ALABAMA CATTLEMENS ASSOCIATION

The Alabama Cattlemen’s Association is a service based non-profit organization headquartered on Capitol Hill in Montgomery. Producer and member driven, the ACA’s mission is two-fold: To promote beef consumption through producer checkoff assessments and to protect and enhance the business climate for cattle production in Alabama through member dues.

The start of the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association began with Luther Fuller, a farm products agent for the Tennessee Coal, Iron, and Railway Company (T.C.I.) based out of Birmingham, Alabama. T.C.I. sold metal and steel products such as wire fencing, metal gates, feed troughs, as well as basic slag to cattlemen and farmers. During World War II, cattlemen were disadvantaged by rationing of beef and other food supplies as well as price roll-backs on beef. Fuller recognized that his customers and their industry were under attack and the best way to defend them was to get them organized.

In the late 1930’s, and organization called the Alabama Livestock Growers Association (ALGA) had been formed but had become largely inactive by 1943. It was then that Fuller contacted the ALGA President U.C. Jenkins and Secretary K.G. Baker about reorganizing their organization into a “working” cattlemen’s association for the benefit of all cattlemen in Alabama.

Jenkins and Baker were keen to the idea and in a letter dated December 29, 1943, they invited the 256 cattlemen who were or had been members of the ALGA to a meeting to be held the next month in Demopolis, Alabama. Fuller sent another 76 letters to county extension agents and extension personnel for a total of 332 letters mailed. This letter called for all interested cattlemen to meet on the night of January 4th, 1944 at the Demopolis Inn to consider forming a “visible” cattlemen’s association. Many cattlemen were planning to be in Demopolis that week for the state’s premier beef cattle event, the Alabama Beef Cattle Show and Sale being held January 4, 5, and 6.

In ACA’s first year, the statewide membership included only 40 members but that number was sure to rise. Over the years, strong and dedicated leaders helped ACA to grow its ranks to a high point of 18, 620 members in 1974. Because ACA’s strength lies in its network of county chapters and volunteer leaders, ACA is sure to continue as a voice for cattlemen in Alabama for years to come.