Minnesota Lamb & Wool Producers There is something for everyone at this year’s Minnesota Lamb & Wool Producers annual conference and trade show. Plan to attend production and fiber arts seminars, updates from our national organizations, an MLWPA youth meeting and the annual business meeting. Don’t miss the Make It With Wool contest and fashion show, Silver Bell Luncheon, the trade show and the evening social, banquet and auction. Dr. Jim Morgan from the National Sheep Improvement Program will discuss Genetic Improvement in our Flocks. Mike Caskey, Pipestone Sheep Program Instructor will share ideas for Managing High Feed Cost. The final seminar will be a panel discussion on Connecting With Consumers. Emily Zweber, Executive Director of the Ag Chat Foundation and Katie Winslow, former Minnesota Pork Ambassador will be among the panelists who will share their consumer conversation experiences. Check out www.mlwp.org for an updated schedule and a complete list of speakers and topics. The Shepherd’s Holiday will be held Dec. 1, at the Country Inn and Suites in Fall 2012 S HEPHERD ’ S H OLIDAY IN M ANKATO INSIDE THIS ISSUE: Silver Bell Nominees 3 ALB News 4 Food Fight at school 5 DNA test for OPP 6 Animal Care News 7 Capitol Corner 8-9 Market news 10 Sheep Prices Plunging 11 ASI Awards Program 12 Drought Worsens 13 Classified ads 14 Calendar of Events 15 Board of Directors 16 S HEPHERD ’ S N EWS P RESIDENT K IRK R OE RESIGNATION Prior to the September board meeting, MLWPA President, Kirk Roe informed the Executive Board that he was stepping down. Citing personal reasons, Kirk offered his resignation from the board; which the board accepted. For several years, Kirk has been a dedicated volunteer and leader for MLWPA, and his efforts will be missed. When the Baa booth was in danger of fading away, Kirk and family stepped up and brought new life to the project. Kirk has been an engaged leader since then. If you see Kirk, thank him for his dedication. [Ed. Note: Thanks Kirk, I have enjoyed working with you. ALSO—1st V.P., John Dvorak will assume duties until the annual meeting.] Staci Busch, Bob Padula are among a packed house enjoying the 2011 Shepherd’s Holiday 2012 MLWPA Shepherd’s Holiday Dec. 1 Mankato, MN See you there! Cont. on p. 2
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Minnesota Lamb & Wool Producers
There is something
for everyone at this
year’s Minnesota Lamb
& Wool Producers
annual conference and
trade show. Plan to
attend production and
fiber arts seminars,
updates from our
national organizations,
an MLWPA youth
meeting and the annual
business meeting. Don’t
miss the Make It With
Wool contest and
fashion show, Silver Bell
Luncheon, the trade
show and the evening
social, banquet and
auction.
Dr. Jim Morgan from
the National Sheep
Improvement Program
will discuss Genetic
Improvement in our
Flocks. Mike Caskey,
Pipestone Sheep
Program Instructor will
share ideas for Managing
High Feed Cost. The final
seminar will be a panel
discussion on Connecting
With Consumers. Emily
Zweber, Executive Director
of the Ag Chat Foundation
and Katie Winslow, former
Minnesota Pork
Ambassador will be among
the panelists who will
share their consumer
conversation experiences.
Check out www.mlwp.org
for an updated schedule
and a complete list of
speakers and topics.
The Shepherd’s Holiday
will be held Dec. 1, at the
Country Inn and Suites in
Fal l 2012
S H E P H E R D ’S HO L I DA Y I N M A N K A TO I N S I D E T H I S I S S U E :
Silver Bell Nominees 3
ALB News 4
Food Fight at school 5
DNA test for OPP 6
Animal Care News 7
Capitol Corner 8-9
Market news 10
Sheep Prices Plunging 11
ASI Awards Program 12
Drought Worsens 13
Classified ads 14
Calendar of Events 15
Board of Directors 16
SHEPHERD ’S NEWS
P R E S I D E N T K I R K R O E R E S I G N A T I O N
Prior to the September
board meeting, MLWPA
President, Kirk Roe
informed the Executive
Board that he was stepping
down. Citing personal
reasons, Kirk offered his
resignation from the board;
which the board accepted.
For several years, Kirk
has been a dedicated
volunteer and leader for
MLWPA, and his efforts
will be missed. When the
Baa booth was in danger
of fading away, Kirk and
family stepped up and
brought new life to the
project. Kirk has been an
engaged leader since
then. If you see Kirk, thank
him for his dedication.
[Ed. Note: Thanks Kirk, I
have enjoyed working with
you. ALSO—1st V.P., John
Dvorak will assume duties
until the annual meeting.]
Staci Busch, Bob Padula are among a packed house
enjoying the 2011 Shepherd’s Holiday
2012 MLWPA
Shepherd’s Holiday
Dec. 1
Mankato, MN
See you there! Cont. on p. 2
Your conference registration include:
Lunch, banquet, trade show, seminars, door prize drawings
Please note the following dates:
Nov. 1 for the best room rate; Nov. 16 for the pre-registration discount
(If you are unsure of your dues are current, contact Jeremy—612.756.1200)
S I L V E R B E L L N O M I N E E S S O U G H T The Minnesota Lamb and Wool
Producers are currently seeking
nominations for the 2012 Junior and
Senior Silver Bell Awards. he Silver
Bell Awards will be presented at the
Shepherds Conference and Trade
Show, December 1, in Mankato, MN.
MLWPA annually recognizes an
adult producer whom excels in one or
more the following areas: raising
sheep, promoting lamb and wool,
supporting the sheep industry and
helping other producers. [Ed. Note:
The MLWPA board, led by Randy
Kinney, is currently updated the
Silver Bell award criteria and
information on our website.]
MLWPA also offers a youth Silver
Bell award for those junior members
who excel in the promotion of lamb
and wool as well as assisting other
members in starting a sheep project.
You can only win the Silver Bell
award once. The list of past winners
can be found at www.mlwp.org (just
click on the “Silver Bell” tab.)
If you know deserving producers
or youth, please nominate them by
sending in their name and contact
information along with a brief
explanation as to why they are
deserving. Nominees who are not
selected may be retained for
consideration the following year.
Nominations should be sent to Don
Adelmann (10980 Little Ave,
Cologne, MN 55322 or sadelmann@
att.net) by Nov. 15, 2012.
[Ed. Note: Last year’s winners: Dan &
Mike Lippert and Kelly Froehlich
(youth) will be giving a presentation
at this year’s Shepherd’s Holiday.
Join us in congratulating them as
well as for the announcement of this
year’s winners.]
The meeting was called to order by 1st
V.P. John Dvorak. Jeremy G. moved to
approve the updated agenda, seconded by
Don A., motion carried.
Jeremy distributed and read highlights
from the minutes of the June meeting.
Minutes were approved as submitted.
The treasurer’s report was distributed
and discussed by Glenette S. The current
total in checking and savings is $74,081.67.
Actual income/expenses are in-line with the
budget. The newsletter is running a bit over-
budget. We did see lower sales in the state
fair commercial booth, but also had lower
expenses. The treasurer’s report was
approved as submitted.
Membership report – not much change since
the June meeting – just under 280
memberships in all classes. A couple
memberships were turned in at the state fair
and will be credited to 2013.
Kelly F. gave a report on the youth
program, including recommendations for
moving forward. The general consensus was
for the “youth coordinator” to be a more
structured position with more accountability
for the youth activities. In addition, the board
discussed ways to incentivize interested
youth members to participate in the state fair
Baa booth, at the Shepherd’s Harvest
Festival and other MLWPA activities. Steve F.
moved, seconded by Don A. to provide a
$500 stipend for the youth coordinator,
motion carried.
Jeremy G. gave an update from ASI. John
D. mentioned that our ASI regional Director,
Bob Benson would be retiring from the ASI
board. Bob has made a point to attend all of
our MLWPA Shepherd’s Holidays during his
term. Moved by Jeremy G., seconded by
Randy K. to recognize Bob with a plaque for
service to the industry at the Shepherd’s
Holiday. Motion carried.
Randy K. gave a report on the National
Lamb Feeders Sheep Industry Leadership
school that was held in PA. The tours were
very good.
Commercial Booth Report – Loretta
Pederson was not able to attend, but
submitted a written report, indicating a
willingness to provide leadership to the booth
again next year (the board agreed by
unanimous consent). Total sales were just
over $42.000 (down from last year, but
similar to the previous years). Mary
Radermacher has provided leadership to the
commercial booth for the Shepherd’s Harvest
Festival and assisted Lorretta with planning
for the state fair. MLWPA’s share from the 8
private vendors that sold product in our booth
was just over $4,200. Moved by Jeremy G.,
seconded by Don A. to provide Mary R. with a
$500 stipend for her efforts – motion carried.
Note: the commercial booth coordinator
stipend of $2000 that was approved for
Loretta had been reduced from the prior year
stipend of $2500 because she could not
attend the Shepherd’s Harvest or Shepherd’s
Holiday. Don A. will work with Melanie P. on
getting the new logos on the trailer. The
MLWPA table cloths need to go back to
Melanie P. to have the website added.
Dan P. was unable to attend the meeting
but e-mailed in a report on the Baa Booth.
Overall it went OK, but it was a challenge
finding volunteers for the booth, especially
during the second 4-day period of the fair.
Dan offered a number of suggestions for next
year. Bret Oelke did the work of set-up and
take down of the booth.
2012 Shepherd’s Holiday – Jeremy
distributed a draft agenda. Speakers and
topics were discussed. The MN Corn Growers
Association and the MN Soybean Research &
Promotion Council have each agreed to
continue their sponsorship of the Silver Bell
Luncheon and Annual Banquet. Jeremy G.
will send a postcard to members for
registration. Glenette discussed the MIWW
contest and the silent auction.
MLWPA President Kirk Roe, citing
personal reasons, submitted a letter of
resignation from the board. Moved and
seconded to accept Kirk’s resignation –
motion carried.
Fall grazing workshop – at the request of
the host farm, this will be moved to a spring
workshop.
Randy K. moved, seconded by Jeremy G.
to appoint Dan Persons and Don Adelmann to
the nominating committee. Motion carried.
Jeremy will put an article in the newsletter
asking for those interested in serving on the
board to come forward.
The next meeting will be Nov. 30 in Mankato.
Meeting adjourned.
M LW PA B OA R D M E E T I N G M I N U T E S - J E R E M Y G E S K E
“Nominations are due
by November 15.”
Page 4 Fal l 2012
A M E R I C A N L A M B B OA R D N E W S
Dan Lippert Re-appointed to the
American Lamb Board
The Secretary of Agriculture
recently announced four
appointments to the 2013 American
Lamb Board. The newly appointed
board member is Angelo "Butch"
Theos, of Meeker, CO, representing
producers. Butch is a third-
generation sheep rancher who runs
over 4,000 head of sheep with his
son Tony Theos, owners and
operators of Theo's Swallow Fork
Ranch.
Reappointed to the board are the
following three members: Betty
Sampsel, Stanford, MT, representing
producers; Daniel Lippert, Blomkest,
MN, representing feeders; and
William "Reed" Anderson,
Brownsville, OR, representing first
handlers.
ALB Announces Changes to FY 2013
Coop Funding Programs
The American Lamb Board's
Industry Matching Grant Program has
been replaced by an Annual
Sponsorship Program. $20,000 will
be available annually to support local
lamb events, fairs and festivals to
help offset the cost of lamb for
sampling and demonstrations, event
advertising and publicity,
promotional materials, etc.
Applications will be due in January
2013.
ALB has also approved an
increase to the Supplier Co-op
program budget from $60,000 to
$80,000 to help American Lamb
suppliers and direct marketers
develop and implement branded
retail, foodservice or consumer
promotions. The funding cycle will
remain the same for this program
with applications due for the first
round on October 31, 2012
($40,000 available), and the second
round on April 30,
2013 ($40,000
available). This
program requires a
dollar for dollar match .
2012 Lamb Jam Finale
The American
Lamb Board ended
Sunset Magzine's
Savor the Central Coast Festival with
a bang. The Lamb Jam Finale
wrapped up the three day food and
wine festival outside San Luis Obispo
with the second annual Lamb Jam
Masters Finale. The event was
hosted by TV Celebrity Ted Allen of
Food Network Chopped and judged
by Margo True, Sunset Food Editor,
Kathy Marks Hardesty, The New
Times local food and wine writer,
Sandra Duerr, Executive Editor of the
Tribune, Eddie Lin of Deep End
Dining and Laura McIntosh of the
Bringing it Home TV show. The judges
crowned Chef John Critchley of
Urbana in Washington D.C the Lamb
Jam Master for the 2011-2012 Lamb
Jam Tour for his American Lamb
Pupusa. Chef Brian Alberh of the
Red Lion Inn in Stockbridge, MA won
the People's Choice Award for
bringing in the most votes for his
American Lamb meatballs in ALB's
online Lamb Jam Masters
promotion. The online results,
recipes and chef photos are still
available at fansoflamb.com.
ASI Convention Reminder - Save the Date!
The initial preparation for the American Sheep Industry Association's (ASI) 2013 convention being held in San Antonio, Texas, from Jan. 23-26, is underway. The information to reserve your sleeping
room is now available by going online to www.sheepusa.org and clicking on the 2012 ASI Convention story link. Reservations can be made online or by calling the reservations phone
number. Room rates are $149 plus taxes for single or double occupancy.
P I P E S T O N E O F F E R I N G D I S T A N C E L E A R N I N G C O U R S E S
The Pipestone Lamb and Wool
Program is accepting registrations for
five distance-delivered courses.
The most popular course being
offered is Introduction to Sheep
Management (LWMP 1001) and is
offered through the mail or as an
online course. The curriculum
provides an overview of year-long
sheep management as well as the
philosophy of sheep management
and its relationship to business
goals. Introduction to Sheep
Management is a one-credit course
with 14 self-paced lessons. No text
book is required.
Other online courses include
Equipment and Facilities,
Introduction to Sheep Health, Ewe
Ration Formulation and Wool
Characteristics and Properties.
For more information, visit the
Pipestone Lamb and Wool Program
at www.pipestonesheep.com.
D E S P I T E O U T B R E A K S U S F O O D S U P P L Y C O N S I D E R E D S A F E
The continuous drum beat of
multistate foodborne illness
outbreaks has not done much to
shake consumer confidence in the
U.S. food supply, according to a new
study released this week.
The NPD Group, a market
research firm, reports that 60
percent of U.S. consumers are only
somewhat or slightly concerned
about the safety of the food supply. A
quarter of people report being
extremely or very concerned and 15
percent said they were not
concerned at all.
The survey, known as the NPD
Group Food Safety Monitor, contacts
500 adults on a biweekly basis and
asks about a variety of food safety
issues, including Salmonella, E. coli,
Listeria, mad cow disease and
mercury in fish. Responses to one
simple question: “How concerned are
you about the safety of the U.S. food
supply?” have remained relatively
the same since 2010.
So why aren’t headlines about
illnesses and deaths linked to
cantaloupe, peanut butter, tuna,
cheese and mangoes (just to name
some of the outbreaks of the last six
months) causing more worry?
Well, the survey results show that
these outbreaks do cause spikes in
concern, usually regarding a specific
food product, but then as the news
subsides the concern levels off. The
percentage of adults who reported
being concerned about Listeria, for
example, more than doubled during
the deadly Colorado cantaloupe
outbreak in late Summer 2011, but
by the end of the year that worry
leveled off.
“The impact of a food recall on
consumer attitudes and perceptions
often depends on the amount of
news coverage received, or the
severity of the situation in terms of
numbers sickened or dead as a
result,” says Darren Seifer, NPD food
and beverage industry analyst.
“Recalls, unfortunately, have become
more commonplace, but consumers
are creatures of habit. It takes a lot
for us to change what we eat.”
Reprinted from the Food Safety News
Shepherd’s News Page 13
D R O U G H T W O R S E N S I N S O M E K E Y M I D W E S T FA R M I N G S T A T E S
The nation's worst drought in
decades is showing no sign of letting
up in several key Midwest farming
states, worrying farmers harvesting
the summer's withered corn crop in
record time that their winter crops
may also be at risk.
Overall drought conditions in the
lower 48 states held steady over the
seven-day period ending Tuesday,
with about one-fifth of the total land
area in extreme or exceptional
drought, the two worst
classifications, according to the U.S.
Drought Monitor's weekly update of
its drought map released Thursday.
Conditions worsened, though, in
Kansas and Iowa, the nation's
biggest corn producer, and nearly 98
percent of Nebraska was still
deemed to be in one of the two worst
categories.
The unrelenting dryness won't
have much effect on the region's
corn and soybean crops, which are
already being plucked from the
fields. But it could hurt other crops,
such as winter wheat.
According to the map, which is
put out by the National Drought
Mitigation Center at the University of
Nebraska in Lincoln, 75 percent of
Iowa is enduring extreme or
exceptional drought. That's up
roughly 10 percentage points from
the previous week.
Just over 93.25 percent of
Kansas was in the same
predicament, which was an increase
of roughly 5 percentage points.
As of early October, 54 percent of
the corn crop had been brought in
from the fields — the fastest pace in
at least 17 years due to early
planting and nearly three times the
previous five-year average of 20
percent by this time, the U.S.
Department of Agriculture reported.
Some 56 percent of the corn crop in
Iowa has been harvested, while
Illinois has brought in 71 percent and
Missouri 88 percent.
Half of the U.S. corn crop is
classified as being in poor or very
poor shape, essentially unchanged
from a week earlier, the USDA said. A
year ago, 20 percent of corn in the
fields was listed that way.
Forty-one percent of the U.S.
soybean crops have been harvested
— double the pace of the average of
the previous half decade — with one-
third considered poor or very poor,
the USDA said.
The USDA reported that
emergence of winter wheat was
lagging, given the extremely dry
conditions that could keep that
rotational crop from properly
germinating. Just five percent of that
crop had emerged in South Dakota,
down sharply from 32 percent over
the previous five years. Similar
issues were reported in Nebraska,
Colorado, Montana and Oregon.
D R O U G H T L E A D S R E S T AU R A N T S T O R A I S E P R I C E S , C U T P O R T I O N S P O R T I O N S R E P R I N T E D F R O M T H E L A T I M E S
Scorching weather this summer
left crops parched and livestock
famished. Restaurants, already
struggling with high fuel costs and a
sluggish economy, are starting to feel
the pinch of higher food costs.
Now fast-food giants, fancy
eateries and even corner coffee
shops are scrambling to adjust. The
cost of food rivals labor as the top
expense for most restaurants.
Restaurateurs are revamping menus,
reducing portion sizes and even
considering staff cuts. In the months
to come, watch for smaller steaks,
fewer tortillas per entree and maybe
even menu-wide price increases.
Customers are already seeing a
change. Gina Grad, a radio network
content producer, said she's noticing
smaller servings, steeper bills and
thinner crowds at the trendy
restaurants in her Los Feliz
neighborhood, where organic and
locally grown ingredients reign.
Restaurant prices have been
rising for more than a year.
Wholesale food costs rocketed 8.1%
last year, the largest jump in more
than three decades. The Olive
Garden's Never-Ending Pasta Bowl,
offered at $8.95 for the last five
years, jumped to $9.95, partly
because of higher food costs.
And this summer, a Big Mac cost
$4.33 on average in the U.S., up
from $4.20 in January and $4.07 a
year earlier, according to the Big Mac
index compiled by the Economist.
The price of corn — a key
component in livestock feed and an
ingredient in powdered sugar, salad
dressing, soda and more —
catapulted 60% in early summer.
Analysts expect overall food
costs to rise 5% to 20% by the end of
the year — a painful squeeze for
businesses that, even in the most
prosperous times, operate on tight
margins with little room to maneuver.
"If the cost of the food goes up
that much, it can pretty much wipe
out their profit," said John Davie,
chief executive of food service
partnership Dining Alliance.
"Restaurants will be forced to look at
everything from the phone bill to
payroll to food costs to how they
negotiate with vendors."
[Ed. Note: Read this article in its
entirety at:
http://keepfoodaffordable.com/ ]
Shepherd’s News Page 14
Your Business Card Sized ad could be here promoting your flock!
SE Dir. - Steve Scheffert [email protected] 507-835-3951 SW Dir. - Mike Haubrich [email protected] 320-826-2526 WC Dir. - Randy Kinney [email protected] 320-554-6495 ME Dir. - Mary Radermacher 320-963-6592 Past Presidents: Dan Persons - [email protected] Don Adelmann 952-466-2451