Podcast Talks Livestock Guardian Dogs
This month’s American Sheep Industry Association Research Update Podcast visits with Dr. Julie Young of Utah State University about one of sheep producers’ favorite topics: livestock guardian dogs.
“Livestock guardian dogs have been around for about five thousand years or so,” Young said. “Officially, there are 33 breeds of guardian dogs used around the world. Really looking at breeds that were born and bred to bond and guard your livestock animals. In the U.S., that is particularly common with sheep, but around the world we see it with all sorts of livestock.”
Guardian dogs became popular in the United States in the late 1980s to early 1990s.
“I’m sure there were people using them before,” Young said. “But that’s really when research started and the boom kind of took off in the U.S. At that time, coyotes were the No. 1 livestock killer – and they still are – in the United States. But at that time there weren’t really other predators to be too concerned with. Wildlife Services did some research at the time where they brought in what we would call white dogs today – probably your Pyrenees or Akbash or something like that – and put them with producers around the West. They found they really did reduce livestock depredation.”
This is the first of a two-part podcast on this topic. Tune in next month for part two.
Click Here to listen to the podcast.
ASI’s YEE Offers Discount on Convention Registration
The American Sheep Industry Association’s Young & Emerging Entrepreneurs group is offering a $150 discount on 2025 ASI Annual Convention registration fees for students and first-time convention attendees.
But there are a limited number of discounts available, so you should act quickly to claim the discount. Attendees can do so by contacting Zahrah Khan at [email protected] or 303-771-3500, ext. 108.
Gordy & Debbie Set for Scottsdale
Saturday lunch at the 2025 ASI Annual Convention will feature a musical act for the first time since ASI’s last trip to Scottsdale, Ariz., in 2020.
Gordy and Debbie – a multi-award winning duo and stars of the popular A Tribute to George Strait dinner show in Branson, Mo. – will take the stage at the Terraza on Jan. 18. That’s the same outdoor tent at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort that hosted Gary Mule Deer when ASI last visited the area nearly five years ago.
The two have been entertaining music fans for more than 25 years. They met during a singing competition in Branson – which is known as the Live Music Show Capital of the World – nearly 20 years ago. Their friendship blossomed, and the couple married in 2006.
In 2021, they chose to close their popular Branson show and move to Mesa, Ariz., where they continue to perform regularly. They also travel extensively in the Midwest during the summer to escape the Arizona heat.
Click Here to register for the ASI Annual Convention.
Final Week for ASI Awards Nominations
It’s time once again to submit nominations for ASI awards, which will be presented during the ASI Annual Convention on Jan. 15-18, 2025, in Scottsdale, Ariz. The deadline for all award nominations is next Friday – Nov. 29.
There are five awards open for nominations: The McClure Silver Ram Award, the Peter Orwick Camptender Award, the Distinguished Producer Award, the Industry Innovation Award and the Shepherd’s Voice Award.
Nominations must be submitted to ASI by Nov. 29, and past recipients of these awards are not eligible.
Click Here for more information.
Deadline Approaching for Officer Nominations
American Sheep Industry Association Nominating Committee Chair Susan Shultz reminds sheep producer leaders and state associations that nominations for ASI Secretary/Treasurer are due by next Friday.
Interested producers should share a letter of interest – including leadership experience in the sheep industry – with the ASI office by Nov. 29. The committee will then agree on a nomination slate of officers to be presented to the ASI Board of Directors at its annual meeting in January.
Contact Executive Director Peter Orwick at 303-771-3500, ext. 103, or [email protected] for more information.
Michigan Companies Work Together on Wool Cap
A pair of companies with long-standing roots in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula have come together to create a unique product, blending the design and manufacturing skills of one and the talents of raising sheep and producing wool from the other.
The two companies are Stormy Kromer (Jacquart Fabric Products) and the Lake Superior Woolen Company. Together, the companies have crafted a limited-edition cap – the Lake Superior Woolen x Stormy Kromer Cap – available while supplies last. The hat features a leather brim, adding to its unique feel.
“For us, this partnership is about more than just creating a product,” said Stormy Kromer CEO Gina Thorsen. “It’s about celebrating the U.P. and the passion for quality that’s woven into everything we do here. I couldn’t be prouder to see this project come to life with such an amazing partner in Lake Superior Woolen Company.”
Thorsen said Eric Wallis – whose family owns the sheep farm – reached out to her in the past and as recently as January about the possibility of a partnership. “The way their wool is woven is a little different than the wool we typically use, so we weren’t sure we could work with it, but after a few experiments where we literally cut up some of their blankets and made hats out of them, we decided we had a great collab on (our) hands,” she said.
The cap is made of wool raised from sheep in Rudyard, Mich., by Wallis and his family at their historic farm, which has been certified by the Michigan Centennial Farms Association. Lake Superior Woolen shears its sheep and then sends the wool fibers to a mill on Prince Edward Island.
“For this project, we worked with them to turn the fibers into continuous yardage that we could cut into hats,” Thorsen said. The fabric returned to Ironwood, Mich. – the home of Stormy Kromer – where sewing machine operators turned the fabric into the iconic cap.
The cap is available for $75 from either Stormy Kromer’s website or in person at the Lake Superior Woolen Company store in downtown Mackinaw City, Mich. Only a limited quantity is available.
Source: UPword Michigan
ALB at the Food and Wine Festival
The American Lamb Board celebrated lamb’s culinary versatility and sustainability with two standout events during the San Diego Bay Food and Wine Festival – a three-day event attracting culinary enthusiasts and influencers.
“The festival was a unique opportunity to highlight American lamb’s rich flavors, its commitment to sustainability, and its deep connection to local farming communities,” said ALB Chairman Jeff Ebert.
CrEATor Live is a must-attend event for culinary content creators and influencers where creativity meets business mastery. In addition to helping influencers develop new content creation skills, this event allows culinary creatives to connect with some of the industry’s most influential voices.
Influencer guests explored their Lamb Personality, where they picked from three custom spice blends inspired by global flavors – Chorizo, Merguez and Mediterranean – along with an accompanying lamb recipe card during an interactive experience.
American lamb was also the highlight in a Lamb Clinic, where San Diego Chef and Butcher Frank Dorame captivated attendees with a whole lamb butchery demo while sharing tips on sustainable cooking and showcasing diverse cuts of lamb. Attendees ended the educational clinic with lamb tastings, sparking inspiration for home-cooked meals.
The Grand Fiesta is an unforgettable finale to the San Diego Food and Wine Festival. Attendees are immersed in a vibrant celebration of Latin America’s rich cross-border culinary and cultural influence on Southern California. At the event, award-winning chefs create world-class cuisine, exceptional wines, craft beer, and traditional and unique Mexican spirits.
In the Lamb Taco Competition, four local chefs competed to create the best lamb taco, delighting festival-goers with innovative flavors and earning votes for their favorites.
Meanwhile, hundreds of visitors stopped by the American lamb booth to learn about its superior taste and sustainability. Visitors took home recipe booklets and discovered tips for incorporating lamb into their meals.
Source: ALB
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.
Stabenow Releases Farm Bill Proposal
On Monday, Senate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (Mich.) introduced the Rural Prosperity and Food Security Act, her proposal for the next Farm Bill.
The bill’s introduction follows her May release of a Farm Bill framework. It would include $39 billion in new spending, of which $20 billion would go to strengthening the farm safety net and preparing for disaster relief, $8.5 billion would support nutrition assistance and $4.3 billion would support rural development.
Despite the renewed momentum stirred up from the chairwoman’s release of bill text, House Speaker Mike Johnson (La.) and Republican leadership signaled their intent to move forward with a one-year extension of the current Farm Bill instead, punting farm policy efforts into the new year and Congress.
Click Here for Chairwoman Stabenow’s bill text.
Click Here for a summary of the bill.
House Ag Democrats Signal Potential for Leadership Change
On Wednesday, Rep. Jim Costa (Calif.) – the second most senior Democrat on the House Agriculture Committee under current Ranking Member David Scott (Ga.) – announced his intent to challenge Scott in the upcoming 119th Congress for his ag leadership role.
This comes at a time of post-election turmoil within the House Democratic Caucus with a handful of other Democrats announcing bids to challenge sitting committee leadership. One other prominent example is Rep. Jared Huffman (Calif.) challenging current Ranking Member Raul Grivjalva (Ariz.) for the top Democrat spot on Natural Resources.
Ranking Member Scott has faced years of behind-the-scenes questions about his ability to lead House Ag Democrats through discussions about reauthorizing a new Farm Bill. In addition, Democrats have signaled toward needing stronger leadership within the House Agriculture Committee to defend Democratic nutrition and climate policies, especially in anticipation of facing a GOP trifecta going into 2025.
Another potential name to watch in the race is Rep. Bennie Thompson (Miss.), a senior member of the Democratic Caucus who previously served on the Ag Committee and was chair of the Democrat’s Task Force on Agriculture. Thompson has not publicly expressed interest in the role or in challenging Scott.
USFS Announces New Monitoring Policy
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service announced a new policy for monitoring national forests and grasslands. The policy aligns monitoring, partnerships and information-sharing efforts to help land managers monitor changes related to climate change and other stressors affecting National Forest System lands and make timely, informed, science-based decisions within staffing and budget constraints. This policy is an important step in implementing the agency’s 2012 planning rule, which requires the agency to use monitoring to inform adaptive management.
The forest service monitors national forests and grasslands to gauge progress toward forest restoration, the effects of disturbance and climate on forests – such as the increasing frequency and intensity of wildfires, drought and floods – and to help people understand how forests are changing through time.
“Our forests are constantly changing. Monitoring is one way the forest service understands the impact of its decisions on our forests. This includes assessing the capability of critical infrastructure to withstand a rising number of high-intensity flood events, increases in recreation visitation, shifts in wildlife habitat use and movement, and changes in water quantity and quality. This policy is a key step in ensuring there is a consistent, evidence-based framework in place to support monitoring that drives strategic thinking and efficiencies for resource management decisions,” said Deputy Chief for the National Forest System Chris French. “As we strive to manage lands in partnership with tribes, other federal agencies, and partners, a more universal, accessible monitoring policy is critical in fostering informed collaboration.”
In support of the policy, the forest service is developing resources in response to common monitoring needs that use consistent and automated data analysis and reporting methods. These resources will increase overall monitoring reporting efficiencies, aid in development of biennial monitoring evaluation reports, and support informed decision-making and adaptive management across national forests and grasslands.
Through government-to-government consultation, the new policy emphasizes the importance of integrating science and Indigenous Knowledge into efficient and transparent monitoring programs.
The new U.S. Forest Service monitoring policy is in Forest Service Manual 2000: National Forest Resource Management, Chapter 2040: National Forest System Monitoring and is available on the Forest Service Directives webpage.
Source: USDA/USFS
Australian Market Suffers Slight Setback
The Australian wool market continued with the trend experienced over last 18 months – recording minimal price movements across the selling series – resulting in a small negative movement for the week.
The benchmark AWEX Eastern Market Indicator dropped 3 cents on the first day of selling, then dropped another 2 cents on the second to finish the week 5 cents lower at 1,137 Australian cents. The last 14 daily movements in the EMI have been by 10 cents or less and 13 out of the 14 have been by 5 cents or less. Since May 24, 2023, until this week, the EMI has fluctuated between 1,086 and 1,220 cents – a range of just 134 cents.
Despite the flatness of the market, the clearance rate continues to be high as most sellers are prepared to accept the prices on offer. This week, the clearance rate was 91.2 percent with just 8.8 percent of wool failing to reach seller reserve. High-strength wool – typically wool measuring 40 NKT and above – continues to be in decline. In this selling series, 27.7 percent of the fleece offering recording a strength of 40 NKT and above. Another highly sought after wool characteristic by exporters is a low mid-break in the Position of Break measurement. Wools possessing very low mid-breaks often have other faults overlooked as buyers need these lots to achieve their desired averages. In this sale, 54.4 percent of Merino fleece wool had a mid-break of 50 or less. Season to date, there have been 33.3 percent of mid-breaks at 50 or less. This is 6.4-percent lower than the corresponding sale of the previous season.
Fleece wool carrying less than 1 percent vegetable matter is another desirable characteristic. In this series, 61.4 percent of the fleece offering was free of nearly free of vegetable matter.
Next week’s offering reduces as there are expected to be 34,494 bales on offer nationally.
Click Here for the ASI Conversion Table – AWEX Prices to USD Per Pound.
Source: AWEX