Awards Nomination Deadline Extended to Dec. 3
The American Sheep Industry Association has extended the deadline to nominate individuals or companies for industry awards until Dec. 3. Award winners will be recognized at the 2022 ASI Annual Convention on Jan. 19-22, 2022, in San Diego.
There are five awards open for nominations: the McClure Silver Ram Award, the Camptender Award, the Distinguished Producer Award, the Industry Innovation Award and the Shepherd’s Voice Award.
The McClure Silver Ram Award is dedicated to volunteer commitment and service and is presented to a sheep producer who has made substantial contributions to the sheep industry and its organizations in his/her state, region or nation. The award may recognize a lifetime of achievement or may recognize a noteworthy, shorter-term commitment and service to the industry.
The Camptender Award recognizes industry contributions from a professional in a position or field related to sheep production. Nominees should show a strong commitment and a significant contribution to the sheep industry, its organizations and its producers above and beyond what is called for in his/her professional capacity. Nominees should be well respected in their fields by their peers and by sheep producers.
The Distinguished Producer Award was launched in 2014 to recognize the 150th anniversary of the national organization – the oldest livestock association in the country. This award is a way to recognize an individual who has had a significant long-term impact on the industry, including involvement with the National Wool Growers Association or American Sheep Producers Council, the predecessor groups to ASI.
The Industry Innovation Award recognizes the accomplishments of an individual or organization that improves the American sheep industry in a game-changing way, regardless of whether its impact is felt at the regional or national level.
The Shepherd’s Voice Award for media recognizes outstanding year-long coverage of the sheep industry by either print or broadcast outlets. The award excludes all publications and affiliates related solely to the sheep industry, allowing for recognition of outlets with general coverage for excellence in covering sheep industry issues.
Nominations must be submitted to ASI by Dec. 3, and past recipients of these awards are not eligible. To receive an application, call 303-771-3500 or email info@sheepusa.org.
Click Here for more information and the nomination form.
Evaluators Needed for AWA Program
Wool growers are now progressing through the American Sheep Industry Association’s American Wool Assurance program, and as outside verification is needed for advancement to level II, AWA is looking for second-party evaluators.
Evaluators will work with ASI staff and directly with growers to confirm that they are meeting the AWA standards. Evaluators must have sheep experience and/or education and must be interested in helping and working with growers.
Information and applications are available at www.americanwoolassurance.org/wp-content/uploads/AWA-Evaluator-Application.pdf and are due by Nov. 29. Accepted evaluators will be trained via virtual sessions and able to complete level II evaluations in early 2022.
Wool producers are also reminded that the free, voluntary AWA program can be started anytime through the AWA website.
Click Here for more information on AWA.
Space Available in ASI Annual Convention Trade Show
A limited number of trade show booths at the 2022 American Sheep Industry Association Annual Convention in San Diego in January are now up for grabs on a first-come, first-served basis.
Booths rent for $800 per space and will be on display on Jan. 20-21, 2022, at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina. Applications and payments are due by Dec. 31, but spaces are expected to sell out before the deadline.
For more information, contact Heather Pearce at heather@sheepusa.org or 303-771-3500, ext. 102.
SheepCast: Infrastructure, Wolves and AWA
This week, the American Sheep Industry Association SheepCast takes a look at important provisions in the recently passed Infrastructure Act, upcoming arguments in the gray wolf delisting case, the American Wool Assurance Program and the upcoming ASI Annual Convention.
Click Here to listen to the podcast.
Despite Recent Losses, Australian Market Up in Past Year
The Australian wool market lost ground during this series, driven mainly by losses in the Merino fleece sector. The national offering fell to 37,630 bales, due in part to the 5.3 percent of wool withdrawn prior to sale.
Unlike last week, where it was mainly the finer Merino microns recording losses, this week the falls were felt across all Merino fleece types and descriptions. The bulk of the losses were felt on the first day of selling. Across the country, the individual Micron Price Guides for 16.5 through to 21 micron lost between 9 and 82 cents. Only the 22 micron MPG in the South managed a nominal, 4-cent increase. These falls contributed to a 14-cent reduction in the AWEX Eastern Market Indicator.
The second day of selling, the market settled to a degree. In the Eastern markets, the movements in the MPGs ranged between +16 and -20 cents. In Fremantle – selling last on the final day – the market recovered slightly. This was reflected in the Western MPGs, which ranged between -1 and +9 cents and showing promising signs for next week’s sales.
The EMI lost 7 cents on the second day, dropping 21 cents for the series and closing at 1,319 Australian cents. Understandably, the drop in the market pushed the national passed-in rate higher, as many sellers were either unwilling or unprepared to accept the prices on offer. The passed-in rate nationally was 14.2 percent – 4 percent higher than in the previous series.
Despite the falls experienced so far in the 2021-22 season, the market is still beyond the price levels of this time last year. Compared to the corresponding sale of the previous season, the EMI is 130 cents higher – an increase of 10.9 percent.
Even with the softer market, the national offering for next week has climbed as 44,754 bales are currently expected to be offered in Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle.
Source: AWEX
Infrastructure Bill a Win for Livestock Haulers
Livestock haulers will be among the many beneficiaries of the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act passed last week by the U.S. House of Representatives when President Joe Biden signs it into law on Monday. The U.S. Senate passed the legislation back in August.
The bill makes a historic investment to rebuild America’s roads, bridges and rails, ensure every American has access to high-speed internet, and strengthen supply chains by making long overdue improvements to the nation’s ports, airports, rail and roads.
Most notably for livestock haulers, provisions of Sen. Deb Fischer’s (Neb.) HAULS Act are included within the bipartisan infrastructure framework. Livestock haulers are now granted 150 air-miles radius from the origin and destination of their trip. This effectively allows livestock haulers to travel an additional 300 miles while exempt from the restrictive Hours-of-Service regulations.
The American Sheep Industry Association joined a coalition of agricultural groups in recent years in securing a reoccurring exemption from the Electronic Logging Devices mandate for livestock haulers.