Sheep Industry News May 2023

Following this exercise, a webinar will be held for stakeholders to discuss what was learned and encourage other state animal health officials to engage with their sheep industry partners to conduct similar exercises. A second webinar will be offered with speakers from ASI, CDA, CWGA and Colorado producers and packers that participated in the exercise to share with Colorado producers who did not participate the lessons that they learned, preparedness tips and how permitting will be handled during an FMD outbreak. Learning from peers in a no-risk environment provides benefits to the entire industry. MOVEMENT ON PUBLIC LANDS In 2022, APHIS provided $185,000 in Farm Bill funding to sup port ASI and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association to develop movement decision criteria for sheep and cattle grazing public land allotments during a potential FMD outbreak. Sheep and cattle own ers will face unique challenges to mitigate disease exposure risks on federal public lands. Ranchers identified this as a gap in the initial development of SSWS and the Secure Beef Supply Plans and these organizations want to support their members who rely on public grazing. ASI and NCBA are collaborating with two federal public land management agencies – Bureau of Land Management and U.S. For est Service – states, ranchers, APHIS, wildlife agencies and industry partners such as the Public Lands Council in this effort. Interagency coordination is key to managing an FMD response involving live We’re committed to you. The rancher, the family and the flock. We partner with you to protect and nurture the American lamb industry so that together we can provide consumers a quality lamb product.

stock grazing federal public lands to mitigate the potential adverse impacts to animal health, the environment and food security. In November 2022, the advisory group came together to work through movement scenarios to discuss management practices, FMD risks and agency roles in developing movement decision guidance. Input from cattle and sheep ranchers from seven states, representatives from USDA/APHIS Veterinary Services, USFS, BLM, Colorado Department of Agriculture, Nevada Department of Agriculture, ASI, NCBA and PLC identified gaps and action items to further the response efforts. Some of the key topics included the criteria around stop move ment, interagency communication and capabilities, and working with ranchers impacted by quarantine with animals that are not infected with FMD. The advisory group will meet in 2023 to exercise the move ment strategies guidance criteria using various outbreak scenarios impacting public land grazing allotments. Both discussions will contribute to new guidance documents and materials specific to livestock grazing federal public lands. These resources will be added to the SSWS and SBS Plan websites in early 2024. Each of these projects are making strides in safeguarding sheep production and promoting business continuity opportunities be cause of the active engagement and collaboration from producers, industry stakeholders, state and federal agencies and Dr. Danelle Bickett-Weddle, a consultant with Preventalytics. To learn more, visit SecureSheepWool.org.

Showing & Selling: •Club Lambs •Club Goats •Boer Bucks •Boer Does • Commercial & Purebred Ewes& Rams

Tri-County Fairgrounds Petersburg, W.V. June 2 - 3 Shows: June 2 • 11 a.m. Sale: June 3 • 2:30 p.m.

73rd ANNUAL 202 3 WEST VIRGINIA SHEEP&GOA �tuU/;gtJe

• Healthier Flock • Higher Lambing Percentage • Increased Profit

,riday, June 2 11 a.m. • Goat Show 1 p.m. • Sheep Show Saturday, June 3 10 a.m. • Youth Judging Contest 11 a.m. • Annual Lamb BBQ 1 p.m. • Presentation of Awards 2:30 p.m. • Sheep & Goat Sale and N ational N orth Country Cheviot Sale Sunday, June 4 10 a.m. • Mountaineer Classic

With this genetic test, producers across the country are collecting DNA from their flock to identify disease traits, increase fertility and twinning, and determine parentage. You can do the same.

For information, visit FLOCK54.COM or Facebook.com/WeAreFlock54

Questions? Contact Jonathan Taylor at 304-851-9970 wvsheepandgoatsale.com Online Bidding Available at ShowStockPlanet.com

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