Sheep Industry News November 2021

Texas Sheep Industry Showcases Diversity F rom wool scouring and testing to lamb processing and hair sheep, the 2021 Trailblazers Tour offered participants a three day synopsis of the Lone Star State's diverse and evolving said Shultz, who made an effort to visit with each of the young producers during the tour. "I was impressed by each and every one of them in our conversations.

sheep industry, concluding with a tour of the country's premier wool testing lab. Hosted by the National Lamb Feeders As sociation in conjunction with ASI and the American Lamb Board, the tour took young sheep industry professionals from Austin to San Angelo, Texas, the last week in September with the goal of introducing innovative ideas that might spark them to break new ground in their own operations. Nearly two dozen participants with back grounds ranging from wool warehouses and lamb processors to sheep production and research took part in the tour. They came from all across the country – from Massachusetts to Washington State (and even Texas) – to get an up-close look at the future of sheep in the state while developing an appreciation for the past, as well. "Getting to see firsthand the various produc tion styles and multitude of sheep industry infrastructure and leadership we are fortunate to have here in Texas made this tour a resound ing success," said Texas A&M AgriLife's Jake Thorne, who developed much of the agenda for the tour. "Our Texas sheep industry is incredibly diverse and over the course of the tour we really tried to showcase all those different areas. We are incredibly thankful for the folks who were

"As an ASI officer, it was also exciting to see the new wool lab (which was supported finan cially by ASI’s for-profit Sheep Venture Com pany and the National Sheep Industry Improve ment Center in cooperation with Texas A&M) in the final stages of preparation for testing the 2022 American wool clip." The tour officially kicked off with dinner on Sunday, Sept. 26, at Austin's Sour Duck Market. Participants enjoyed lamb meatloaf sandwiches that evening before nutritionist and food mar keter Allison Beadle took to the restaurant's outdoor stage to discuss the explosion of lamb demand during the COVID-19 pandemic. "Consumers are trying to eat more protein in general, and lamb is a lean protein," she said. Beadle works with ALB (which arranged for her appearance on the tour) and told young producers that their family's story is critical to showing the American public how their food is produced. She encouraged those on hand to use social media to reach out to consumers, but discouraged them from getting into public spats with online trolls. "You have to know who you are dealing with online, but sometimes there's no way to know for sure," she said. "Nine times out of 10 it doesn't pay to respond at all." The next morning the tour headed for the

Trailblazers Tour Participants Dallin Brady, S.D. Ryan Boner, Wyo. Isaac Brunkow, Kan. Matthew Chaney, Md. Brady Rose Evans, Texas Michael Farris, Texas Robert Goulart, Mass. Fiona Harrer, Iowa Weston Helle, Mont. Roger High, Ohio James Kramer, Mont. Ashley Larson, Wash. Cameron Lauwers, Calif. Tyler Myers, S.D. Courtney Newman, Colo. Lauren Newman, Colo. Jaelyn Quintana, S.D. Angie Shephard, Wash. Levi Shephard, Wash. Mary Smallman, Ore. Alex Tuggle, Ohio Brett Wilder, Idaho

willing to host this group at their ranches, mills, auctions, process ing plants and restaurants, and spend some time sharing about their businesses and involvement in the sheep industry." Joining the future leaders of the American sheep industry on the tour were several current leaders in NLFA President Jeff Hasbrouck (and his wife, Cindy) and board member Tasha Wahl, as well as ASI President Susan Shultz of Ohio. "I just think this was an amazing group of young people who are going to do big things in the sheep industry in the years to come,"

Hamilton Sheep Station of Alan and Jolene McAnelly. The White Dorper operation uses regenerative agriculture – no-till drilling, no pesticides, herbicides, commercial fertilizers or chemicals. Alan McAnelly focuses on raising hardy commercial rams for producers, but his passion for raising sheep is about more than just livestock. "Raising sheep is one thing, but it's really about managing forage and pasture," he told the group. As a Texas producer, tour participant Michael Farris had visited Hamilton Sheep Station (and other stops on the tour) in the past,

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