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Welcome to the South Carolina Sheep Industries Association. Our goal is to carry on educational, promotional work to foster and encourage the breeding, raising, showing and

marketing of sheep and sheep products.

Upcoming Events

Most of our Events are discounted or free to SC Sheep Members- join today- scroll down to bottom of this page for a link.

Upstate Events-

These events listed below are held at Whispering Pines Farm unless otherwise noted, for more info-

https://wpstables.com/

March March 14, 2020- Sheep and Goat care 10am-5pm- lots of hands on experience,

March 28, 2020- Whispering Pines Spring Shearing and Family Farm Day from 10am-3pm. Spend the Day

March 27 & 28, 2020- Intro to Shearing- Whispering Pines Farm In Seneca-limited space-for more info or to sign up- email Dairysheepdeb@gmail.com

Midlands/Low Country Event-

April 18, 2020- Old McCaskills Spring Shearing and Family Farm Day from 10am-5pm plan to spend the day! for more info- http://www.oldmccaskillfarm.com

What's New in the Sheep Industry?

SC Sheep President, Debbie Webster is heading to Washington, DC to talk to our Congressmen and Senators about Sheep and the struggles of farming, dairy and Homesteaders in our industry! Updates to follow!

ASI Supports NEPA Modernization

On Tuesday, the American Sheep Industry Association presented oral comments to the Council for Environmental Quality on the administration’s proposed National Environmental Policy Act modifications. In the second public hearing – this one held at the Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C. before an audience largely opposed to the changes – ASI supported the revisions.

“NEPA has a tremendous impact on our industry,” said ASI’s Chase Adams. “Nationally, it is the basis of litigation that for over a decade has sought to close our primary Agricultural Research Station in Dubois, Idaho, and has been abused in an effort to curtail predator control activities undertaken by USDA Wildlife Services.

“And regionally, our Western producers are intimately familiar with the NEPA reviews undertaken on their federal grazing permits. This well-intentioned regulation has become a costly endeavor for our members, creating endless opportunity for more litigation, intimidation and de-facto judicial management of our natural resources.”

Specific provisions of the modernization supported by ASI include; setting a time and page limit for a completed Environmental Impact Statement, expanding the use of Categorical Exclusions and Findings of No Significant Impact where appropriate, and greater notice and input from stakeholders, states, local government and tribes.

As ASI emphasized, “NEPA decision making should be driven by actual impact, not the fear of litigation.”

NEPA comments are due on March 10, and can be submitted online at the Public Lands Council website at http://publiclandscouncil.org/advocacy/.

American Lamb Board Hosts First Lamb Summit

The first American Lamb Summit took place in Fort Collins, Colo., this week as producers, packers and association representatives came together to plot a course for the American sheep industry.

Sponsored by the American Lamb Board and Premier 1, the summit hosted nearly 200 members of the lamb industry in the beginning stages of a quest to look critically at where the industry is headed in the years to come. And more importantly, how the industry might take charge of its own destiny.

Presentations on the first day covered a variety of topics from marketing lamb to millennials and Generation Z to looking at how the sheep industry operates in Australia and the United Kingdom. Hands-on seminars also tackled the use of technology on the farm/ranch, incorporating the use of genetic selection in your flock and using best management practices for added value in sheep operations.

The second day of the summit included seminars on out of season lambing and carcass quality before participants headed to the Colorado State University JBS Global Food Innovation Center to take part in more hands-on challenges surrounding carcass traits, value-based marketing and lamb flavor.

The American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) Young Entrepreneurs also took advantage of the gathering to meet and discuss their goals to build on the program and start planning for the Young Entrepreneur sessions at the 2020 Annual Sheep Industry Convention in Scottsdale, Ariz. With over 15 young sheep producers in the room, they also reviewed options for another summer tour in the coming year.

The Sheep Industry News. You will receive this newsletter by joining SC Sheep which automatlically makes you a member of ASI

Debbie's webinar for the American Sheep Industry about starting a family farm on limited acreage was very well attended by listeners from all over the US. It had more than 500 attendees!

Meetings

Everyone has a busy schedule- especially in the spring of the year during lambing. Our meetings are usually during the events that our leaders (and members) have on their farm locations. We try to have the meetings evenly placed in the Upstate and south of Columia, SC for convience of members. You're welcome to attend both area events. Some have reduced admission fees or free to members. Please keep checking this page for dates and details of events. We would love to have you. If you join, we will send you emails to update and keep you informed on our State as well as the National meetings for the Sheep Industry!

Join Our Association

Our membership is open to anyone! Dues are $25 per year.

Join our Association by filling out the Membership Application

You may visit one of our meetings to hand in your membership application or use Pay Pal link below

If you have questions about membership, we'd love to answer them for you. Use the form below to contact us!