Manager, Youth Programs & Marketing
Alabama Cattlemen’s Association
October is officially Beef Month in Alabama, and the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association is pulling out all the stops to promote beef from the pasture to the plate. We caught up with Bailey Watson from the association to learn more about this month’s activities and how Alabamians can get involved.
“At the state level, our biggest priority this month is to promote the consumption of beef to the consumer. So at the state level, we’re really pushing that beef promotion on digital platforms.”
While digital outreach is a key focus, the heart of October Beef Month lies in community engagement.
“But in October Beef Month, our main priority is getting our county associations activated at that grassroots level. So you may see them hosting beef cook-offs, having steak sandwich sales, and we do the Cowboys in the Classroom where you go and read about beef production to local elementary schools.”
One fun way counties are encouraged to participate is through a friendly competition.
“And we also have a competition called the Cattlemen of Beef Month. So if our county cattlemen participate in these activities, they receive points for it. And the county with the most points will be crowned Cattlemen of Beef Month at our annual convention in March.”
Looking for delicious recipes to try at home? There are plenty of resources available online.
“If you want to find more recipes, of course, we’re pushing stuff out on our social media all month. But you can go to beefitswhatsfordinner.com and there’s hundreds of recipes on there.”
And if you’re planning a foodie road trip this month:
“If you’re kind of curious about Alabama beef production, we do have more information on our website at bamabeef.org. You can learn more about it there. If you’re trying to find some good beef restaurants to go eat this month, if you go to our bamabeef.org/60, last year for October Beef Month, we deemed 60 restaurants that have Bama’s best beef dishes.”
Whether you’re grilling at home or eating out, October is the perfect time to celebrate Alabama beef and support local producers and restaurants across the state.
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.