Sheep Industry News January 2022

SheepIndustry NEWS Volume 26, Issue 1 January 2022

California's Valley Oak Wool Mill

C O N S U M E R P R O M O T I O N

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SheepIndustry NEWS Volume 26, Issue 1 January 2022

A Look Inside 12 Congress Looks to Protect American Producers Congressman August Pfluger (Texas) introduced a bipar tisan bill to require the USDA to delay implementation of the final small ruminant import rule until its impacts on American sheep producers can be fully studied. 16 Valley OakWool Mill Caters to Niche Market Marcail McWilliams knows where wool comes from, of course, but as owner of Valley Oak Wool Mill in Woodland, Calif., she says it's humorous to visit her customers' operations and see the valuable fiber resting on a sheep's back. 14 Wool Excellence Award Honors Keith Padgett Keith Padgett is proud to say he saw an increased awareness of wool quality among sheep producers during his 55 years in the industry. The role he played in building that awareness will be recognized when Padgett receives the Wool Excellence Award.

ON THE COVER:

Valley Oak Wool Mill in Woodland, Calif., serves small-flock producers who cater to a niche market in the American wool industry.

Departments 4 President’s Notes 6 Market Report 9 ASI Member Listing 20 Meet the Exec. Board 22 Obituary 27 Breeders’ Directory 29 Industry Calendar

30 500 Years of Wool in North America

January 2022 • Sheep Industry News • 3

President’s Notes SUSAN SHULTZ ASI PRESIDENT

ASI Executive Board Making Plans for NewYear

W elcome to a new year. We look forward to the many oppor tunities that we have as an association to work together toward accom plishing our vision and mission. Leading the charge is our ASI Executive Board, which is made up of eight elected regional directors, four elected officers and a representative of the National Lamb Feeders Association. These volunteer sheep produc ers are ready and willing to serve as your link to ASI and our industry priorities. The makeup of the current ASI Executive Board is a refection of the wide diversity that is our American sheep industry. Their sheep operations range from intensive to ex tensive production systems with hair sheep or wool sheep, and their merchandising includes direct marketing, niche marketing and utilizing traditional and non-traditional markets. Each regional director serves as the chair of an ASI council or committee, and are updated regularly on the issues that affect our industry as a whole. These are the folks that are the communication link between state membership and ASI – your national organization. They can help bring your questions and concerns back to the ASI board for deliberation and action. During the winter season is the time for many state organizations to hold their annual meetings. If you did not have a representative of ASI participate

this year, please consider inviting your re gional director or an officer to your meeting in 2022 so they can listen and learn about your issues. For the new year, ASI will focus on three areas of improvement. The executive board will continue the review of our finances and set goals for revenue while investigating op tions for future funding. We will also continue our efforts to pri oritize enhancing communications within our ASI organization, state associations and between the American Lamb Board, the Na tional Sheep Industry Improvement Center and all segments of our industry. Our third initiative is to track both sheep numbers and membership numbers to respond to the priorities for education and outreach. A new year always brings the opportu nity to start anew with new goals for your operation and a renewed spirit for change. Let’s keep working together to improve our American sheep industry. The future looks very bright. My best.

ASI VISION Premier Protein Premier Fiber Environmentally Regenerative Economically Sustainable ASI MISSION To support, promote and safe guard sheep production in the United States – representing and advancing the interests of member organizations, industry partners and individual sheep producers with advocacy, knowledge-based insights, communications, research and education. To identify, establish, advise, direct and/or support enterprises that benefit members.

ASI Executive Board: Front row, Ben Lehfeldt, Susan Shultz, Brad Boner and Benny Cox. Back row, Bronson Corn, Sarah Smith, Bob Harlan, Tammy Fisher, Randy Tunby, Lisa Weeks, Anne Crider, Laurie Hubbard and Steve Clements.

4 • Sheep Industry News • sheepusa.org

SheepIndustry NEWS January 2022: Volume 26, Issue 1

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ASI Office Staff: Peter Orwick, Executive Director Rita Kourlis Samuelson, Deputy Director/Wool Marketing Larry Kincaid, Chief Financial Officer Chase Adams, Senior Policy and Information Director Erica Sanko, Director of Analytics & Production Programs Christa Rochford, International Wool Marketing Coordinator Zahrah Khan, Project Manager - Accounting & Convention Chris Jones, Executive Assistant The Sheep Industry News is published monthly as the official publication of the American Sheep Industry Association Inc. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Payment of member dues in an ASI affiliated state organization entitles a member to a subscription. For non-members, the subscription rate is $50 per year. ADVERTISING INFORMATION: Rates available at Sheepusa.org. Deadline is the fifth of the month preceding the cover date. All advertising is subject to publisher’s approval. Advertisers must assume all liability for their advertising content. Publisher maintains the right to cancel advertising for nonpayment or reader complaint about service or product. Publisher assumes no liability for products or services advertised in Sheep Industry News .

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“Looking forward to seeing everyone and supporting this great industry!” - Mike Corn

ASI Annual Convention January 19-22, 2022 San Diego, California mwc1983@roswellwool.com www. r oswe l lwoo l . com Dedicated to a Tra di t ion of Integr i ty 1-800-624-WOOL

The American Sheep Industry Association is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS: Send to info@sheepusa.org

January 2022 • Sheep Industry News • 5

Market Report

JULIE STEPANEK SHIFLETT, PH.D. Juniper Economic Consulting

What Will 2022 Bring In the American Sheep Industry?

T he million-dollar question facing this industry in 2022 is whether the current hot market is sustainable. Last year, slaughter lamb prices climbed 48 percent, and the whole sale market climbed 50 percent to record-breaking levels. The last couple of years revealed an undeniable increase in lamb demand in the United States. COVID-prompted demand coupled with relatively tight domestic supplies supported prices at new highs and attracted imports. Even if the domestic supply situation eases into 2022, it is possible that strong demand will continue to prop up prices well into 2022. Higher live and meat prices can encourage flock expansion, continued investments in sheep infrastructure including packing houses, markets, and research and development. However, higher lamb prices are only one-half of the flock expansion equation. There are continued constraints to expansion including higher labor and feed costs and ongoing predator losses that muddle forecasting efforts. With the West embroiled in a record drought, pasture and forage costs will continue to rise, and most feed con centrate prices are higher (soybeans might be the exception). FORECASTS The Livestock Marketing Information Center forecasted in early December that production could stabilize in 2022, however, the combination of lower beginning stocks and a projected 4 percent decline in imports in 2022 could mean a 3 percent drop in both

lamb availability and per capita consumption. In early December, LMIC forecasted that in 2022 national direct slaughter lambs could see $213 to $228 per cwt., up 0.5 percent an nually. The three-market average for 60 to 90 lb. feeders could see $256 to $271 per cwt, down about 1 percent from 2021. A December report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service arrived at a similar conclusion. It suggests that meat prices could stay high in 2022, but tempered. Meat prices overall were expected to increase 5 to 6 percent in 2021 year-on-year and are projected to rise another 2 to 3 percent in 2022. Prices in the “Other Meat” category (notably lamb) are forecasted to see a 1 to 2 percent increase in 2022. The price spread between wholesale lamb prices and slaughter lamb prices received by lamb producers has increased through the pandemic. The widening share might be explained by increased processing costs, including labor shortages and supply chain disruptions. The widening spread might also be explained by an increasing share of value-added lamb products at retail, such as pre-seasoned roasts. FEEDER AND SLAUGHTER LAMB PRICES STRONGER Sixty to 90 lb. feeder lamb prices at auction averaged $292.40 per cwt. in November, up 11 percent monthly and up 37 percent year-on-year. Prices at San Angelo, Texas, and Fort Collins, Colo., averaged $293.00 per cwt. and $273.67 per cwt., respectively, while prices topped $3 per lb. in Sioux Falls, S.D., at $310.53 per cwt. In November, the slaughter lamb market

remained well above $2 per lb. At auction, Choice and Prime 1 to 2, 100 to 150 lb. lambs averaged $272.00 per cwt., up 10 percent monthly and up 28 percent from 2020. Prices at Fort Collins and Sioux Falls both saw $227 per cwt. in November, about 43 percent higher than last year. Hair lamb prices at the New Holland, Penn., auction saw a high of $303.46 per cwt. for 50 to 60 lb. lambs, which was up 15 percent monthly and 19 percent higher year-on-year (Good and Choice 1 2). Prices per cwt. fell for heavier weight classes with the 90 to 100 lbs. class averaging $217.42 per cwt., up 23 percent monthly and up

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28 percent year-on-year. Live, negotiated slaughter lamb market prices saw a 4 percent softening in Novem ber with prices easing to $231.22 per cwt. while still boasting a 38 percent premium compared to last year. Live weights in the live, negotiated trade averaged 143 lbs. in November, 7 percent heavier year-on-year from 134 lbs., suggesting that the supply situation has eased. DOMESTIC PRODUCTION DOWN; IMPORTS UP In January to November, estimated lamb harvest rose 1 percent year-on-year to 1.6 million head while estimated lamb pro duction dropped 2 percent to 75.5 million lbs., due to lower harvest weights.

mid-2020 to November 2021. In 2021, from January to December, inventories bounced around from about 21,000 to 27,000 lbs. At 141,729 head, the Colorado feedlot inventory was 111 percent of 2020’s December inventory, and 97 percent of the five-year average for the month. While lamb supplies were tight for wooled lambs dur ing the summer, the fall saw a surge in feedlot placements, to levels not seen for about four years. According to the Meat & Livestock Australia Sheep October Up date , as nutrition and health awareness rises post COVID, demand

Live weights in federally inspected harvest fell from 129 lbs. to an estimated 126 lbs. in 2021, down 2 percent. In the last 20 years, live weights at harvest have fallen from an average of 140 lbs. to under 130 lbs. by 2020. The lower average can be explained by the assimila tion of lighter-weight hair lambs and wooled breeds into federally inspected harvest. Lamb and mutton in cold storage fell by about 50 percent from

January 2022 • Sheep Industry News • 7

for lamb is expected to surge. Further, demand will continue to expand as restaurants and hotels fully reopen. According to the re port, “lamb is still an unfamiliar protein to a large proportion of U.S. consumers, however, their willingness to try it has been increasing over time.” Total lamb and mutton imports January to October were 295 million lbs., up 18 percent year-on-year. In January to October lamb imports totaled 221.1 million lbs., up 28 percent year-on-year. Austra lian imports saw 165.6 million lbs., up 26 percent, and New Zealand imports totaled 52.2 million lbs., up 38 percent. Mutton imports were 73.9 million lbs. in January to October, down 6 percent year-on-year. Australian mutton imports saw 65.3 million lbs., down 11 percent, and New Zealand mutton totaled 7.2 million lbs., up 36 percent. Total lamb exports were 363,000 lbs. in January to October, down 16 percent year-on-year. About 60 percent of American lamb exports are shipped to Mexico, with the remaining exports to Caribbean Island nations. Mutton exports saw 2.5 million lbs. in January to October, down 86 percent year-on-year. MEAT MARKET SOFTENED Last November, the wholesale lamb market had backed off its $7 per lb. record highs observed in August and again in October, but remained historically high. The lamb cutout value averaged $676.35 per cwt. in November, down 2 percent monthly and up 47 percent year-on-year. All primals saw lower values in November. The 8-rib rack, medium, averaged $1,410.42 per cwt., the shoulder, square-cut, averaged $97.20 per cwt., the loin, trimmed, 4x4, averaged $1,036.68 per cwt., the leg, trotter-off, saw $608.44 per cwt. The softening in prices might be a result of an overheated market. Year-to-year, the primals remain sharply higher than November 2021. The rack was up 56 percent year-on-year, the leg was up

monthly, and 14 percent higher year-on-year. According to the Meat & Livestock Australia Sheep October Update , the 2022 EMI price will remain dependent on demand from the major wool manufacturing countries of China, India, Czechia and Italy. From Oct. 1 to Sept. 30, 2021, the American total wool export value was up 64 percent year-on-year and up 75 percent by value. In early December, ASI Wool Consultant Barry Savage commented that while increased wool exports is significant, perhaps more important is “spreading the export risk.” Last season, wool exports were shipped to a broader number of countries with China remaining important, but Mexico, Italy and Bulgaria picking up export shares. This year, the U.S.-Australian exchange rate will continue to be a barometer of international wool prices and trade. In January to early December 2021, the Australian dollar lost 7 percent in value from 0.77 to 0.72 Australia dollar/U.S. dollar, a depreciation which will make Australian sheep, lamb and wool exports more competitive on the international market. During the last two years, the price of coarser wools has continued to weaken while generally finer wools rebounded from the mid-2020 low of the pandemic. An estimated 66 percent of American wools are 18.6 to 24.5 um (micron) and another 31 percent are 24.6 to 32.5 um (micron). About 1 percent of American wools fall into the finer end, 18.5 micron and finer, and about 2 percent of wools are 32.6 um and broader. In November, the finer wools collectively gained 15 percent year-on-year, but coarser wools lost 8 percent in Australia. It is believed that a considerable amount of wool remains stored on farm, and that this wool is predominately coarser wools. Savage commented that marketing this wool – particularly if looking to export – will be challenging given high overseas freight rates. Overall, this year should see improved marketing conditions for American wool with confidence in 2022 economic growth already priced into the stronger Australian wool market in December.

53 percent, the loin was up 46 percent, and the shoulder was up 36 percent.

AUSTRALIAN WOOL MARKET MAKES A COMEBACK

The Australian Eastern Market Indi cator in U.S. Dollars was 4 percent shy of its pre-pandemic levels, according to the Australian Wool Innovation Market Intelligence Briefing in November. AWI wrote, “the price discrepancy between the finer wools and broader wools has grown as a result of the pandemic.” This year, finer wools might continue to strengthen while coarser wools struggle. In November, the EMI averaged U.S. $4.42 per lb., down 1 percent

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ASI Member Listing WWW.SHEEPUSA.ORG z INFO@SHEEPUSA.ORG

VOTING MEMBERS

Alabama Meat Goat & Sheep Producers 334-613-4221 • BRagland@alfains.com ASI Women 435-528-7570 • sherrischumann@utah.gov ArizonaWool Producers Association 520-560-4202 • caauza@peoplepc.com Arkansas State Sheep Council 870-853-7404 • wjcalloway@gmail.com CaliforniaWool Growers Association 916-444-8122 • info@woolgrowers.org ColoradoWool Growers Association 970-874-1433 • cwgawool@aol.com Connecticut Sheep Breeders Association 860-819-8339 • hillviewdorpers@gmail.com Meat Sheep Alliance of Florida 352-502-2564 • ruthtaber@embarqmail.com Georgia Sheep &Wool Growers Association 706-340-1098 • georgiasheep@gmail.com Hawaii Sheep and Goat Association 808-775-8075 • alohadjam@yahoo.com IdahoWool Growers Association 208-344-2271 • director@idahowoolgrowers.org Illinois Lamb &Wool Producers Inc. 815-544-9582 • jane@ilwoolfibermill.com Indiana Sheep Association 317-896-2213 • bobenosu@icloud.com Kentucky Sheep &Wool Producers Association 502-682-7780 • kyates@kysheepandgoat.org Maine Sheep Breeders Association 207-324-1582 • donna.flint@maine.edu Maryland Sheep Breeders Association 410-746-5768 • chestnutcreekfarm@gmail.com Massachusetts Federation of Sheep Associations 508-829-4556 • brmacphee@aol.com Michigan Sheep Producers Association 616-610-5628 • samaludl@gmail.com Minnesota Lamb &Wool Producers Association 320-760-5727 • kinneylamb@gmail.com Missouri Sheep Producers Inc. 573-578-0497 • christy576@gmail.com MontanaWool Growers Association 406-442-1330 • leah@mtsheep.org National Lamb Feeders Association 605-224-0224 • lambfeeders@outlook.com Iowa Sheep Industry Association 641-625-4248 • info@iowasheep.com Kansas Sheep Association 620-393-5204 • kssheep@ruraltel.net

Nebraska Sheep & Goat Producers Association 308-386-8378 • Ne.sheep.goat@gmail.com NevadaWool Growers Association 775-934-8860 • pr_paris@yahoo.com New Hampshire Sheep &Wool Growers nhswga@nhswga.org Garden State Sheep Breeders Inc. (N.J.) 609-947-2260 • kmelvinnjsheep@gmail.com New MexicoWool Growers Inc. 505-247-0584 • nmwgi@nmagriculture.org Empire Sheep Producers Cooperative (N.Y.) 585-367-2775 • sheepkath@aol.com North Carolina Sheep Producers Assoc. Inc. 919-522-4110 • wewillservethelord@nc.rr.com North Dakota Lamb &Wool Producers Assoc. 701-333-8009 • curtsheep@gmail.com Ohio Sheep Improvement Association 614-499-2931 • rhigh@ofbf.org Oregon Sheep Growers Association 503-364-5462 • info@sheeporegon.com Pennsylvania Sheep &Wool Growers Association 814-880-3314 • psushepherd@yahoo.com Rhode Island Sheep Cooperative 401-578-2012 • ballydufffarm@yahoo.com South Carolina Sheep Industries Association 864-360-3222 • debbiewebster615@gmail.com South Dakota Sheep Growers Association 406-581-7772 • lisa@sdsheepgrowers.org Tennessee Sheep Producers Association 615-519-7796 • shepherdboy1@yahoo.com Texas Sheep & Goat Raisers’ Association 325-655-7388 • tsgra@wcc.net UtahWool Growers Association 435-915-6119 • sierra@utahwoolgrowers.com Vermont Sheep & Goat Association 802-899-2104 • settlementfarm@comcast.net Virginia Sheep Producers Association 540-231-9159 • sgreiner@vt.edu Washington State Sheep Producers 360-999-8118 • washingtonsheep@gmail.com West Virginia Shepherds Federation 304-445-1516 • wvashepherds@yahoo.com Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Cooperative 608-743-9080 • wisconsinsheepbreeders@gmail.com

Susan Shultz Ohio President

Brad Boner Wyoming Vice President

Ben Lehfeldt Montana Secretary/Treasurer

Peter Orwick Colorado Executive Director

WyomingWool Growers Association 307-265-5250 • amy@wyowool.com

January 2022 • Sheep Industry News • 9

SHEEP SHOT

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Ladies in Waiting The ewes circled up for feeding time as producers Kyle and Sarah Schartz waited on their 2021 lamb crop last January in Douglas County, Ore.

January 2022 • Sheep Industry News • 11

Congress Looks to Protect American Sheep Producers L ast month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture published a final rule on the importation of sheep, goats and Stewart, Jeff Fortenberry, Dusty Johnson, and Liz Cheney. Sen. Barrasso’s legisla tion was cosponsored by John Tester, Tina Smith, Kevin Cramer, John Hoeven, Mike Rounds, John Thune, Cynthia Lummis, Steve Daines and Roger Marshall.

appreciates the leadership of Rep. Pfluger and our affiliate the Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Association. We have continued to ask successive administrations to prioritize export opportunities for U.S. sheep pro ducers, before allowing additional imports. The legislation introduced by Rep. Pfluger in the House and Senator Barrasso in the Senate will provide the domestic sheep and lamb industry the information we need to assess the potential impacts of increasing exports and inform this conversation go ing forward.” TSGRA President Curry Campbell: “The Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers’ Association would like to thank Congressman Pfluger and his staff for their continued support of the sheep and goat industry. "This bill is an essential step in evaluat ing the full impact this regulation may possibly have on the U.S. sheep and goat industry in the future.”

certain other ruminants, which could have serious consequences for American sheep and goat producers. The rule removes critical protections against fatal diseases, such as scrapie, when the administration should be focusing on opening new export markets for American producers. In response on Dec. 10, Congress man August Pfluger (Texas) introduced a bipartisan bill to require the USDA to delay implementation of the rule until its impacts on American sheep producers can be fully studied. Companion legislation was filed in the Senate by Sen. John Bar rasso (S. 3354). Cosponsors of the House legislation included Reps. Henry Cuellar, Ronny Jack son, Nicole Malliotakis, Jodey Arrington, Tony Gonzales, Yvette Herrell, Chris

The measure is supported by ASI, the Texas Sheep and Goat Raisers Associa tion, the American Farm Bureau and Texas Farm Bureau. Rep. August Pfluger: “At a time where American sheep and goat producers are facing extreme predation, increased labor costs and loss of federal grazing land, this administration must remain laser focused on opening up new export markets for American lamb. This rule could have seri ous effects, and I am proud to lead this ef fort to halt implementation until its effects can be fully studied.” ASI President Susan Shultz: “The Amer ican Sheep Industry Association greatly

DSANA Online Symposium Planned for Jan. 19-20

R egister now to attend the second live, online Dairy Sheep Association of North American Symposium on Jan. 19-20. After last year’s successful virtual symposium, DSANA is again gathering a host of speakers to present on topics related to sheep dairying. Presentations will take place during the course of two-and-a-half days. Question-and-answer sessions will follow each presentation. Registration is free to all DSANA members. Non-members can register for $75. Topics planned for discussion include: • Using Estimated Breeding Values for Breeding and Selection; • Food Safety for Artisan Cheesemakers; • Raising Dairy Replacement Ewes; • Getting Started with a Distributor; • Light-Extension Protocols for Out-of-Season Breeding;

• Freezing and Thawing Sheep Milk for Processing; • Climate Change Mitigation on Your Farm.

Virtual tours of three dairy sheep operations (in Oregon, Quebec and Wisconsin) are also planned for the symposium. In Wiscon sin, symposium participants will hear from Mariana Marques de Almeida at Ms. J and Co., milking 300+ Assaf and Assaf-cross ewes in a 32-bail milking parlor. In Oregon, Woody Babcock and Cora Wahl of Woodrow Farms milk around 300 Friesian-cross ewes and sell their milk to processors on the West Coast of the United States. And in Quebec, Audrey Boulet and Olivier Beaurivage of Les Brebis due Beaurivage milk 50 sheep, use GenOvis to produce EBVs for their flock, and market yarn and ready-to-wear wool garments at their farm store. Participants will also hear about DSANA history and where the association is headed. Visit DSANA.org to learn more.

12 • Sheep Industry News • sheepusa.org

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Wool Excellence Award Honors Colorado's Keith Padgett

K eith Padgett is proud to say he saw an increased aware ness of wool quality among sheep producers during his 55 years in the industry. The role he played in building that awareness will be recognized this month when Padgett re

mid-1990s and served in that capacity until resigning in 2020 and moving to Colorado's Western Slope. "It was highly encouraging to me to see young people on these collegiate wool judging teams show an interest in the com

ceives the Wool Excellence Award at the 2022 ASI Annual Conven tion in San Diego. A longtime market reporter with the U.S. Department of Ag riculture, Padgett said there were many producers he dealt with early in his career who saw wool as an unwanted by-product. "That's probably the biggest change I saw – and I was encour aged to see it – is the interest that a lot of producers had in learning about the quality of their wool and what they could do to improve it," Padgett said from his home in Montrose, Colo. "I think a lot of producers have realized the importance of wool and the effect it can have on the income of their operations if they put a little bit of effort into producing quality wool." Padgett's involvement with wool began early on in life. He worked with sheep in 4-H as a child and started shearing as a

modity," Padgett said. "That's why I continued to work with the wool show and judging competition for so many years." Padgett regularly visited with sheep producers in the inter mountain West to procure fleeces for the show and competition. And he always stressed the impor tance of improving wool quality. "I've seen enormous advance ments in the quality and knowl edge of wool," he said. "I like to think that maybe I had a small involvement in that change. But there were lots of progressive pro ducers out there who saw a need and set about doing it." For the past 15 years or so, Padgett also served as a wool buyer for Keese International. While he hasn't bought wool in the past few years for the com pany, he certainly left his mark on that facet of the industry. "He's just so personable and warm-hearted," said Darrell

Wool Council Offers Developing Shearer-Mentor Grant Program Finding a shearer – for any size operation – is increas ingly difficult. Understanding this, the ASI Wool Council has developed a new grant totaling $15,000 with the goal of helping develop beginner and intermediate shearers and keeping them in the industry. The grant is open to developing shearers and their mentors (those who are helping train them). Developing shearers will receive $500 at the beginning of the pro gram to help them with equipment and/or to supplement their work when they are shearing a low number of head each day. Developing shearers will then receive $1,000 upon completion of the program, which includes sending videos of their progress, visits with ASI staff and Wool Council members and a written summary. Mentors will receive $1,500 upon completion, which includes a written summary and documentation of how they assisted the developing shearer. Applications can be found at Sheepusa.org/wp- content/uploads/2021/12/2022-Developing-Shearer Mentor-Grant-Application.pdf and are due by Jan. 15.

teenager in the 1950s. He was a member of the county 4-H wool judging team. While in college he worked on the Oklahoma State University sheep farm and sheared sheep to pay his way through school. Professionally, he started with the U.S. Department of Agri culture in 1963 as a livestock reporter stationed at various loca tions around the United States before moving into wool report ing, wool standards and wool testing in 1975 at the Denver Wool Lab. "I stayed in that capacity until I retired in 1997," Padgett said. During that time, Padgett got involved with wool judging and the wool show at the National Western Stock Show in Denver. He was named superintendent of the NWSS wool show in the

Keese. "He's the nicest wool buyer you'll ever meet. And he loves the industry and looking for opportunities to help producers. He's just always been a world class individual." Keese also praised Padgett's skills as a market reporter. "He did a great job at reporting prices and was always fair to both the grower and the buyer," Keese said. As for winning the Wool Excellence Award, Padgett was sur prised to receive the phone call from Dan Gutzman of the Wool Roundtable. "I didn't know what to say," Padgett admitted. "I was very much surprised. I have enjoyed my career in the wool industry and the acquaintances I've made with buyers, producers and others in the industry."

14 • Sheep Industry News • sheepusa.org

Colorado's Keith Padgett is the winner of this year's Wool Excellence Award, which will be presented at the 2022 ASI Annual Convention in San Diego.

January 2022 • Sheep Industry News • 15

Valley OakWool Mill

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Caters to Niche Market

January 2022 • Sheep Industry News • 17

Marcail McWilliams owns and operates Valley Oak Wool Mill in Woodland, Calif. The mill serves a niche mar ket of small-flock sheep producers.

18 • Sheep Industry News • sheepusa.org

M arcail McWilliams knows where wool comes from, of course, but as owner of Valley Oak Wool Mill in Woodland, Calif., she says it's humorous to visit her customers' operations and see the valuable fiber resting on a sheep's back. Once it's sheared, however, that fleece is in good hands with the California College of the Arts graduate who can't imagine doing anything other than running a wool mill. Valley Oak caters to a niche market in the industry, and Marcail says much of the fiber she processes wouldn't be considered valuable in the mainstream wool market. "People are surprised that my customers get $25 per pound for some of this wool," she said. "It's fun for me to go to my customers' farms and see the actual animals that produce the wool I've been processing for years. I've really enjoyed getting to know my customers and learning about sheep from the wool perspective."

While she's owned the former Yolo Wool Mill for less than five years, Marcail began working in the mill in 2009 under former owner Jane Deamer, so some of those customer relationships are more than a decade old at this point. "I know that I could be more efficient," she said. "But I like being able to provide a service to my customers. My average customer is probably about 30 pounds per order, but I can do as little as 10 pounds. It can come from just one animal if that's what they want. I might have a customer come to me and say, 'This is Lady bug's final shearing and I want to knit a sweater out of it,' and that's really cool to me." A self-described art enthusiast in high school, Marcail was already on that path when she took a single ag class her senior year. She immediately wished she'd found her way into agriculture ear lier, but at that point there was no turning back. Coming home to work in a wool mill after college allowed her the chance to combine art and ag in her professional life. "This is he direction that I feel like I would have liked my life to go in," she said. "I ended up in art school, but I was always most comfortable in the textiles department. This is where I felt like I was supposed to be all along." After almost seven years as an employee at the mill, Marcail left to work with Mystic Pines Fiber Processing in Arizona. But she always knew she would be coming back to California at some point. "I went down there from the start telling them that my goal was to run a mill in California," she said. "They were willing to let me work for them short-term. I think we realized that we could both benefit from my time there. But the owner in Arizona kept asking me, 'Are you sure you want to run a mill in California?' I'm glad that I came back. I felt like I was setup to do this. I had to at least give it a try." So when Deamer retired, Marcail headed back to Woodland to fufill her destiny. A new owner had purchased the house and busi ness along with the property's 20 acres, but had no interest in run ning a mill. After looking into a variety of options for how to restart the business, Marcail settled on a five-year purchase plan for the equipment and a five-year lease on the buildings. Come November of this year, she'll own the equipment outright. "I'm still learning a lot," she said adding that the business side

of the mill has been the most challenging aspect of taking control. Well, that and handling maintenance and repairs on the 70-year-old equipment. "At first, I tended to freak out when something broke down. In the beginning, I was like, 'That's it, it's over.' Now, I know that it's going to be okay. In the past year, I've impressed myself with how much I've been able to do. I've gotten pretty good at figur ing things out." The next thing she'll have to figure out is where the mill will call home. With her five-year lease up this fall, she'll have the option of moving the facility. "Ideally, I would like to own the property wherever the mill ends up. And hopefully it would be in Woodland," she said. "My parents are still here. I've got a good community here, so I don't want to go too far from here. But land is pretty expensive. There are some cheaper places I could be in California." There's always a chance the mill will stay right where it is on leased ground just off County Road 27 between Woodland and Davis. "I'm learning what it means to have a business in California," Marcail said. "At times, it's hard and frustrating. Every year it seems like there's a new hoop for me to jump through. But I'm happy with the way it worked out. I didn't want to go start my own thing some where else. It felt like I had to at least try to make this work." Regardless of the location, Marcail expects to stay busy in the years to come. Yarn orders typically include a year of waiting in line before processing. But the orders continue to flow in. "Some people who don't know about sheep wonder if there's really enough business for me," Marcail said. "The answer is 'Yes.' I never really shutdown. My biggest influx of wool is in May. That seems a bit late to me, but some of my customers are more coastal, and it's a bit colder over there. So, maybe they wait a little longer to shear. "With some of the types of wool I get, it's nicer to work with if they shear twice a year. Sometimes I get a second influx of orders in December. I really like seeing the variety of wool that comes through this mill. I see a lot of Wensleydale, Navajo-Churro, Rom ney, Shetland. I also get some California Red and Jacob, too." Wools from those breeds definitely fall into a niche market, but it's a niche that feels right at home for Marcail.

January 2022 • Sheep Industry News • 19

Meet The Exec. Board

Lisa Weeks, Virginia Region II

As a first-generation sheep producer, Lisa Weeks had some concerns about how well she might fit in as a member of the ASI Executive Board. But her dedication to education and a data-driven mindset that have guided her family's Katahdin operation for 30 years allow her to bring an analytical approach to the position. As the hair sheep population continues to grow, Weeks is well suited to represent ASI's Region II.

WE CURRENTLY RAISE A 50-EWE FLOCK OF KATAHDINS on about 33 acres in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. We were introduced to the breed through a 1990 article in Sheep maga zine highlighting Laura Callan (now Fortmeyer) and her work at Heifer Project International in Arkansas managing their flock of Katahdins. The fact that they were a shedding breed and didn’t require shearing was a high degree of interest because Larry was recuperating in the hospital from an eye injury from the shortest

ance for Production Katahdins, a new regional group that started in 2020 for the purpose of quantifying, educating and promoting like-minded producers. The board has worked hard to create fact sheets, NSIP concepts, blogs and a quarterly newsletter that are easy to read and understand for all producers enrolled in NSIP, not necessarily just Katahdins. I have always believed in the mis sion of ASI. Regardless of breed, the American sheep industry has a bright future in the landscape of American agriculture.

career as a shearer in history. Because the breed was relatively new, it was quite a challenge finding breeding stock to purchase. We purchased a ram from Laura and four ewes from Henry Liccardel lo in New Jersey. And we’ve never looked back. WE WERE VERY GREEN AND KNEW NOTH ING when we started, but we still enjoy learn ing something new every day. It has been quite a journey as we both worked off the farm and raised two daughters, Lexi, 24 and Laryn, 20. It must not have been too bad as we're still in it to day. We wanted to concentrate on improving our flock through genetics. Since I am a very analyti cally minded person, I am always intrigued with how things work. We enrolled our flock in the National Sheep Improvement Program in 2001. Today, our focus is on offering animals with high parasite resistance, maintaining the maternal traits that make the breed so functional, and improving growth. THERE ARE MORE AND MORE HAIR SHEEP in this part of the country every day. Sadly, larger farms are being sold and often broken into small er acreages. There might be a silver lining though. Because sheep don’t require as much acreage, they are often in demand by people wanting to stay in touch with agriculture, especially retirees.

Virginia's Lisa Weeks is a first generation sheep producer, but brings 30 years of experience to the ASI Executive Board as the Region II director.

I'M ALSO ON THE BOARD of the Eastern Alli

This is a series of articles spotlighting members of ASI’s Executive Board.

20 • Sheep Industry News • sheepusa.org

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ShanikoDonates Olympic Sweater to RAMS PACAuction S haniko Wool Company and Jeanne Carver of Oregon have donated a 2022 Winter Olympics sweater identical to the ones that will be worn by Team USA during the games' closing ceremonies on Feb. 20 in Beijing, China, to ASI. The sweater will be auctioned off during the annual RAMS PAC Auc tion on Jan. 21 at the ASI Annual Convention in San Diego. The donation is in memory of Jeanne's husband, Dan, who passed away in 2021. Shaniko Wool Company provided RWS certified wool for the sweater and a hat (to be worn in both the opening and closing ceremonies). The sweater is made with 100 percent wool and retails for $495. Ralph Lauren partnered with many manufacturers in the United States to produce the Team USA uniforms. Shaniko Wool Company is one of those partners. From design and manufac turing, to marketing and distribution, the parade ceremony uniforms represent the best of American talent. Ralph Lauren is honored to continue its commitment to manufacturing these uniforms in the U.S.A.

Obituary

purchase the historic Imperial Stock Ranch located near the ghost town of Shaniko in 1988. Dan made a promise when he bought the ranch, to honor its history, which meant that sheep would remain an important part of the operation. Last year was the 150th consecutive year of Imperial Stock Ranch operations, raising sheep, cattle, grains and hay. Through the years, Dan developed a deep appreciation for the sheep and their history. For the next 30-plus years, Dan earned a reputation as a creative manager of natural resources. He was a leader in the nationally acclaimed Buckhollow Watershed Project, and was widely honored for his conserva tion ethic and sustainable practices. For him, grazing animals were a critical part of the health of landscapes. On the Imperial Stock Ranch, that meant sheep were an important part of the story. Dan’s leadership placed him on the board of

directors for both the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board, where he served for eight years. In the late 1990s, Dan supported a move out of selling commodity wool and lamb, taking the harvests to product stage and into value-added markets. He loved the relationships with customers and the sense of connection. Dan touched many people in his life, inspiring those around him as he worked to “see the land win.” He knew that meant im proved harvests and a stronger bottom line. He also felt history was deeply important, and made extraordinary efforts to preserve those aspects of the operation and facilities. Dan wisely positioned the ranch to be car ried on by the next generation. He passed away at home with his family, on the Imperial Stock Ranch he loved so much.

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22 • Sheep Industry News • sheepusa.org

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Sheep Death Loss 2020 Report Released by USDA/NAHMS T he U.S. Department of Agricul ture’s National Animal Health Monitoring System has released

the Sheep Death Loss 2020: Sheep and Lamb Predator and Nonpredator Death Loss in the United States report on Tableau. The interactive dashboard can be accessed at APHIS.USDA.gov/aphis/ dashboards/tableau/sheep-death dashboard. The study is a collaborative effort between USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services, and NAHMS. The dashboard contains data from sheep death loss stud ies dating back to 1995. The iterations occur every five years along with NASS’s Sheep and Goat survey. Sheep Death Loss 2020 report highlights: • Approximately 5.2 million sheep and lambs were raised on 99,364 operations. • Approximately 607,000 sheep and lambs – valuing $121.6 million – were lost in 2019.

• Sheep losses of 219,000 in 2019 ac counted for 6.8 percent of the January 2020 adult sheep inventory; lamb losses of 388,000 in 2019 accounted for 12 per cent of the 2019 lamb crop lost. • In 2019, predation accounted for 32.6 percent of adult sheep losses and 40.1 percent of lamb losses. • The leading known nonpredator causes of loss for adult sheep were old age, internal parasites and lambing problems. For lambs, the leading known nonpredator causes of loss were weather-relat ed causes, internal parasites and lambing problems. • The main predators causing loss of adult sheep were coyotes, dogs and bears. The main predators causing loss of lambs were coyotes, dogs and mountain lions. • Approximately $51.4 million was spent by 77.1 percent of operators who used nonlethal predator damage management methods. The use of these methods has been trending upward since 2004. Methods included fencing, night penning and the use

of lamb sheds. • Approximately $4.7 million was spent by the 13.4 percent of operators who used lethal predator damage management meth ods. • New information included in the latest report includes: o Producer-reported costs of non-lethal and lethal predator damage management methods. o Use of lethal predator damage management methods. o Use of government assistance to manage predator

damage.

o Use of official identification. o Number of producers ceasing sheep operation and

their reasons. Questions and comments about the study or dashboard can be directed to Matthew Branan at Matthew.A.Branan@usda.gov.

24 • Sheep Industry News • sheepusa.org