August 2005 --
National Wildlife Services Advisory Committee
The American Sheep Industry Association?s (ASI) executive board finalized the industry?s nominations to the National Wildlife Services Advisory Committee. In May, Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns announced the intent to renew the National Wildlife Services Advisory Committee for a two-year period.
Nominations for re-appointment to the Wildlife Services Advisory Committee include: Montana rancher Nina Baucus; Texas rancher and Texas A&M educator Maurice Shelton, Ph.D.; and current National Animal Interest Alliance President Patti Strand of Oregon. Bryce Reece, of the Wyoming Wool Growers Association (WWGA) was nominated for the open cattle/sheep producer position that is being vacated by West Virginia sheep producer Joseph Harper.
Baucus is hands-on in the family sheep operation. She is a former executive board member of ASI and served on committees with the Montana Wool Growers Association. The ranch experiences losses of livestock to coyotes, black bears and occasionally grizzly bear and wolf kills. To protect her livestock, she utilizes herders.
Shelton received a master?s degree in animal production and a doctorate in animal breeding. He went on to teach and conduct sheep research at Texas A&M and four-related experiment stations. His academic background, combined with personal knowledge obtained through management of his own ranch and the Texas A&M flocks and herds, has made him one of the more knowledgeable men in the industry on sheep and related predator issues.
As president of the National Animal Interest Alliance, Strand works with this national non-profit organization that is dedicated to promoting humane and responsible animal use. She has worked on advisory committees with oversight responsibilities over animal use and welfare issues at all levels.
Seeking nomination to this committee for the first time is Reece. Since 1993, he has served as the executive vice president of the WWGA and has worked to protect, preserve and enhance the lamb and wool industry and ranching community of Wyoming. Reece has been one of the leading advocates and proponents for professional, effective, well-managed predator control and management programs.
The National Wildlife Services Advisory Committee advises the secretary on policies, program issues and research needed to conduct the Wildlife Services program. The committee also serves as a public forum enabling those affected by the Wildlife Services program to have a voice in the program?s policies. Members selected for the committee will serve two-year terms.
American Lamb Board
The ASI executive board also finalized nominations of producer directors to the American Lamb Board (ALB).
ASI is certified to nominate representatives to serve in the producer positions on the ALB. Two producer positions are currently vacant and must be filled by producers from states east of the Mississippi River. One of the positions must be filled by a producer who owns annually 100 or less head of lambs, while the other position may be filled by a producer with any size production. The U.S. Department of Agriculture?s Agricultural Marketing Service requires two nominations for each seat.
The four nominations made by ASI include: John Oswalt (Mich.), David Trotter (Ind.), Janet Mawhinney (Penn.) and Laurie Hubbard (Penn.). Current ALB member, Nick Forrest (Ohio), is not seeking re-nomination. ALB members serve three-year terms.
In the lamb business for more than 40 years, Oswalt was re-nominated for a second term on the lamb board. Oswalt raises approximately 800 white-faced ewes on 450 acres. He has been active with the Michigan Sheep Breeders Association for more than 25 years.
Trotter and his wife raise approximately 25 Polled Dorsets and grow 150 acres of alfalfa/alfalfa-grass hay on their farm. He has served as president of the Indiana Sheep Association and represented six eastern states on the ASI executive board until his term-limit expired in January.
As a fifth generation sheep producer, Mawhinney and her husband have an 80 head Polled Dorset flock. She established an annual sheep and fiber event in her area which promotes lamb. Mawhinney represented nine eastern states on the ASI executive board until her term-limit expired in January.
Hubbard raises 15 Tunis ewes in addition to operating a 150 Polled Dorset flock for the Pennsylvania State University (PSU). She is an assistant shepherd at PSU and serves as treasurer of the Pennsylvania Sheep and Wool Growers Association.
?It is an honor to nominate this slate of experienced and dedicated producers. Each of these individuals is qualified to make decisions on this industry-wide board,? comments Paul Frischknecht, ASI president.