From ASI
NASS Mails Ag Census Today
America's farmers and ranchers will have the opportunity to make their voices heard and help shape the future of agriculture for years to come.
That opportunity will come in your mailbox in the form of the 2007 Census of Agriculture. Conducted every five years by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the census is a complete count of the nation's farms and ranches and the people who operate them. The census looks at land use and ownership, operator characteristics, production practices, income and expenditures and other topics. It provides the only source of uniform, comprehensive agricultural data for every county in the nation.
Policy makers factor census data into decisions concerning agricultural and rural program. Community planners use the census to target needed services to rural residents. Companies rely on census data when determining where to locate their operations. Farmers themselves can use census data to help make critical decisions about their businesses.
"The American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) also utilizes this data as it prepares briefs and comments about the industry," commended Peter Orwick, executive director for ASI. "As we answer questions from the media, members of Congress and state and federal agencies, the census is the main source of information that we rely on, so I encourage all operations, regardless of size, to respond."
NASS will mail out census forms today, Dec. 28, 2007, to collect data for the 2007 calendar year. Completed forms are due back by Feb. 4, 2008. Producers can return their forms by mail or, for the first time, they have the convenient option of filling out the census online via a secure Web site at www.agcensus.usda.gov.
The Census of Agriculture is the voice of all farmers and ranchers.
If you have not received your census report form in the mail by January 10, 2008 please call toll free 1 888 424 7828 or visit www.agcensus.usda.gov . The Census form needs completed by February 4, 2008
Value Added Wool Products Project
Sigrid Teets, a member of the board of the WVSF, is interested in organizing a co-operative opportunity to improve the economic situation of WV women, through value added wool products.
For more info., contact Sigrid Teets, Rt. 2 Box 181 AA, Belington WV 26250, phone 304 823 2483, e-mail
All comments are due by January 15, 2008. (Docket ID # EPA-HQ-OPP-2007-0944)
This link includes instructions for submitting comments.
Camp Pioneer in Beverly, WV was a great success! Join us for future programs. Contact Joseph Aucremanne, WVSF President at P.O. Box 669 Hinton, WV 25951, Phone: (304)-466-0559 or (304)-466-0391 Fax: (304)466-0460 e-mail to be placed on the mailing list.
At 2 pm on Monday, November 12, 2007, the drawing for the raffle of the Remington 243 Semi-Auto Rifle took place at Sports Unlimited in Franklin, WV.
The winner was John Ruddle of Riverton, WV.
WVSF Joe Aucremanne declared the fundraiser a success, and plans to do it again next year. If you are interested in purchasing tickets for the 2008 raffle, contact Joe or any of the WVSF board members (see the Membership Information page.)
Sigrid and Jason Teets visited Washington DC September 17-18th to visit with Senators and Representatives about agricultural issues. Sigrid and Jason enjoyed their visits with staff and members representing their district which includes Senator Byrd, Senator Rockefeller, and Congressman Mollohan.
Sigrid and Jason shared their thoughts about sheep production issues including lack of new anti-parasitic drugs, predator management and the American Sheep Industry’s Targeted Grazing initiative. Sigrid and Jason were also able to meet Senator Kent Conrad (ND), Congressman Colin Peterson (MN).
Sigrid and Jason especially enjoyed their visit with Allan Mollohan and had an enjoyable discussion about rural affairs and ecosystem services enhancing pastoral landscapes using targeted grazing with sheep and goats.
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The West Virginia Shepherds Federation was present as an official sponsor for the 2007 Professional and Youth Shearing Contests at the West Virginia State Fair, Small Stock Arena, beginning at 6:00 a.m.
from left to right: James Randall McCutcheon, Shearing Contest Supervisor, Andy Echols, John Nelson and Justin Meadows upon presentation of the trophy to Andy Echols. |
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Youth Division Winners:
Professional Divison Winners:
Thanks to President Joe Aucremanne, the WVSF had a noticable presence at the West Virginia State Fair. The ASI/WVSF Display, containing a quantity of promotional materials, including American Lamb hats, meat thermometers, recipe cards and handouts was set up in the Small Stock Arena the evening of Thursday, August 9th. Joe was back Saturday, August 11th for the Professional and Youth Shearing Contests. Andy Echols, Gap Mills, West Virginia took 1st Place and $100.00 from the WVSF in the Youth Contest, Justin Meadows of Lewisburg took 2nd Place and a $75.00 prize from WVSF, John Nelson of Lewisburg took 3rd Place and a $50.00 prize from WVSF.
The Professional Shearing Contest was spirited. The winner, not for the first time, was Larry Green of Greenville, Ohio, who received $100.00 from WVSF, 2nd Place was John Spiker, who received a prize of $75.00 from WVSF, 3rd Place was Lynn Jordan, who received a prize of $50.00 from WVSF, 4th Place was Joe Viola from Horseshoe Run, Preston Co., West Virginia, who received a prize of $25.00 and 5th Place went to James Randall McCutcheon of Union, Monroe County, West Virginia, who received a prize of $22.00 from WVSF. A total of $497.00 from the 2006 ASI Wool Grant was paid out to the winners. The contestants in the youth and professional shearing divisions really appreciated the extra prize money and the West Virginia Shepherds Federation received favorable comments from the announcer on several occasions before and during the contest. Joe believes that it would be well worth our time, money and trouble to continue this in future years, whether it is from wool grant funds or out of our own monies, and that we should really encourage participation in the youth division by publishing this every spring as part of the Eastern West Virginia and Southern West Virginia shearing schools.
Joe arranged for the WV Department of Agriculture folks in the Gus R. Douglas Building to hand out lamb meat samples during the Fair. Jean Smith, Director of the Marketing and Development Division with WVDA gave out 20 pounds of ground lamb samples on Tuesday. The lamb, purchased by the WVSF, came from Morlunda Farms, the farm of Ginger and Oscar Nelson outside of Lewisburg, WV.
On Wednesday lamb cooking demonstrations were held in the West Virginia Building.
In 2007, the WVSF supported the following Sheep Shearing Schools;
- Southeastern West Virginia Sheep Shearing School, April 4th, 2007, West Virginia State Fair Grounds, Small Stock Arena:
- Eastern West Virginia Shearing School, May 3rd & 4th, 2007 in Hardy County, West Virginia
For info on 2008 schools, please contact;
Joseph Aucremanne, President
P.O. Box 669 Hinton, WV 25951
Phone: (304)-466-0559
or (304)-466-0391
Fax: (304)466-0460
Joe Aucremanne, WVSF President, cordially invites all members to a meeting of the Board of Directors/Executive Committee of the West Virginia Shepherds Federation on Saturday, June 2nd at 10:00 a.m. at the Dining Pavilion, Tri-County Fair grounds, Petersburg, West Virginia.
The items on the Agenda concern the following topics:
- 1. The planning of promotional and educational programs for the remainder of the year, including the scheduling of a Shepherds Workshop/General Meeting in early winter;
- 2. The adoption of resolutions relating to the policies of the organization;
- 3. A review of our financial circumstances and fundraising plans;
- 4. Reports from the officers relating to WVSF/ASI activities, including but not limited to the developing initiative for a Wildlife Services Eastern Region Predator Damage Management Program, and how that would affect West Virginia’s Integrated Predator Management Program, Legislative initiatives at the local government state and federal levels relating to the Predator Management and Scrapie Eradication Programs.
- 5. The development of a long term strategy for the promotion and marketing of sheep, wool and goat products, and an equally long range educational program are important if the West Virginia Shepherds Federation’s role is to be relevant to this state’s sheep, goat and wool industries.
- 6. The coordination of WVSF promotional and educational activities with the West Virginia Small Ruminant Project. Will the project continue to be adequately funded and staffed? If not, how can the Shepherds Federation be reasonably expected to be involved.
- 7. West Virginia’s Integrated Predator Management Program: hopefully W.S. employee will be present.
Funding: The goal is $750,000.00, $450,000.00 federal funds, $350,000.00 state, local government and livestock head taxes.
- A. Scope of Program: all fifty-five counties:
- 1. Coyote control program, eight trappers
- 2. Black Vulture control program
- 3. Starling/Blackbird feed lot program
- B. Predator management outside the program:
- 1. domestic dogs
- 2. black bears.
We look forward to seeing you on Saturday, June 2nd at the Purebred Show and Sale.
For more info, please contact;
Joseph Aucremanne, President
P.O. Box 669 Hinton, WV 25951
Phone: (304)-466-0559
or (304)-466-0391
Fax: (304)466-0460
e-mail
WVSF Members Lobby in Washington, DC
On Thursday May 5, 2007 Joe Aucremanne, Sigrid Teets and Jason Teets travelled to Washington, DC to join the officers and a number of members of the American Sheep Industry and its affiliated state organizations to visit with their respective Senators and Members of Congress. The West Virginia Shepherds Federation leadership is a volunteer force who take time from their careers and day to day lives to speak on behalf of West Virginia’s sheep and goat industries. This year Joe Aucremanne, WVSF President, Sigrid Teets, WVSF Secretary and her husband Jason visited the offices of Senators Byrd and Rockefeller, Congressmen Mollohan and Rahall and Congresswomen Capito to lobby for federal funds to supplement the existing state, local government and producer head tax dollars that now fund West Virginia’s coyote control program. The program is administered by Wildlife Services, a federal agency within the Animal Plant and Health Inspection Service, a division of USDA, in a cooperative agreement with the West Virginia Department of Agriculture. West Virginia’s coyote control program is funded entirely through state, producer head tax and local government dollars to the tune of something under $300,000.00. We hope that dependable federal funding at $400,000.00 - $450,000.00 in addition to the present state, local and producers dollars will cover all fifty-five counties
The West Virginia Shepherds Federation sponsors workshops, seminars, including a shearing school, throughout the year in different parts of the state. We promote the wool industry and provide educational materials and resources to the membership and interested sheep and goat producers concerning the Scrapie Eradication Program, the Predator Management Program, wool and lamb promotion and marketing.
Fleece Competition at the West Virginia State Fair!
In an effort to help promote awareness of the importance of natural, locally raised fibers, Fiber Network, a spinning and weaving guild in the counties surrounding the State Fairgrounds, is working with Jim Van Dyke to make two important changes in the display of fleeces submitted for competition. First of all, Jim has assured me that this year judging will be done at the beginning of the Fair and ribbons will be awarded. Then all fleeces will be placed in clear plastic, open topped bags set on tables (our idea) for folks to view and touch and compare. If you have given up on the fleece competition in the past for various reasons, please consider entering again with one of your well-cared for fleeces intended for fiber use, to show what a difference the breed, and the care of the fleece and animal can make. And if you want to sell your entry, please remember to clearly state the price and your contact info on the tag.
Starting this year, Fiber Network guild is going back to doing more edu-tainment at our venue at the small stock arena, such as a demo of fleece to loom/needles and upgrading our display of sheep breeds and having a please touch basket of various breeds. David Richmond, Extension agent from Beckley is hoping to train a new generation of shearers and if that goes well, our guild will work with his graduates to demo the entire sheep to cloth experience. In fact, the Fair has expressed interest in reviving a sheep to shawl competition. If you know of any folks who would like to field a team for 2008, please contact me.
I’ve noticed a number of other states are getting behind their fiber producers and artists in a big way. I sense more opportunity for all involved here in West Virginia as well. If you come to the Fair, please stop by the Small Stock Arena and introduce yourselves to Fiber Network members.
West Virginia shepherds raise a variety of specialty sheep breeds whose fleeces are kept out of the general wool pool because their superiority fetches higher prices elsewhere. Let’s let people know about it!
Sincerely,
Toni Ogden,
President, Fiber Network
HC 75 BX 21A
Sinks Grove, WV 24976
togden@cfw.com
For more information, see the State Fair of West Virginia Website.
January 31, 2007
Members of the West Virginia Shepherds Federation went to Charleston for Ag Day at the Capitol on January 31, 2007, to lobby our legislators on behalf of sheep and goat raisers in the state. Members who made the trip were Joe Harper, Mat Harper, Jason Teets, Segrid Teets and Martha McGrath. Jason and Segrid made a display and assembled literature to distribute to those attending.
WVSF members with the display at the Capitol
To report any problems or make suggestions, please contact Martha. deerrun@mountain.net