Sheep Industry News May 2024

President’s Notes BRAD BONER ASI PRESIDENT

Scholarship Deadline is Approaching W hile it might apply to a small percentage of Sheep Industry News readers, I'd like to point out that the deadline for the Sheep Heritage Foundation Scholarship is quickly approaching at the end of this month. The $3,000 scholarship is available to students pursuing graduate work in sheep or wool research with studies in areas such as animal science, agriculture economics or veterinary medicine. The deadline to apply is May 31, and details are available at SheepUSA.org/researcheducation-scholarship. The scholarship has certainly proven to be a predictor of success within our industry. Many of its past recipients are now playing vital roles in leading innovation and research within our industry. Those of you who attend the ASI Annual Convention or a handful of state meetings around the country will recognize these names: Richard Ehrhardt (1991), Brad Freking (1993), Tom Murphy (2013), Whit Stewart (2014) and Todd Taylor (1996). Ehrhardt, Stewart and Taylor are playing instrumental roles in their positions at Michigan State University, the University of Wyoming and the University of Wisconsin, respectively. Freking and Murphy are on staff at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center in Clay Center, Neb., and involved in day-to-day sheep research as they collaborate with their peers throughout the U.S. Department of Agricul ture's Animal Research Service.

Even some of the more recent winners have already es tablished themselves as leaders in our industry. Chad Page (2018) is the sheep and goat specialist at Utah State Univer sity, while Christian Posbergh (2016) is an assistant profes sor for sheep production at Montana State University. Jake Thorne (2020) is leading many of the extensive sheep pro grams at the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in San Angelo, Texas, and hosts our ASI Research Update podcast most months. In addition, Jaelyn Whaley (2019) is an extension sheep specialist with South Dakota State University. These are young people who are guiding sheep producers in some of the largest sheep producing areas in the United States, and they were all recognized with the Sheep Heritage Foundation's scholarship. I'd say the selection committee – made up of past ASI presidents – has a pretty good track record when it comes to awarding promising young students

who will go on to success in our industry. Who will add their name to that list in 2024? It could be you. Or a promising student you know. I encourage any students pursuing advanced degrees to apply before it's too late. Let's make the selection process as difficult as pos sible for this year's review committee. And to whoever might be announced as the 2024 winner, I'm expecting big things from you in the future. Until next time, keep it on the sunny side. 2020 Sheep Heritage Foundation Scholarship Winner Jake Thorne.

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