Sheep Industry Faces

Sheep Heritage Foundation Elects Officers
May 2004 -- The Sheep Heritage Foundation elected new officers during a teleconference in March. Serving as president is Frank Moore, Wyoming; secretary Steve Raftopoulos, Colorado and treasurer Pierce Miller, Texas.

Out-going president Don Meike, Wyoming, served in this capacity for many years and was active in facilitating meetings this year to ensure future funding for the industry. Additionally, foundation member Bill Schneemann, Texas, was instrumental in continuing the Sheep Heritage Scholarship Program for graduate students and reviewed each application.

"We commend Meike for the many years he contributed to the foundation and for maintaining the purpose of the foundation, which is to work with the industry in developing solid financial funding initiatives for future programs," stated President Moore. "It is also with great appreciation that we note Schneemann's assistance in granting Heritage Foundations scholarships over the years past."

According to its bylaws, the foundation is comprised of past presidents of the American Sheep Industry Association and the National Wool Growers Association.

Siddoway Appointed to Steering Committee
The Bush-Cheney '04 Campaign Chairman announced on March 3, 2004, the appointment of Cindy Siddoway, a fifth-generation sheep producer and past American Sheep Industry Association president, to the National Farm and Ranch Steering Committee.

Also appointed was Arizona Wool Producers Association member Basillio "Bas" Aja.

In Memory of Upson Garrigus
Upson Garrigus, professor emeritus of animal sciences at the University of Illinois, died March 31, 2004.

Garrigus was an active sheep nutritionist, primarily in the areas of non-protein nitrogen feeds in sheep rations and general sheep nutrition.

Garrigus served as Midwestern president and national board member of the American Society of Animal Science, to which he was named a fellow in 1974. In 1994, he received the International Award of the American Society of Animal Science.

In Memory of William Boylan
William Boylan, credited with starting the U.S. sheep dairy industry in the 1980s, died on Feb. 15, 2004.

In 1984, he helped the University of Minnesota, where he began teaching in 1966, start a sheep-milking project. An important part of his project was getting East Friesian mixed breeds imported from Canada.

Boylan retired as professor of animal science in 1995.

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