Sheep Industry News January 2022

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.

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