For More Information Contact:
Judy Malone — 303-771-3500, ext. 104, or judym@sheepusa.org
Kyle Partain – 303-771-3500, ext. 106, or kyle@sheepusa.org
DENVER – Steve Osguthorpe of Park City, Utah, was elected to represent Region VI on the American Sheep Industry Association’s Executive Board at the 2017 ASI Convention in Denver, Jan. 25-28.
“I’m just an old sheepherder who appreciates the opportunity to serve the industry,” said Osguthorpe. “The people in agriculture, especially in the sheep business, are the salt of the earth and they are the people that I want to be associated with. The bottom line for me is that I want to do everything I can to support the industry. I want to pass a legacy along to my family, to the sheep industry and to agriculture in general.”
As a second-generation sheep rancher, Osguthorpe has always had sheep. His bands of sheep graze in the Park City area in the summer and winter in the west desert of Utah. Being a range operation, all of the lambing is born on the range. He owns a feedlot and farm land in the Delta area and utilizes H-2A workers to graze his flock on private land, as well as on year-round BLM and Forest Service allotments. He grows alfalfa and oats in the Park City area and alfalfa, corn, corn silage and barley in Delta.
Owning his own feedlot fits into the Osguthorpe operation as he believes this offers him the autonomy to be a price maker rather than a price taker. Feeding his lambs as they come off summer grazing is an option if prices are low. Wool is also an important part of his production. He has added Merino genetics into his flock, substantially increasing the value of his clip.
Three of his six sons are sheep producers with each family member owning their own sheep. All of the operations are in close vicinity so working together and helping each other is common place.
Osguthorpe is a real proponent of taking care of the land as is evidenced by his receipt of the Leopold Conservation Award in 2011. He has always been taught that if you take care of the land, it will take of you.
Osguthorpe’s sheep summer on the slopes of the Park City Ski Resort where you will also find his lamb on the menu at the Vail Ski Resorts, owners of Park City Ski Resort and many more. Locals are able to purchase his lamb at the Park City Walmart and, hopefully, at the Heber City Walmart in the near future.
He was vice president of the Utah Farm Bureau for 17 years, chairman of the Weber River Water Rights Committee and has served on the boards of the U.S. Meat Export Federation, Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Company, Envision Utah, Canyon’s Village Resort Management Association, Utah Grazing Improvement Board, Central Utah Grazing Improvement Board, Weber Basin Water Conservancy District and Wildlife Damage Prevention Board of Utah.
Osguthorpe has been married to his wife, Vickie, for 47 years. They have six sons, one daughter and 14 grandchildren. He graduated from Utah State University with a degree in animal science.
Osguthorpe represents Region VI, which includes Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Nevada.
ASI is an equal opportunity employer. It is the national trade organization supported by 45 state sheep associations, benefiting the interests of more than 88,000 sheep producers.