Shepherd's News
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Minnesota Lamb & Wool Producers S HEPHERD’ S N EWS Summer 2012 INSIDE THIS ISSUE: B ERGS H ONORED AS P IPESTONE USDA under fire 3 C OUNTY F ARM F AMILY OF THE Y EAR Kinney attends NLFA 4 Marlin and Donna Letter from ALB Chair 5 both grew up on dairy farms in Kandiyohi Doc Kennedy honored 6 County, but after they Animal Care News 7 married, they moved to Pipestone County where Capitol Corner 8-9 Marlin started his career as a high school Market news 10 agriculture instructor in Livestock Grants 11 Jasper, MN. In 1965, Marlin accepted the Sheep on Small Acreages 12 teaching position in Shearers Cut It Close 13 Pipestone. In 1974, they began a registered Classified ads 14 Suffolk sheep business and have worked to Calendar of Events 15 improve their flock ever Board of Directors 16 since. Marlin and Phil & Laurel Berg family, Marlin & Donna Berg Donna’s son Philip is also involved with the happily involved with a develop leaders. He 2012 MLWPA family sheep Red Angus cattle sought to develop operation as well as the leadership skills that would Shepherd’s Holiday business. Philip and his wife Laurel have four Suffolk flock. help his students acquire Dec. 1 children; Samantha (19), In the community, and lead productive Mankato, MN Andrew (16), Hannah Marlin was an agriculture careers in the field of See you there! (12), and Isaac teacher and FFA advisor, (10). The entire family is where his goal was to Cont. on p. 2 P RESIDENT ’ S M ESSAGE – C OCCIDIOSIS IN L AMBS - K IRK R OE What a whirl wind of a As I travel the state We are into my many more fair activities. summer! I can’t believe some crops look good and favorite time of the year. Fall sports are just that August is almost over. some are quite stressed. The “Great Minnesota Get around the corner as well Spring brought a good Some corn fields look like Together” where the as the beginning of the planting season for most of it is mid-October, while Minnesota Lamb & Wool 2012 – 2013 academic the state as well as good some fields have already Producers will be very year. It won’t be too long growth for hay and been chopped. This will much involved with your and we will be attending pastures. Then it became bring challenges for Commercial Booth, BAA school sports, concerts and too wet, too dry, too hot all feeding the ewes and Booth, youth and open in the same month. lambs into next year. class sheep judging and Cont. on p. 2 Page 2 Summer 2012 P RES . M ESSAGE — CONT . other important activities daily. hibernation and looking good. If you have any The Lamb Ambassadors have Thanks to Melanie Pamp and her questions or really been busy this year promoting committee. comments please the Minnesota sheep industry at Your board is currently planning contact me at: county, regional and state events. the Shepherds Holiday Conference P.O. Box 52, Rake, These young people are really for December 1 in Mankato, MN. IA 50465-0052 organized and have excellent The planning committee has some Cell phone: (507) leadership. They are a big asset to high powered speakers and 525-0970 email: this organization. educational sessions planned for [email protected] Please visit the association’s this one day event. If you have any Good luck with your fall lambing website (www.mlwp.org). It is out of suggestions for topics please contact and field work. your Regional Director or myself. S HEEP PRODUCERS HONORED AS FFOY agriculture. Philip came to management practices. generation farmer who 350 cows in a compost Pipestone as an extension The Christophers also began farming on his barn. The cattle on the educator for 10 years and have a flock of 70 ewes grandfather’s homestead farm are housed on four now is a Lamb and Wool that produce club lambs in 1956. When he first farm sites. Beyond the instructor for Minnesota for the grandchildren and began, his operation had dairy cows and heifers, West Community and other 4-H members. grain, hay, dairy, feeder they have 75 cow-calf Technical College. Laurel is The Anderson cattle, and hogs. Along operation, dairy steers, a Campus Marketer at Standing Rock Ranch of the way he added Suffolk and 25 market-type ewes Minnesota West Community Mora began in 1975 with sheep. In 1983, Arne and club lambs. and Technical College. All the purchase of 90 acres sold the tillable land and [MLWPA congratulates all the Bergs have been by Lawrence Anderson dairy herd. Today Arne of the 2012 Farm Families involved with 4-H, FFA, (Bryon’s father). In 1981 and his wife Carol raise of the year. See them all youth education events, Ginny joined the operation Suffolk sheep. The at: mnfarmfamilies.cfans.umn. and other activities at the when she married Byron Stoens were active in the edu ] local, state, and national right on the farm. In West Central MN Sheep levels where they are able 1997, the Andersons Producers . to promote agriculture. began raising registered In 1913, Kevin’s [Ed. Note: The bergs have Angus beef for 4-H. Over grandparents Henry and MSSA Honors Benda, been long time members of the years, they have Ethel Voorhees moved to Berg and Martens MLWPA and the MN Suffolk worked hard to improve Swift County. They began The Minnesota Suffolk Sheep Association. the herd thru selective their eight-cow dairy with Sheep Association Congratulations Berg breeding. At one time, the while raising ten recognized Don & Dorothy family!] Andersons had 175 head children. Their 7th child, Benda, Marlin & Donna of sheep for wool and Leonard, is Kevin’s Four additional county Berg and Carl &Dorothy meat production. dad. Leonard, Margaret, Farm Family honorees are Martens for their long time Currently, the and their sons Kevin and sheep producers. They are: support of the junior sheep Andersons manage 24 Craig continued to build The Christopher family shows. All three families Angus beef and 10 the dairy farm. They in Jackson, MN has been a have helped numerous sheep. The animals are developed a 40-cow life-long grain and livestock families get started in the used for perfecting the registered Guernsey operation. Brent and Kevin Suffolk business. All three breeds and showing for 4- herd. Over the years they Christopher grain farm families are or have been H. One pen of sheep took purchased a beef farm, 1600 acres of a corn and members of MLWPA as a State Fair Championship remodeled the dairy barn, soybean rotation. They well. utilize GPS technologies last year. and increased their and follow best Arne Stoen is a 4th herd. Today they milk Shepherd’s News Page 3 USDA UNDER FIRE FOR BACKING ‘ MEATLESS M ONDAYS ’ The USDA is under fire from energy, and participating in what's to clarify the comments. ranchers and Capitol Hill after known as the "Meatless Monday" "Never in my life would I have encouraging employees to go initiative. "One simple way to reduce expected USDA to be opposed to vegetarian one day a week and your environmental impact while farmers and ranchers," Moran said . warning that meat production dining at our cafeterias is to "American farmers and ranchers contributes to climate change. The participate in the "Meatless Monday" deserve a USDA that will pursue department has since backed away initiative," the USDA newsletter said. supportive policies rather than seek from the statements, but not before The update went on to cite the their further harm. With extreme causing a bovine brouhaha. "many health concerns" associated drought conditions plaguing much of "This move by USDA should be with "excessive consumption" of the United States, the USDA should condemned by anyone who believes meat. It noted that many people are be more concerned about helping agriculture is fundamental to just not ready to go all-vegetarian, drought-stricken producers rather sustaining life on this planet," said and said forgoing meat one day a than demonizing an industry reeling J.D. Alexander, president of the week "is a small change that could from the lack of rain." National Cattlemen's Beef Assoc. produce big results." But the USDA later said that The offending comments came in Following complaints by the passage in the newsletter was an online newsletter to employees cattlemen's association, Kansas included without proper clearance. about "greening" efforts. The update Republican Sen. Jerry Moran called (and the comments have been schooled employees on ways to save on Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack removed.) MLWPA B OARD M EETING M INUTES - J EREMY G ESKE Vice-President John Dvorak called the Farm Bill. Met with USDA – one issue was K. was accepted. It is in PA in July. Should be meeting to order. The Agenda was approved. lamb depredation and record keeping a good program. Jeremy Geske read the minutes from the requirement; wildlife services facing uphill Shepherd’s Holiday – Jeremy discussed last meeting – they were approved as battle. John was in every office except potential agenda items and Keynote speaker presented. Cravaack and Bachmann. options. Karen Stormo has 2 fiber speakers Glenette Sperry presented the treasure’s Shepherd’s Harvest Festival report – Don lined up. 2013 options – move back to the report. Balance as of 6/15 = $6583.97 Adelmann and Mary Radermacher were in north. (checking), $69,549.22 (savings) for a total the booth. 8,000 people attended. Booth Mike H. /Don A. moved & 2nd to of $76,133.19. After discussion, the sales totaled about $1200.