Donations to this important cause can be sent to:
American Sheep Industry Association
Attention Bighorn Fund
9785 Maroon Circle, Suite 360
Englewood, CO 80112
Bighorn Resolution Solicitation Letter:
The last time the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) put out a national solicitation for funds was in 2003 for the final disposition of the 201 trade case on imported lamb. Today we are faced with an issue deemed every bit as serious as imports were in the 1990s.
Western Watersheds Project, an environmental activist group, is using the administrative process, along with the courts to systematically eliminate domestic sheep grazing on federal lands where domestic sheep may interact with bighorn sheep. That represents 43 percent of the domestic sheep grazing on federal lands – that’s 23 percent of the domestic sheep production in our country! This issue is not just about a few producers; it will impact our entire industry from producers to feeders, packers and woolen mills – right on down the line.
Our industry has legislation pending in Congress that will hold lawsuits at bay for five years and allow for the necessary research for vaccine development. With the current budget deficits federal funding will not be sufficient to accomplish this task, we will need to help finance and fast tract this research.
To this end, ASI has established an account for funding the very promising vaccine research and to assist the state sheep associations in their defense of domestic sheep grazing. Please consider a tax-deductible contribution to this special solicitation and enclose it in the pre-addressed envelope. We are in the second year of record highs for all our products and in the midst of growing the sheep inventory nationwide. So let’s not allow those who want to end public land grazing to shut down our industry.
Enclosed are articles that further discuss this threat to our industry. You may also access additional information on our website, www.sheepusa.org.
We have a strong and profitable future in the sheep industry and many factors working in our favor. We can resolve this issue! Progress towards our fundraising goal will be tracked on the ASI website as well as in the monthly publication. Thank you for your support in this crucial effort.
Respectfully,
Margaret Soulen Hinson
ASI President and producer