1, we began the 2019 membership year, so a majority of those members are not renewed yet. Secretaries, be sure to get a current report from the database before passing out 2019 membership cards. To access those reports, contact Jessica Kennedy at our office to get your report login and password.

 

Last but certainly not least, all of the i4a membership software training videos are uploaded to our website!! From software basics, to renewals, to printing mailing labels, there’s a step-by-step video to help you navigate this new system. To learn how to gain access to these videos, contact Jessica at jkennedy@bamabeef.org or call her at (334) 265-1867.

 

 

Food & Wine Festival in Birmingham

This Friday, the Jefferson County Cattlemen’s Association will join in the fun at the Birmingham Food & Wine Festival and assist Western Supermarkets by handing out beef samples at the consumer event. Dubbed the “Food Mecca of the South,” Birmingham has quite the booming foodie culture, and beef has a front row seat to the show. We appreciate the leadership of the Jefferson County crew as they stepped up to help on a weekend where staff is going in many different directions!

 

 

ALABAMA CATTLEMEN’S FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIPS- NOW OPEN FOR APPLICATION

The Alabama Cattlemen’s Foundation provides over $70,000 annually to qualified high school and collegiate students, courtesy of funds raised through the purchase of the Cowboy vanity car tag and generous endowments. Scholarship applications for the 2019-2020 school year are NOW AVAILABLE online at BamaBeef.org/Scholarship.

 

Applications will close at midnight on November 1. Visit www.BamaBeef.org/Scholarship to review application requirements and to apply today!

 

 

YCLP Class V Heads South

ACA Director of Education and Outreach Ali Cantrell will be traveling to Fairhope this weekend to head up the third session with YCLP Class V. On Friday, the class will earn BQA certification with the help of Extension Veterinarian and State BQA Coordinator Dr. Soren Roding  at the Gulf Coast Research and Extension Center. This certification course will include hands-on activities such as vaccinating and deworming heifers and the proper penning and handling of cattle. Following this, the class will tour the Research Center with Director Malcomb Pegues who was kind enough to host us for this meeting.

 

On Saturday, the group will begin in the classroom with a leadership lesson from Dr. Don Mulvaney before heading out to Mark Kaiser’s farm in Robertsdale for a tour of his diversified cattle and poultry operation. We look forward to a unique, hands-on learning opportunity with some of our future leaders in the cattle industry!

 

 

Sysco Fall Buying Expo

ACA Director of Education & Outreach Ali Cantrell has spent her day at the Fall Buying Expo with Sysco Foodservice in Birmingham. While there, she will be serving up Ribeye steak samples and promoting the kickoff of October Beef Month the upcoming Monday. Her goal today is to encourage salesmen to increase their beef sales and answer any questions they might have about our favorite protein, BEEF!

 

 

Auburn Ag Round-Up This Weekend

Calling all Auburn Ag Alumni: Head on out to Ag Heritage Park this weekend to celebrate Homecoming with a Taste of Alabama. Ag commodity groups, including beef, will be represented at the event and handing out samples of their foods. The ACA has teamed up with the AU Meats Lab in Auburn to offer brisket sliders to event attendees. If you’re going to be on the Plains this weekend, be sure to stop by and see us!

 

 

Alabama National Fair Livestock Shows

This weekend, ACA Director of Industry Relations and Youth Programs Michael Agar will work alongside industry leaders to put on the Alabama National Fair Youth and Open Beef shows. Best of luck to all the competitors competing throughout the weekend!

 

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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.