Sheep Industry News October 2023

Miller, Johnson Retire From Board

L ongtime members Pierce Miller and Dave Johnson stepped down earlier this year from the board of the National Livestock Producers Association’s Sheep and Goat Innova tion Fund. Miller – a past president of ASI – had served the fund since its inception. Johnson had served nearly as long. Their departure will leave a void that will be difficult to fill said NLPA’s Scott Stuart. “Both Pierce and Dave will be greatly missed as members of the fund’s lending committee,” he said. “Their integrity, knowl edge and experience are second to none, and NLPA and their fellow committee members are all the better for it.” Miller said he had planned for awhile to resign during the fund’s meeting in Idaho Falls, Idaho, back in August. But he was completely caught off guard when Johnson joined him in stepping down during the meeting. “It was just time for me,” Miller said. “And I think Dave felt the same way for himself.” The fund provides loans to the industry at a competitive rate – which is currently less than the prime rate of 8.5 percent. “With our rate lower than the prime rate, I think we always hoped we’d have even more loans outstanding,” Miller said. “The fund has provided an invaluable resource, and I’d like to see even more people in the industry take advantage of the opportunity the fund can provide.” Miller’s resignation means the fund will forge ahead without him for the first time in its history. “The NLPA Sheep and Goat Innovation Fund would not exist today without the vision and work done by Pierce Miller to help create it as a lending intermediary,” Stuart said. “Pierce served on

the fund’s lending committee for 23 years and, most recently, as chairman of the committee for the past two years. Pierce’s experi ence in sheep and goat production, as well as his financial savvy helped the fund to revolve over $54 million into the industry since its creation.” Johnson played a crucial role in the fund’s success, as well. Like Miller, he was in the room when the fund was first created. “Dave Johnson’s passion for the sheep industry helped the fund to assist smaller producers and younger producers to grow their businesses,” Stuart said. “Dave’s experience as a producer, proces sor and marketer in the sheep industry during his 18-year career has brought a unique perspective to the fund’s lending commit tee.” Johnson said travel has been more difficult in recent years and he’s stepping down to spend more time at home. “It’s been a really satisfying position, working with a great, small group of individuals,” Johnson said. “We had a pretty good budget to make things happen, and I felt like we did a lot of good for the industry. It’s been a real pleasure, and I gave it all I could for as long as I could.” Johnson went out in style. Traveling home from the summer meeting, he was stranded in Idaho for the better part of a day and had to run through the Denver airport to catch his connecting flight to Wisconsin. But his efforts were rewarded with an unex pected seat in first class for the second leg of the trip. “That was probably my last official business trip, and I ended up in first class for the first time in my life,” he said. Visit SheepandGoatFund.com to learn more about NLPA’s Sheep and Goat Innovation Fund.

ASI Executive Director Peter Orwick (left) joined NLPA’s Scott Stuart (right) in honoring retiring Sheep and Goat Innovation Fund board members Dave Johnson and Pierce Miller earlier this year in Idaho.

October 2023 • Sheep Industry News • 35