ASI Awarded MAP, FMD, QSP Funding
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service recently announced the agricultural organizations that are recipients of the Fiscal Year 2020 funding for the Market Access Program and Foreign Market Development program. The American Sheep Industry Association has once again been granted funding through each of these programs.
Additionally, ASI cooperates with the Quality Samples Program, which has been key in assisting new customers to try American wool.
“This is extremely important funding for the American wool industry as it continues to explore and grow export markets. The programs are key to building the current customer base and effective when investigating in markets that are either high-risk or developing,” said Rita Samuelson, ASI’s deputy director.
The MAP program shares the cost of overseas marketing and promotional activities that help build commercial export markets for agricultural products and commodities. ASI uses this funding for projects such as branding programs, promotion, trade missions, reverse-trade missions, first-stage processing trials and trade show participation.
The FMD program focuses on trade servicing and trade capacity building by helping to create, expand and maintain long-term export markets for American products. This supports other FAS programs, such as QSP which enables the wool industry to provide samples of American wool. These samples help a foreign customer learn about and try American wool and have been important in developing long-term customers who have purchased millions of pounds of American wool.
These programs are open to all. ASI does not discriminate based on race, religion, national origin, age, sex (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, disability, marital or familial status, political beliefs, parental status, receipt of public assistance, or protected genetic information.
ALB Seeking Young Lamb Leader Candidates
The American Lamb Board is seeking three candidates to represent the United States in the Young Guns Leadership Program at LambEx in Australia. The American Lamb Board believes producer education is of the utmost importance for the long-term viability of the American sheep industry.
The program is intended to broaden the understanding of new innovation and technologies in sheep production practices. This leadership development forum will provide innovative and progressive opportunities for young producers to increase American production efficiencies and provide a consistent, high-quality, premium product for continued lamb demand growth and increasing the American market share.
Each country (Australia, United States and New Zealand) will select two or three producers between the ages of 22 and 40 years of age who exhibit leadership potential to participate in the forum. The program is July 1-3 and will kick-off in Melbourne at the 2020 LambEx.
Airfare, hotel and other travel expenses will be covered for the participants that are selected by the ALB’s selection committee to represent the United States. Participants will be responsible for some meals, as well as incidentals.
Applicants must complete the written application. Applications are due by Feb. 28. Review of applications will be the first week of March. Phone interviews may be requested following the review. For questions and more information, contact the ALB office at [email protected] or 303-759-3001.
Click Here for the application.
Perrin Grabs Second Straight National Title
Davin Perrin picked up his second consecutive (fourth overall) national championship in the professional division at the 2020 Black Hills Stock Show National Sheep Shearing Championships on Thursday in Rapid City, S.D.
Other champions at the national contest included: Kevin Ford, blade shearing; Leann Brimmer, wool handling; Kurtis Mooney, intermediate shearing division; and Rowdy Thompson, learner shearing division.
Finishes in the professional division looked similar to a year ago, as Perrin edged Alex Moser and Nolan Abel took third – just the way they finished in 2019. The only difference was Emily Chamelin-Hickman grabbed the fourth spot.
The national championships were part of Sheep Day at the Black Hills Stock Show and Rodeo. The day also included a working dog competition, lamb tastings and educational outreach for the American sheep industry.
The South Dakota Sheep Growers Association took time during the day to recognize Sheep Extension Field Specialist Dave Ollila with a custom rifle, as he plans to officially retire from the position on Feb. 21. While he’ll continue to be involved in the state’s sheep industry, his absence from the extension office will be felt statewide.
Positive Movement Welcomed in Australian Wool Market
The Australian wool market defied expectations and recorded overall positive movement this week. Many in the industry predicted that continued global uncertainty over the coronavirus outbreak would push the market lower. These predictions did not come to fruition, however, as the market opened strongly and then continued to strengthen as the series progressed.
Main buyer interest was in finer wools and broader, better-style types – in particular those with favorable additional measurement results. These wools generally sold at levels 40 to 80 cents above those achieved at the previous sale. Lesser-style, inferior types and those with poor additional measurement results did not attract the same buyer attention and lost ground for the series – generally between 10 and 20 cents.
The gains in the better wools were enough to push the individual Micron Price Guides higher for the week, with gains across the country of between 20 and 74 cents. On the back of these rises, the AWEX Eastern Market Indicator added 29 cents for the week to close at 1,577 Australian cents. The EMI has now risen for three consecutive selling days, adding a total of 57 cents during this period.
The skirtings also recorded rises for the series – all types and descriptions generally gained 40 to 60 cents for the week. The crossbreds also managed general increases of 4 to 17 cents. The only MPG to record a negative result across the entire sale was the 26 micron MPG in Melbourne, which fell by 4 cents. Not to be left behind, the oddment sector also pushed higher. General increases of between 5 and 20 cents helped the three regional indicators to rise by an average of 11 cents.
The national offering increases next week. Currently, there are 42,932 bales rostered for sale with all three centers in operation. Melbourne will sell during three days to accommodate the extra quantity.
Source: AWEX
Texas A&M Looking for Farm Manager
Texas A&M AgriLife Research is looking for a farm manager to work in College Station, Texas.
Job duties would include:
Develop, implement, and monitor budgets and operations plans to support the mission of the facilities and department, in coordination with the ASTREC Manager and the Manager of Livestock Operations.
Train and oversee employee(s) in animal handling, care and husbandry practices. Ensure employees are properly trained in equipment operations, and facility cleaning and care.
Provide quality animal care and husbandry for production, teaching and research animals according to protocols and ensure regulatory compliance. Responsible for accurate inventory, production and animal management records.
Maintain and improve physical assets of the facility. Ensure preventative and deferred maintenance schedules are in place for facilities and equipment (including planned replacement of equipment).
Be able to work with the Feed Services Manager, ASTREC Manager, and faculty to formulate feed rations for the different animal groups. Mix feed and process commodities in order to support the research and teaching activities at each of the centers.
Responsible for sale and marketing of production animals.
Assist other facility managers, in coordination and response to the ASTREC Manager, with project implementation.
Provide operating and output date and performance metrics to departmental administration.
Requirements for the position include a bachelor’s degree in an applicable field or the equivalent combination of education and experience, and three years of experience. Preferred qualifications include a master’s degree in animal science or a closely related field and three years of experience managing a sheep and goat operation.
Click Here to learn more.
Correction
Last week’s newsletter incorrectly identified the workplace of 2020 Shepherd’s Voice Broadcasting Award Winner Lane Nordlund. He works for Montana Ag Network.