Sheep Industry News May 2024

National Lamb Feeders Association Learship School Visits Oregon

T he National Lamb Feeders Association conducted its Howard Wyman Sheep Industry Leadership School in Brownsville, Ore., March 25-27, as NLFA President Reed Anderson and his wife, Robyn, played host to producers with a wide range of sheep industry experience. Nearly 20 producers – ranging in age from young to old with a few in-between – slogged their way through a typical cold, wet spring week in Oregon’s Willamette Valley to see the area’s unique grass seed grazing operation. The three-day school started with a tour of the Andersons’ Kalapooia Valley Grass Fed Processing plant, which harvests lamb and beef. The Andersons opened the facility a decade ago when they – like many in the sheep industry – struggled to find reliable pro cessing options for their animals. Discussions on the area’s rye grass seed fields and how they are utilized for sheep grazing permeated much of the school,

but time was also designated to look at wool handling, shear ing, artificial insemination of sheep, foot rot and more. Dan Gutzman and Ethan Hanneman of Pendleton Woolen Mills – which has a rich history in the state of Oregon – also joined the group to discuss the company’s continued investment in new wool processing equipment. “When I arranged this thing, I forgot it was right before Easter, which is kind of our biggest time of the year,” An derson said. “But I’ve been involved with ASI, the American Lamb Board and NLFA for a long time, so I like to get people out here to see the things I talk about at some of those meet ings. In Linn County here, we’re the grass seed capital of the world, and we use sheep to graze that grass seed. I’ve been to some of the other leadership schools around the country and everyone focuses on their niche, well this is our niche. Typi cally the leadership schools are in July, but the sheep will start

12 • Sheep Industry News • sheepusa.org