October in Alabama means Fall Festivals, cooler weather, leaves changing colors and, of course, beef.
The Alabama Cattlemen’s Association’s Beef Month began October 1st. The annual designation is to highlight Alabama’s sizable cattle industry and the people who work hard every day to allow us to enjoy beef at our dinner tables.
Michael Pounders, President of the Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association, was a guest on WFMH-FM 95.5 last week to promote some of the beef-featured events taking place across Franklin County.
The Franklin County Cattlemen served up their popular steak sandwiches at last weekend’s Red Bay Founders’ Fest. The steak sandwich sales, held several times through the year, raise funds that remain entirely in Franklin County, as they are used to provide scholarships for Franklin County high school seniors.
Last weekend’s sandwich sale was the association’s final one of the year.
The state association also conducts several events to celebrate Beef Month, including the Alabama Beef Cattle Conference set for October 3-4 in Auburn. The Alabama Cattlemen’s Association will host a workshop on calf management October 8th in Monroeville and the Blackbelt Beef and Forage Field Day is set for October 18th in Marion Junction, Al.
According to the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association, there were approximately 1,170,000 head of cattle and calves on Alabama farms as of January 2024. That number ranks Alabama 17th among the 50 states in beef cattle numbers nationwide.
Beef demand remains strong both domestically and internationally. The top five importing countries of American beef are Japan, China, Taiwan, South Korea and Canada. The total export value of U.S. beef and beef products in 2023 was $10 billion.
You can follow events hosted by the Franklin County Cattlemen’s Association by following their page on Facebook. The page also provides helpful tips and management information for cattle farmers.
Franklin County cattlemen will be participating in ‘Cowboys in the Classroom’ during October. The program brings local cattlemen into classrooms to share with elementary students about raising beef cattle.
Second only to poultry production, cattle production is Alabama’s second-largest animal agriculture industry. According to the state association, beef cattle production in Alabama is a $2.5 billion annual industry that provides more than 7,000 jobs in the state.
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