Sheep Industry News January 2024

ASI Announces 2024 Award Winners The Roeders

low producer Isaac Matchett of Michigan; John and Betsy Anderson of Ohio for the rams they provide; and the Call family who owns the ground where he’s built the barns that house his large flock. CAMPTENDER AWARD Dr. Ron Lewis is retiring this month from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and will pick up one half of the Peter Orwick Camptender Award (along with Larry Prager) on his way into retire ment. But he isn’t done with the sheep industry just yet. The former longtime technical director of the National Sheep Industry Improve ment Program still has a few years of work left on his expansive GEMS Project. “I’m looking forward to retiring, it’s something my wife and I have been planning on for a while now,” Lewis said. “But it’s a bit frighten ing.” Lewis will offer a presentation on the GEMS Project at the ASI Annual Convention the day before the annual awards luncheon. “(ASI Past President) Susan Shultz called me on my wedding an niversary to tell me about the award,” Lewis said. “I was spending the day with my wife and was completely surprised. She actually called me Dr. Lewis on the phone, so at first I thought I was in trouble. I hope I’m worthy of this award.” A half-dozen letters of recommendation from producers and academics alike would certainly lead one to believe that he is. “Dr. Lewis spearheaded the efforts to research and launch the first genomic evaluation of production traits in the U.S. sheep indus try through Genomic-Enhanced Estimated Breeding Values. In conjunction with his work on GEBVs, he also developed a program to efficiently determine the genetic conditions for scrapie and OPP susceptibility as well as the mutations for myostatin, callipyge and booroola genes, and to accurately relay those findings to producers in an easily understood manner,” read his nomination for the award. Center of the Nation’s Larry Prager has been instrumental in his own way in the area of educating sheep producers. Given his position as a wool warehouse manager, it comes as no surprise that he would constantly work with producers, shearers and wool classers on their wool clips. He’s also provided space and resources for collegiate wool judging competitions in an effort to educate the next generation on the qualities of wool. “The way I see it, education is part of the job,” said Prager. “I’ve worked with producers on everything from wool quality to picking replacements and sire selection. Some of those things are kind of outside the normal duties of a wool warehouse position, but they are important to the industry as a whole.” Prager has regularly braved cold weather to instruct the North Dakota State University Wool Classing School in Hettinger, N.D. “When I moved back to Hettinger to begin my professional career,

S heep operations and industry professionals from a large swath of the United States are included in this year’s list of award win ners, all of whom will be recognized at the 2024 ASI Annual Convention this month in Denver. Winners include: • McClure Silver Ram Award: Nick Forrest of Ohio. • Peter Orwick Camptender Award: Dr. Ron Lewis of Nebraska and Larry Prager of South Dakota. • Distinguished Producer Award: Brent and Tracie Roeder of Montana. Cousins Matt Kyle and Nate Hatch have developed the largest commercial, indoor sheep operation east of the Mississippi River with a 5,000-ewe farm that provides customers with a year-round lamb supply. Housed in five massive barns, the operation is based in Avon, N.Y., approximately 30 minutes south of Rochester, N.Y. Lambing takes place every other month to ensure a steady stream of lamb at a variety of weights and sizes. “We appreciate the recognition,” said Kyle. “We kind of like to keep our mouths shut and just do our work, so we were surprised to hear that we are receiving the Industry Innovation Award. We don’t always like a lot of recognition for what we do, but in this case we will take it.” Kyle said he hopes to accept the award personally in Denver, but he looked at his 2023 records and the operation had 1,000 lambs born during that same three-day time frame that would be required for him to attend the convention. “I’m registered, and I’m going to try and get there,” he said. “In case I don’t, there are some people I’d like to thank right now.” Those on Kyle’s list to thank included: his and Nate’s families; Dr. Richard Ehrhardt of Michigan; Dr. Larry Holler of South Dakota; fel • Industry Innovation Award: Kyle Farms of New York. • Shepherd’s Voice Award: Lorrie Boyer of Colorado.

10 • Sheep Industry News • sheepusa.org