Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Minutes of the 2011 Meeting of the WERA-039 Coordinating Committee Spearfish, SD June 5¬ - 8, 2001 The WERA-039 business meeting was called to order by Chair Julie Walker. Members of the WERA-039 committee attending the business meeting were Chair  Julie Walker (SD State Univ.), Chris Lupton and John Walker (TX AgriLife Research, San Angelo), Chris Schauer (North Dakota State Univ. Hettinger Research Extension Center), Steve LeValley and Nancy Irlbeck (Colorado State Univ.), Patrick Hatfield (Montana State Univ.) Prior to the separate business meeting, several sheep industry individuals addressed both the WERA 039 and NCERA 214 groups. Peter Orwick from the American Sheep Industry Association, discussed that 1/3 of U.S. lambs are going to ethnic markets and that the pelt credit is $20 to $45. He also stated that (1) sheep numbers are top priority; (2) the NASS census needs to be improved; and (3) there is a need to provide mentorship and education for new producers and small land owners. Lowell Slyter, Editor of Journal of Sheep and Goat Research. Discussed the need for a new editor for the S&G Res. J. and the importance of publishing on a continual basis; not waiting for the next month to publish. Larry Miller, American Sheep and Goat Center Board. Discussed that the Sheep and Goat Center was privatized in 2007. Low interest loans. Purchased insurance company for livestock risk protection  lamb program. He also stated that last year, the National Sheep Improvement Center was established to provide grant funding. Key issues in agriculture are: 1) loss of faculty at Western Universities partially due to a lack of funding for new faculty to be successful and 2) a loss of 100s of millions in research funding. Key priority of Farm Bill is funding of Sheep Center and funding should be made available next Fall. The 2 + 2 initiative has been hindered by a lack of technology transfer. Sheep have more potential because of greater breed diversity and reproductive potential than other species of livestock. Paul Rodgers, American Sheep Industry Association, discussed genomics and the importance of communication, especially true for nutrition and predator control issues. He discussed that the lamb check-off dollars are only for promotion and that funding decreased due to ethnic markets that do not pay check-off. The group separated into their committee and started their individual meetings. Last years minutes were reviewed. Chris Schauer moved to accept the minutes as written. Pat Hatfield seconded the motion and it passed unanimously. Travis Whitney was moved to Chair of this committee and Pat Hatfield was nominated and voted in as secretary. It was discussed that next years meeting be in San Angelo; Chris Schauer moved to vote and Steve LeValley second the motion. Discussion on having joint meetings with the NCERA 214 was had. Since numbers of WERA members are declining, having joint meeting would allow for more exchange of sheep research. Idea will be discussion in future years. As there was not further business, the business meeting adjourned at 10:30 a.m. Presentations began at 9:15 a.m. on June 7. Members of the WERA-039 committee attending the presentations were Chair  Julie Walker (SD State Univ.), Chris Lupton and John Walker (TX AgriLife Research, San Angelo), Chris Schauer (ND State Univ.), Steve LeValley (CO State Univ.), and Patrick Hatfield (MT State Univ.). WERA Objective 1: Develop ecologically and economically sound land management practices that use the unique harvesting abilities of sheep and goats for: a) managing and sustaining native plant communities; b) controlling invasive, exotic plant species; and c) improving nutrient cycling and pest management in range and cropping systems. Reports given by Pat Hatfield WERA Objective 2: Develop sheep and goat management strategies that enhance the efficiency for production of high quality, marketable end products by: a) improving biological efficiency through better understanding of environmental and genetic events that influence meat and fiber production; b) identifying unique feedstuffs that enhance the nutritional value of meat; c) utilizing state-of-the-art instrumentation both in the field and in the lab to accurately and rapidly measure important characteristics of wool, mohair, and cashmere; and d) develop animal identification systems that ensure the accurate real-time linking of animals to lifetime genetic, performance, health, and origin databases. Reports given by Pat Hatfield, John Walker, Steve LeValley, Chris Lupton, Julie Walker and Chris Schauer WERA Objective 3: Rapidly and accurately disseminate new information to the producer through: a) development of novel technology transfer platforms; b) hosting field days at research centers; and, c) organizing on farm demonstration projects. Reports given by No reports were represented for objective 3. The meeting was adjourned at 3 p.m. on June 7. The sheep tour started at 7:45 am on June 8th.