Registration Open for Annual Convention
Registration is now open for the 2024 American Sheep Industry Association Annual Convention at the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel and early bird rates apply through Dec. 8. All online registrations must be completed by Dec. 18. After that date, registration will only be available onsite in Denver.
CLICK HERE for information and to register to attend the convention.
The ASI Annual Convention is the one time each year when all facets of the American sheep industry come together to discuss topics that are timely and important to sheep producers, lamb feeders, as well as those working in the meat, wool and sheepskin sides of the industry.
“As always, we’re putting together an exciting program of events at a first-class venue,” said ASI Executive Director Peter Orwick. “We encourage anyone with an interest in the industry to register and attend as we work through the business of our association, educate leaders on important topics ranging from marketing and government policy to sheep health and genetics, and network from the farm and ranch to the traders and processors.”
Orwick is planning a panel discussion on the Farm Bill for the opening session on Jan. 11 and expects to draw Congressional leaders and staff for a timely discussion on passage or implementation of this critical legislation for agriculture.
Four tours will be offered during the convention as attendees will be able to choose between two traditional industry tours:
- One industry tour will include stops at the Superior Farms lamb processing plant in Denver and Harper Feeders in Eaton, Colo., with a bit of a twist. This is your opportunity to gear-up and walk through Superior Farms’ plant to see everything from processing to fabrication. Attendees will then travel to Harper Feeders to learn about how lambs are managed at this third generation 65,000 head capacity feedlot. Attendees will have the opportunity to see first-hand implementation of the Secure Sheep and Wool Supply Plan at each location. Attendees will hear about the lessons learned in preparing these operations for an FMD outbreak and the steps taken to minimize the effects on their business and the sheep industry.
- The other industry tour will include stops at Colorado Lamb Processors’ lamb processing plant and Rule Feeders in Brush, Colo. This is your opportunity to gear-up and walk through Colorado’s newest lamb processing facility. Following the plant tour, attendees will visit nearby Rule Feeders.
- The Seed & Smith Grow Tour offers a 40-minute guided grow tour of a state-of-the-art cannabis cultivation facility. During your tour, you will have the opportunity to look behind the curtain at how cannabis is grown, harvested, extracted, processed and packaged. This engaging, all-inclusive tour shows you the cannabis process from beginning to end. The tour will take you through four stops: the Vegetation Room, the Bloom Room, the Packaging Pit Stop and the MIP. At the conclusion of the tour, guests will find themselves in the Marketplace where they can get advice from expert cannabis associates on different items.
- The Golden Historic Tour heads west from Denver to the foothills and offers a visit to Red Rocks Amphitheatre, which is a naturally formed, world-renowned outdoor venue famous for its star-studded concert roster, natural acoustics, and incomparable ambiance as well as its awe-inspiring hiking and biking trails. You will learn about the history of the amphitheatre, the unique geology and look out at stunning views. Next, you’ll enjoy a scenic drive to Lookout Mountain. Your tour guide will share stories of the outrageous lives of the gun-slinging Buffalo Bill Cody and Annie Oakley and visit Buffalo Bill’s gravesite overlooking Golden and the Front Range. Finally, the tour will head down the hill to Golden. The city of Golden was established at the foot of Lookout Mountain in 1859 as prospectors searched for gold in the Colorado hills. This quaint town is the home of the Colorado School of Mines, Miller-Coors Brewery and historic buildings.
Convention attendees are encouraged to register for tours early as participation is limited and spots will fill up quickly. The National Western Stock Show & Rodeo will also be going on during ASI’s time in the city.
Meetings of ASI’s councils and committees are open to all convention attendees. And once again in 2024, the Genetic Stakeholders Committee is joining with the National Sheep Improvement Program and Sheep Genetics USA to host a genetics forum that promises to be educational regardless of your role in the industry. A tentative schedule of events is available on the registration website.
Meeting alongside ASI at the convention are the American Lamb Board, American Goat Federation, ASI Women, American Shearers Council, Food and Fiber Risk Managers, Make It With Wool, National Lamb Feeders Association, National Livestock Producers Association, National Sheep Improvement Program, National Sheep Industry Improvement Center, Sheep Genetics USA, Sheep Heritage Foundation, Sheep Venture Company and Western Range Association.
Survey Aimed at Wool Pool Coordinators
Wool pool coordinators are encouraged to share information on their wool pools through a new American Sheep Industry Association survey.
ASI would appreciate any information you can provide so the association can find solutions for marketing pooled wool and so it can appropriately represent your wool pool and help growers find you. Additionally, if you know of other wool pools, please share this email or survey with them.
Click Here to take the survey.
ASI is researching ways to make transporting and marketing pooled wool efficient and advantageous for both growers and buyers. ASI realizes wool has become difficult to sell in some areas and is looking at potential solutions.
Additionally, ASI is updating the Wool Pool Directory on its website at SheepUSA.org.
Note that only contact information will be shared in the directory. All other information will be kept confidential. Contact Heather Pearce at heather@sheepusa.org or 303-771-3500, ext. 102 for more information.
Coarse, Medium Wools Drive Rise in Australian Market
After two weeks of losses, the Australian wool market recorded a small overall rise in this series, although results were varied across the different sectors and regions.
Finer Merino fleece types struggled to attract the same level of buyer attention received in the previous series, and the result was losses across the board nationally for wool 19.5 micron and finer. The Micron Price Guides for 19.5 micron and finer across the three centers reduced by between 1 and 44 cents.
The medium to broad microns – 20.5 micron and coarser – still received strong support, with widespread competition and spirited bidding helping to push prices higher. This was highlighted in the 21-micron MPGs in Melbourne and Fremantle, which both rose by 15 cents. The crossbred sector was by far the strongest performer of the week. Strong buyer demand pushed prices higher across the board. The standouts were in Melbourne, where the 28-micron MPG gained 30 cents (+8.1 percent) and the 30-micron MPG also gained 30 cents (+8.5 percent). The gains recorded in this sector combined with the gains in the broad Merino fleece types were the main reason for the overall increase in the market.
The AWEX Eastern Market Indicator added 3 cents for the week, closing at 1,138 Australian cents. Due to minimal currency movement, the EMI also rose in USD terms as it added 2 U.S. cents for the series, closing at 725 U.S. cents.
Despite the national offering being higher than the same time last year – 2.1 percent – the total dollar amount of wool sold is well below the corresponding sale of the previous season. There has been $559 million worth of wool sold so far this season, this is $40 million less than the previous season.
Next week returns to the normal Tuesday/Wednesday selling pattern as 42,266 bales are currently expected to be offered nationally.
Click Here for the Australian Wool Report Prices in USc Per Pound.
Source: AWEX
Legislative Update from Washington, D.C.
The American Sheep Industry Association’s lobbying firm – Cornerstone Government Affairs – offered an update this week on legislative issues in our nation’s capital.
Biden Signs CR Into Law
On Saturday, the White House announced President Biden had signed into law H.R. 5860. The bill makes continuing appropriations for fiscal year 2024 (through Nov. 17), and for other purposes. It was introduced in the House on Saturday – the last day of fiscal year 2023 – and quickly moved through both chambers to avert a government shutdown. The bill provides funding for the federal government through Nov. 17 and includes $16 billion in supplemental funding for domestic disaster relief.
For agriculture and related programs, the bill extends the funding provided in the fiscal year 2023 agriculture appropriations bill at the same spending levels provided in that bill, but prorated only through Nov. 17. None of the disaster relief in the bill will go through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, though funding could support Federal Emergency Management Agency work in rural and agricultural communities impacted by hurricanes, floods or other declared disasters.
It also extends the Animal Drug User Fee Act and the Animal Generic Drug User Fee Act through fiscal year 2028 and extends the Livestock Mandatory Reporting Act through Nov. 17. The bill maintains the base salary increase for wildland firefighters included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act as well as authorizes USDA to continue funding the Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women and Children and direct and guaranteed farm ownership loans. The bill did not address any farm bill related programs, some of which expired on Sept. 30.
Taziki’s Shares Lamb Burger Results
In a continued partnership with the American Lamb Board, Taziki’s Mediterranean Café featured two American lamb burgers on its menus this summer. The Mediterranean Lamb Burger – a previous summer promotion fan favorite – was added to the chain’s permanent menu and a Southern-Style Lamb Burger was added as a limited-time special from June 12 to Sept. 3.
“The Southern-Style Lamb Burger was a fun addition to our menu this summer. It was the true fusion of our Southern roots and the Mediterranean menu,” said Taziki’s CEO Dan Simpson. “The lamb burgers grew our deli sales by 13 percent during the promotion period with the Southern-Style Lamb Burger accounting for one third of the burgers sold.”
“We appreciate Taziki’s commitment to using American lamb on their menus and were happy to again partner with them to promote lamb burgers,” said ALB Executive Director Megan Wortman. “These lamb burgers illustrate how the distinctive taste of domestic lamb blends well with various flavor profiles – from Mediterranean to Southern-inspired.”
The American Lamb Board first partnered with Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe in 2020 on a limited-time, 100-percent American lamb take-out promotion. The Mediterranean Lamb Burger was tested at about a third of Taziki’s units in 2021 and was rolled out as a limited-time special to all units from June to September of last year.
Taziki’s Mediterranean Lamb Burger is made up of two griddle-cooked, seasoned, 100-percent American lamb patties on a toasted kaiser bun with feta cheese, sliced tomato, grilled onions and peppers, and Taziki sauce.
The Southern-Style Lamb Burger is packed with two griddled-cooked, seasoned, American lamb patties on a toasted kaiser bun with spicy pimento cheese, sliced tomato and grilled red onions.
Founded by Keith and Amy Richards in 1998, Taziki’s Mediterranean Café has nearly 100 locations serving modern Mediterranean fare to customers in 16 states – mostly in the Southeast – and is headquartered in Birmingham, Ala. For more information, visit Tazikis.com.
Source: ALB
ASGA Conducting Solar Grazing Survey
Have you ever wondered how many acres of solar farms are being grazed or how many solar grazers there are in the United States? What about the average cost per acre to graze solar? These are all questions that are frequently asked of the American Solar Grazing Association.
That’s why ASGA is conducting the first U.S. solar grazing census. The association needs your help to ensure it gets the best data possible by taking the survey and sharing it widely with your network of solar grazing contacts.
Every survey respondent will receive $10 off the cost of an ASGA membership. In addition, all survey respondents will be entered into a drawing to receive a $100 Amazon gift card and special gifts from ASGA.
Click Here to take the survey.
Source: ASGA
Wisconsin Plans Beginning Producer Workshop
The Flocking Together Workshop at the Arlington (Wis.) Research Station is intended for beginning shepherds and goat producers. The workshop – scheduled for Oct. 19-21 – will immerse participants in learning about nutrition, pasture and parasite management, recordkeeping, reproduction, budgets and herd health management plans.
Participants will learn from UW-Madison Extension staff Todd Taylor, Carolyn Ihde and Lyssa Seefeldt; Iowa State University Animal Science Lecturer Ann Kolthoff; and National Sheep Improvement Program Executive Director Rusty Burgett. Presenters will engage participants through lectures, discussions, hands-on activities, personalized planning and live demonstrations. There will even be a lamb cook-out with Wisconsin producer Cody Hiemke.
Click Here to reserve your spot.
The registration fee is $150 per participant. Please register by Oct. 13. The workshop fee includes workshop materials, individualized work sessions, Thursday and Friday lunch, Friday lamb cook-out and educational sessions.
For more information contact the workshop hosts at the following emails or phone numbers: toddtaylor@wisc.edu or 608.846.5858, carolyn.ihde@wisc.edu or 608.326.0223, lyssa.seefeldt@wisc.edu or 715.839.4712.
Source: University of Wisconsin Extension
Cornell Hosting Sheep & Goat Symposium
The 2023 Cornell Sheep & Goat Symposium is scheduled for Oct 27-29 in Ithaca, N.Y. Goat and sheep raisers and industry stakeholders are welcome to register for the whole event or individual days.
Friday Oct 27th is devoted to advance sign-up workshops on: learning to process sheep and goat for meat; learning to do a field necropsy; demos and hands-on practicals for new sheep and goat raisers; and an intro to artificial insemination.
Saturday is the primary day with multiple tracks available that morning, including: emerging health issues; laparoscopic artificial insemination and embryo transfer; mastitis, Johnes and other high-impact diseases; a panel on diversifying on-farm enterprises; a workshop on farm taxes; and updates on state and federal regulations affecting small ruminants. Additional tracks are available on a variety of topics in the afternoon.
Click Here for the program schedule, registration and additional information. The registration deadline is Oct. 20. Please contact Barbara Jones at 607-255-7712 with further registration questions.
Source: Cornell Sheep Program