June/July 2020

President’s Message

With the revised format of the Wisconsin and Festival, the announced date for the Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Cooperative Annual Meeting obviously must be changed. After considering alternatives, it was concluded by the Board of Directors to send each member a meeting packet which would include a mail in ballot for the Board election. Given the entire set of circumstances this was deemed the most appropriate action for 2020. In order to allow everyone the opportunity to become a WSBC member prior to the mailing, please postmark and mail WSBC membership applications and dues by July 15th. Biographies of each board member candidate were published in an earlier newsletter and are posted on our website and are found in this newsletter. https://wisbc.com/membership/annual-meeting.php

Membership applications can be found on the WSBC website at www.wisbc.com.

Thank you, Doug Wilson Your 2020 WSBC Board of Director Candidates

Kevin Lindow – Chili WI My wife Ann and I got married on June 19, 2004 and we have 6 kids. Joshua, Jessica, Jamie, Jenna, Justine and Jacob. I am the \ifth generation on our family farm. The farm was 100 years old and was honored by the Wisconsin State Fair in 1980. My wife Ann and I raise 6 kids and sheep. I grew up raising hogs but in 2003, the Dorset flock which Ann and her grandparents started came to the farm. My grandfather used to raise registered Hampshire sheep when my dad was young. We are currently lambing 120 ewes consisting of purebred Dorsets, Hampshire, Suffolk (Leecrest), Montedales, Natural Colored, Southdown, Dorset Advantage and club lambs.

Dan Smerchek – Rosholt My family and I, wife Shelly and children Dathan, Kailen and Jordan and Kelsi (Smerchek) Hammer, own and operate 85 brood ewe \lock near Rosholt WI in Marathon county. The Smerchek \lock consists of 50 black face wether type ewes and 35 registered Southdown ewes. We work hard to breed sound, healthy sheep that are productive and ef\icient. I have been involved in all facets of the sheep industry and have worked with many different sheep breeds over the years. I had the opportunity to work at WIS-Zona sheep company in Bancroft WI for 3 years, where I was responsible for the care and lambing of 3500 commercial ewes. I worked as the shepherd at UWRF from 1990 through 1995 managing the Dorset, Hampshire and Columbia Flocks. I have a deep passion for all types and kinds of sheep as well as sheep breeders. I have also held several leadership positions in the industry. Board member of the Wisconsin Livestock breeders Association, President for 2 years. I was president of the Wisconsin Club Lamb Association for 3 years. I would very much like to be selected to be on the Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Board. I think I would bring an understanding of the commercial sheep Industry as well as the show sheep industry. Thank you for your consideration.

Robin Starkenburg – DeForest, My family, (husband David, and children Rebecca, Brian and Bradyn) have been raising sheep for 14 years. We started with a market lamb 4-H project from Marv Pace when Becky was 10 years old. In 2013, we transitioned to a registered Lincoln Long wool \lock. We run about 20 head total and are enjoy showing locally, regionally and nationally. We have actively participated in community education hosting an Open Barn in the spring during shearing for 11 of the last 14 years. I serve on the Lodi Agriculture Fair Board and Livestock Committee. My career has allowed me to expand on my livestock experiences that started on a 300 cow in Washington. I have worked in global bovine genetics marketing and in the animal scale and feeding industry for over 25 years. Promoting the sheep industry for both food and fiber and identifying new markets for sheep products while supporting youth involvement would be key objectives I would strive for as part of the WSBC board. Thank you for your consideration. Steve Bingen - Allenton I, along with my daughter Jillian and wife Michelle, raise purebred Oxford Sheep in Allenton, Wisconsin. We show at the State and National levels. Jillian in the past 2 years exhibited the Champion ram at Louisville and Champion ewes at the Wisconsin State Fair, the All-American Junior Show, and the Sheep and Wool Festival. I also maintain a commercial feedlot and supply lambs to local outlets on a weekly basis. I have been involved with the Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Cooperative since I first started raising sheep in 1976. I am presently the Vice-President serving my first term as a director and am seeking a second. I have previously served as a director for a number of terms as well as President. I feel a strong commitment to the sheep industry and to sheep production in Wisconsin and believe that I can serve that commitment by continuing as a director if you will allow me. I am also a yearly volunteer at the Sheep and Wool Festival and the State Fair Blue Ribbon Livestock Sale, serve on our local County Fair Livestock Sale Committee, and a director on the American Oxford Sheep Association. I do get to work with the youth in our county and as a judge at a few county fairs each year. I truly enjoy working with my sheep and even more with the \ine people who raise them. I would appreciate your support.

Randy Cutler – Milladore Randy has farmed in Central Wisconsin since 1976 coming from teaching high school agriculture. He received Bachelors in Science in Agriculture Education from the UW River Falls. He raises 50 breeding ewew, Dexter , and various fowl. Randy has been in the livestock fencing, installation and supply business since 2004. He has given talks and fencing demonstrations for Spooner Sheep days, various pasture walks, grazing schools and conferences. In 2015 and 2017 he presented at MOSES Midwest Organic Farming conference. Randy made several trips to Asia teaching sheep and cashmere production to remote farmers after the fall of the USSR. He has crews installing livestock fence and pasture water systems state wide and sells Gallagher, Kencove ,Plasson and the JUG water systems and supplies from his farm. Randy is married, has two daughters and four grandchildren. When he isn’t fencing he’s farming: growing vegetables in his high tunnel and green house and trying to demonstrate permaculture practices at their home of 210 acres in Milladore. Randy has been the sheep superintendent at the Central Wisconsin State fair in Marshfield since 1985.He was one of the founding members of the Mid Wis sheep breeders association. He has received the friend’s awards from the Indianhead sheep and goat breeders association. He is a wool handler for Mid States wool growers coop, and is a retired sheep shearer. Randy started selling Gallagher fence in the late 1990’s as part of his job as a feed consultant for local feed company. When he left the feed company he asked if he could take the Gallagher dealership with him. That started Cutler Fence. Randy worked with the state NRCS setting fence guidelines for grazers, worked with farmers teaching them how to install the new products. He participates in pasture walks, agriculture conferences, gives workshops on fencing and is a guest lecturer at university’s and technical colleges. In 2017 he received the Wisconsin “Grazing advocate award From Grass-works, a Wisconsin grazing organization. Virtual Poster Contest

Open to all ages (Age as of January 1, current year) Color book Ages 3 – 7 Beginner Ages 8 – 10 Junior Ages 11 – 13 Intermediate Ages 14 - 16 Senior: Ages 17 – 21 Adult: 22 and up

Categories for 2020 Educational Promotional Color book Picture – Ages 3-7 only

Poster Requirements: Posters may be either vertical or horizontal. You may enter up to two (2) posters total – one each, in two different categories. For Color Book Pictures – Contact Nancy Burton for details. (See contact info below) This year’s color book picture can also be found and downloaded from the WSWF website. You may use a variety of materials in making your poster, such as markers, tissue paper, natural fiber material, colored pencils, etc. Promotional posters can be about your flock, farm, breed, products such as wool, lamb or sheep dairy products, or about Wisconsin’s or the national sheep industry. Educational posters must be instructional and should either teach something about sheep, sheep products or inform or teach viewers about the sheep industry. Judges have the option of moving posters to another category. Please take a clear, close up photo of your entire poster and save it as a jpg with a file size of approximately 1 - 2 MB. Include the name, address, phone number, age/age division, and category in your email, along with your poster photo. Posters/Color Book pictures should be emailed to Nancy Burton at [email protected] no later than August 15, 2020. All participants will receive a participation gift made possible by our sponsor, Heart Prairie Sheep and Cattle Company, Argyle, WI.

The top two posters from each age category in each category, Educational and Promotional, will receive an additional prize."

Posters will be displayed at our webpage. https://wisconsinsheepandwoolfestival.com/competitions/poster-contest

Winning entries may be reprinted by the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival, LLC or by the Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Cooperative.

If you have any questions, please contact Nancy Burton at phone 715 584-1093 or email [email protected]

Wild and Woolly Virtual Photo Contest

Calling all photographers, give us your best shots! The Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival and the Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Cooperative invite you to submit your sheep and wool photos to the 2020 Virtual Photo Contest. The contest is open to everyone, regardless of whether they raise sheep or are WSBC members. A panel of judges will select the winning photos based on theme, clarity, content, composition and appeal.

The Best of Show winner will receive a cash or merchandise prize, sponsored by Lone Rooster Farm.

Entries must be emailed to [email protected] by August 15, 2020.

CONTEST RULES: Enter photographs in the following classes:

· Scenic Photo · Just Lambs · Kids and Sheep · Wisconsin Shepherd Cover Photo - (Photo taken in vertical/portrait format suitable for magazine cover. Magazine title will cover approximately the two inches.)

· Photo Taken by Youth (only for youths aged 18 and younger as of August 15).

· Photographers may enter more than one class, but they may only enter one photograph in each class.

· Please submit jpgs in a file size of approximately 1 - 2 MB The entry fee has been waived for this special virtual contest

· Your email should include: - Title of photo, contest class, and the photographer's name, address, and phone number. - Entries in the Photo Taken by Youth class also must include the age of the photographer as of August 15, 2020.

· By entering the contest, all photographers and those photographed agree that entries become the property of WSBC to be used or reproduced at its discretion.

· The Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Cooperative reserves the right to publish a selection of entries in the Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival catalog, on the Festival and WSBC websites and in other selected media and venues.

· The Best of Show entry will be selected by the judges.

EMAIL PHOTO CONTEST ENTRIES BY AUGUST 15, 2020 TO: Lynn Lee at [email protected] Questions? Contact Lynn at (414) 828-9757 The 2020 WSBC Fleece Sale

To help both the great wool growers and the amazing fiber arts community of our area, the WSBC Board of Directors approved a one-year event, offering a unique service to all those who wish to be involved. This event will be named the 2020 WSBC Fleece Sale, offing a venue for those who wish to market high quality fleeces to those fiber consumers who have enjoyed previous WSWF fleece events. More information will be forthcoming, but what has been conceptualized so far is the event taking place on Saturday, September 12, 2020 in the West Exhibit Hall at the Jefferson County Fair Grounds. Fleeces must be pre-registered on-line through ShoWorks (no “day of” entries will be allowed), and all buyers must be registered ahead of time to access the sale - this event will not be open to the general public. The event will take into account the current Jefferson County Health Department and Jefferson County Fair Park suggestions for proper Covid protections, and will encourage safe practices among its attendants. As plans are finalized, they will be posted on both the Festival website, and our social media formats. We look forward to offering this service to those who have enthusiastically supported Festival over the years! Sheep Show Update – Alan Thorson The sheep shows are still expected to happen on the scheduled weekend for the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival. Saturday, September 12 and Sunday, September 13, 2020. The many details that going into making the quality show that exhibitors have come to expect are still being worked on at this time. Once details, including a complete schedule are finalized, a posting will be made on our Facebook sites as well as out websites. As with any event during these uncertain times, the possibility does exist that the event may not be held as it has in the past. Stay up to date on details be following our Facebook pages (Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Coop and Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival) and our websites for more information as the event date draws closer. 2020 Make It With Wool Update Wynn Wittkopf

2020 has definitely been a trying year for many of us. We strive to find joy in the simple things and cherish the memories we're making. Most of the events we love to attend have been cancelled, and we find ourselves questioning if and when things will ever return to the way they once were. The 2020 Wisconsin Make It With Wool contest will be happening this year, but it too will look very different than it has in the past.

This year, Wisconsin contestants will NOT be meeting at the Jefferson County Fair Park to compete in the Make It With Wool Competition. Instead, contestants will mail their forms, fees, fabric swatches, garment, photos, and video to Wynn Wittkopf by September 12th. Please make sure you read and follow this year's requirements.

Judging will take place on Saturday, September 26th, in Pewaukee, WI by a team of judges. The results will be posted and the garments and photos will be mailed back to the contestants. The Junior and Senior Winners will advance to the National Make It With Wool contest held in Denver, CO in January 2021, if this contest occurs and if funds are available. If this is not possible, the winners will receive cash awards. This year, the Preteen and Adult winner will receive cash awards. Unfortunately, there will NOT be a Novelty contest held this year, but will return in 2021.

The joy of Make It With Wool is gathering together to "Ooooooo and Aaahhh" over one another's outfits, to get inspired, share experiences, build relationships, encourage one another, learn new techniques and share our love for sewing with wool with the public. MIWW 2020 will not include these joys, but please know we are doing the best we can to offer you this opportunity. You can be certain that Wynn will be "Oooooing and Aaahhhing" with every package that arrives! Checklist for Wisconsin Make It With Wool ENTRY DEADLINE – Garment and entry materials must be received by Wynn Wittkopf on or before September 12th. Please plan mailing accordingly as late arrivals will be disqualified. ENTRY PACKAGE MUST INCLUDE:

____ Wool Garment

____ Prepaid Postage Return label (addressed to you)

____ USPS, ____UPS, ____FED EX ____ Entry Form & Fee

____ Fabric/Yarn Swatches (4”x4”) & Testing Fees

____ Color Photo(s) of you wearing your garment(s)

____ Video of you modeling your garment(s) on jump drive

SHIPPING GARMENT • Select a box of appropriate size & shape.

• Enclose garment in plastic; tissue paper may be used to prevent wrinkling.

• May roll garments to prevent major wrinkling and save container space.

• Do not include hangers or accessories even if handmade (only the garment is judged).

• Include forms, fees, fabric sample, photos, jump drive and return postage & place in envelope with the garment.

• Allow adequate time for box to arrive at destination. Late arrivals will be disqualified. POSTAGE • Postage is the responsibility of the participant.

• Obtain & include a prepaid return postage/insurance label from USPS, UPS, or Fed Ex. PHOTOS • 1 Color 5” x 7” photo of you wearing your garment.

• Full length view; judges must be able to evaluate fit of garment; evenness of hems, etc.

• May also include up to 3 other photos (5” x 7”) showing back & side views - full length.

• Use a plain light background for dark colored garments; plain dark background for light colored garments.

• Good quality amateur photos recommended. MODELING VIDEO – Jump Drive

• Maximum length: 60 seconds.

• No commentary or music.

• Focus on showing your garment to the judges. Include full length and close-up of front, back & both sides. Fit, hem length, etc. need to be visible for evaluation.

• Remove jackets/coats where appropriate.

• Use a light background for dark colored garments; dark background for light colored garments (see other background tips above). Keep a “back-up” copy of all paperwork, photos, and video. MAIL THE REQUIRED ITEMS TO: Wisconsin Make It With Wool Wynn Wittkopf N41 W28899 Imperial Drive Pewaukee, WI 53072 [email protected] 262-370-1433 Virtual Vendor Fair Survey WSBC will be sending a survey to vendors who would scheduled to exhibit and sell their products at the 2020 Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival. Survey results will determine how we will serve our vendors. If you don’t receive your email survey by July 8 and had purchased a booth, please contact one of the committee members below.

VIRTUAL COUNTRY STORE 2020 Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival

Our Country Store vendors are critical to the success of the festival and sales are critical to your success as a vendor. To help boost your sales in this COVID year, we are offering you two virtual marketing opportunities at minimal or no cost. They are:

1. Country Store Website Marketplace It’s a new page on festival website Provides enhanced listing for each participating vendor Searchable by product Send us your information and we will post your logo, website, social media, Youtube or Etsy links. We will post your general product descriptions and a photo Runs through September 2021 Minimal cost - $25 per vendor

2. Community Market on Facebook Live page – September 10-13 Your own 30-minute time slot to interact with your customers Schedule your own time slot within the four days shown Linked to current festival Facebook page No cost

These opportunities would be similar to those virtual efforts made by the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival (sheepandwool.org) and currently being explored by the Michigan Fiber Fest (michiganfiberfestival.info).

You could do both or either option.

Please respond by July 10 to ______and let us know if you would be interested and if so, which options you would consider.

YES – I’m interested in the Country Store Website Marketplace

YES – I’m interested in the Community Market on Facebook

Contact us if you have questions, concerns or suggestions about how to better make this work for you!

Debbie Petzel – 612 576-1528 [email protected] Erin Whalen – 262 348-6754 [email protected] Carol Black – 920 296-0326 [email protected] Hello 2020 Festival Advertiser!

2020 has certainly been a disappointing year, especially with many of the events that we attend and look forward to being cancelled. The Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Cooperative Board of Directors recently announced a modified format of the 2020 Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival. The rationale for this modified event was based on guidelines presented to the WSBC by our host site, Jefferson Fair Park.

The 2020 Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival will have both virtual and live events that include;

Fleece Sale Sheep Shows Lead-Line Competition Virtual Photo Contest Virtual Poster Contest Make it with Wool Competition.

Advertising- I would like to thank you for choosing to advertise with the Wisconsin Sheep and Wool Festival this year. Unfortunately, due to the modified format of our event there will be no printed catalog or gate brochure. For those of you who purchased scrolling ads these remain up on the Festival website and will continue to promote your business throughout the year. Businesses that purchased and paid for print advertising will have the following options;

1) Rolling your catalog or gate brochure ad forward to 2021. All ads rolled over will remain at the same rate as purchased in 2020. Content/information revisions can be made next spring if desired.

2) Request a refund. Please note, that the advertising rates are evaluated yearly based on print cost and may increase in 2021.

Please complete this form by July 25, 2020. If this form is not completed, it will be assumed you wish to have your ad rolled forward to 2021. If you request a refund, please allow 2 weeks from the date the form is due.

Form: https://forms.gle/8kqTzZvXSo13eLwr6

If you have any additional questions please feel free to contact me by email at [email protected].

Regards,

Brittany Alf Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival Advertising Executive UW MSABD Update Your WSBC dollars at work serving the meat industry of Wisconsin. The Meat Science and Animal Biologics Discovery (MSABD) Building is a state-of-the-art, forward-looking $57 million investment by the State of Wisconsin, UW-Madison, CALS, and industry stakeholders that is designed to put Wisconsin at the forefront of research, teaching, and outreach in meat science, food safety, and animal biologics for the next half-century. Many challenges were overcome in constructing this complex facility, and with the help of the Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration and Board of Regents, we are now making preparations to move into this impressive building and begin implementing our programs. The MSABD Building has 4 distinctive spaces in the building: 1. USDA Inspected Space – Includes areas for animal harvest, carcass/meat cooling, meat fabrication, meat processing, and packaging. 2. BSL2 Space – Includes areas for animal harvest for animal tissue collection, inoculated microbiol challenge studies involving the manufacture (e.g. processing, cooking, packaging) of meat products equipment testing, sanitation research, microbiological we- lab work. 3. Front of House – Includes the lobby, retail store, conference rooms, and lecture halls. 4. Second Floor – Includes faculty, staff, and graduate student offices, research laboratories, and a discovery (aka. teaching) laboratory. 5. Current and significant activities include:

• Staff: o Director Search – Earlier this Spring interviews took place – all very highly qualified scientists, with interesting visions for the future of MSABD. Negotiations are in the final phase for the selected candidate, and the expectation is the new Director will be in place later this Fall. o BSL-2 Manager Search -- A search for a manager for the BSL2 facility is wrapping up with expected plans to complete the hiring process later this summer.

• Building Project – Construction is ongoing and on schedule to be completed in the next few months with a phased scheme for building start up. Phase 1 (mid-July) includes start up of fabrication and further processing areas of the building while Phase 2 includes the BSL2 (late July) and harvest (August). The final move of all faculty and staff from the Meat Science & Muscle Biology Lab into the new building is planned early September with the entire facility being ready to begin research, teaching, and outreach activities in September. Jeff J. Sindelar Extension Meat Specialist University of Wisconsin-Madison UW Meat Laboratory 1805 Linden Drive Madison, WI 53706 Phone: 608-262-0555 Fax: 608-265-3110 http://fyi.uwex.edu/meats https://www.facebook.com/UWMeatLab/ The Rock County Sheep Producers will be running a sheep show for all Rock County Youth on Tuesday, July 28 in place of the Rock County Fair's Sheep Show. This will be a one day event where exhibitors will come with their sheep ready to go, show them off the trailer in a show where ribbons will be handed out for placement and provide a venue for those exhibitors who would like to sell their lambs for market price after the show. Please click the link below and fill out the registration or please pass this link to any 4H or FFA exhibitors that would like to participate. We will also have breeding classes, a special costume class and little britches available depending on the interest.

If there are any questions, please email [email protected] or call 608-302-7976. This our first attempt at a sheep show and we want this to be an enjoyable experience for all. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdA_XscKe_81k9e1LzHeTZCjG8LU X0SwrQhnuqfKtMlrjlBfw/viewform

Producer Resources See archived webinars https://suffolks.org/wp/suffolk-u-webinar-series/ ASI Archived – On Demand Webinars https://sheepusa.org/growourflock-resources-educationalwebinars https://www.sheepandgoat.com/webinars

Weekly Worm Webinars (2020) University of Maryland | Delaware State University | Virginia State Univ | Fort Valley State University • The Periparturient Egg Rise (Susan Schoenian) YouTube Video | Power Point Presentation • Fecal egg counting primer (Dahlia O'Brien) You Tube Video | Power Point Presentation • Public Enemy #1: the Barber Pole Worm (Kwame Matthews) YouTube Video | PowerPoint Presentation • Grazing Away Parasites (Niki Whitley) YouTube Video | PowerPoint Presentation • Prevention and Treatment of Coccidiosis (Kwame Matthews) YouTube Video | PowerPoint Presentation • Deworming Right (Susan Schoenian) YouTube video | PowerPoint presentation • What to do when deworming is not enough (Niki Whitley) YouTube Video | PowerPoint Presentation • Selecting worm resistant animals (Dahlia O'Brien) YouTube Video | PowerPoint Presentation

Small Ruminant Q & A Webinars (2020) See the Maryland page for many more webinars. • To learn about upcoming webinars, subscribe to the webinar listserv, send an e-mail to [email protected]. In the body of the message, write subscribe sheepgoatwebinars. To unsubscribe from the listserv, send an email to the same e-mail address, but in the body of the message, write unsubscribe (or signoff) sheepgoatwebinars. If you wish to use a different e-mail for the webinar listserv, you'll need to unsubscribe with the old e-mail address and (re-)subscribe with the new address. https://www.uidaho.edu/extension/sheep- and-goat/events

The Sheep and Goat Webinar series is held each Thursday. “Like” them on Facebook for updates https://www.facebook.com/UI SheepandGoats/

National Sheep Improvement Program News

For more information, please see: http://nsip.org/home/eve nts/center-of-the-nation- nsip-sale/

Coronavirus Food Assistance Program

Are you a farmer or rancher whose operation has been directly impacted by the coronavirus

pandemic? The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program provides direct relief to producers who

faced price declines and additional marketing costs due to COVID-19.

USDA’s Farm Service Agency is accepting CFAP applications now through August 28, 2020 See the general information on this program. https://www.farmers.gov/cfap Specific information on wool. https://www.farmers.gov/cfap/wool Specific information on livestock https://www.farmers.gov/cfap/livestock

TOOLS FOR LOCAL MARKETING AND PROMOTIONS ARE ON THE NEW LAMBRESOURCECENTER.COM Are you promoting American Lamb locally? Your checkoff, through the American Lamb Board (ALB), has some great resources to help you. Many of the promotional materials are free of charge in reasonable quantities and others are available for purchase. The place to start is at the redesigned LambResourceCenter.com, specifically the Promotional Tools section (https://lambresourcecenter.com/shop).

Consumer Tools: You will find educational and promotional items designed for consumers such as recipe brochures, cooking information and even stickers and tattoos. There are two brand new consumer recipe booklets available now – Comfort Classics with a Twist and Easy Entertaining with American Lamb (https://lambresourcecenter.com/consumer).

Foodservice Tools: If you are direct marketing to foodservice and chefs, got to (https://lambresourcecenter.com/food-service), for educational pieces on fabrication, cuts, preparation and catering. These items are free in reasonable quantities.

Shop: ALB offers items such as oven mitts, t-shirts, caps, socks, spice tins, cutting mats, grocery bags and aprons for purchase by going to the Lamb Resource Center’s store: https://lambresourcecenter.com/shop?category=Store. One of the newest items is a crewneck sweatshirt.

Ethnic Marketing Toolkit: The ALB has developed educational materials designed to help educate suppliers, retailers and food distributors about the importance of the US Muslim and Hispanic communities as growing markets. Recipe booklets in Spanish and Farsi are also available to order.

Items can be ordered online or call the ALB at 1-866-327-5262, during business hours. #THELAMBCHALLENGE WRAP UP When US consumers had to drastically change their shopping and cooking habits due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the American Lamb Board (ALB) quickly focused promotional strategies on building consumer confidence with cooking lamb at home while stressing the importance of supporting American farmers and ranchers. Many consumers are purchasing lamb for the first time during this pandemic and consumers are more than ever focused on sourcing high quality local foods.

ALB’s social media promotion, #TheLambChallenge, was designed to introduce consumers to all the benefits of American Lamb and inspire increased at home consumption.

#TheLambChallenge enticed consumers to cook 2 meals using American Lamb in May and June for chances to win prizes and support Feeding America. ALB shared a variety of #LambChallenge recipe ideas on social media and sent out more than 200 curricuLAMB cooking kits with recipes, meat thermometers and spice tins – making the challenge more approachable for consumers cooking lamb for the first time.

Throughout the campaign, ALB also showcased a variety of industry partners on Instagram to give fans an opportunity to interact with farmers and ranchers and to better understand how lamb is raised. For the first time, the checkoff’s Instagram page, @FanOfLamb, featured live weekly video streams as sheep producers throughout the US shared their operations and their tips for cooking American Lamb. Thanks to all the participants for being great hosts and spokespeople.

• Ryan Mahoney of Emigh Livestock • Travis Anderson of Anderson Ranches • Caroline of Little Creek Lamb • Cody Hiemke of Mapleton Mynd Shropshires • Nathaniel of Lillooet Sheep & Cheesery • Brad and Steve Osguthorpe of Circle JB Ranch

• Courtney Shuur of North 44 Farm • The promotion was the idea of one of ALB’s Lambasasadors, Two Purple Figs, a popular food blogger who has become a huge advocate for American Lamb and wanted to help the sheep industry during this crisis. ALB recruited additional blogger Lambassadors to help promote the campaign and share their lamb recipe ideas for the challenge. Check out these great recipes: https://lambresourcecenter.com/weekly-news/thelambchallenge-wrap-up

From pizzas and burgers to racks and roasts, participants showcased their cooking skills in style while supporting our industry. When #TheLambChallenge concluded on June 30, more than 100 participants qualified for the ALB contest that awarded 10 consumers $200 gift cards to a local restaurant or butcher shop of their choice. And, ALB will be donating to Feeding America on behalf of the entire industry to help those in need. Calendar of Events

July 8-10 RESCHEDULED NSIP Center of the Nation Sale, Online only Details www.nsip.org or www.wlivestock.com Register by July 1

July 6-11 American Rambouillet National Show & Sale, Ozark Empire Fairgrounds, Springfield, MO. www.countryloving.com/ARSBA/ CANCELLED

July 25 15th Annual Center of the Nation NSIP Sale, Clay Co. Fairgrounds, Spencer, IA. www.nsip.org or Rusty Burgett, 515 708-8850. CANCELLED RESCHEDULED TO JULY 8-10 ONLINE

August 6-16 Wisconsin State Fair, Wisconsin State Fair Park, West Allis. www.wistatefair.com CANCELLED

August 13-15 Katahdin Hair Sheep National Expo & Sale, Hardin County Extension Center, Elizabethtown, KY. www.katahdins.org

August 6-16 Wisconsin Wool Works! 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. daily, Wisconsin State Fair Sheep Barn. Info: wisbc.com or Carol Black, Manager, [email protected] , 920 296-0326. CANCELLED

August 22 11th Annual Wisconsin Summer Spectacular Show, Wisconsin Livestock Breeders Assn. Central Wisconsin State Fairgrounds, Marshfield, WI. [email protected] 608 743-9080

Sept. 11-13 Wisconsin Sheep & Wool Festival, Jefferson County Fair Park, Jefferson, WI. www.wisconsinsheepandwoolfestival.com SEE WEBSITE FOR INFO

Sept. 12 Wisconsin Make It With Wool State Contest, Jefferson County Fair Park, Jefferson, WI. Contact: Wynn Wittkopf, State Director, 262 370-1433, [email protected] www.wisconsinsheepandwoolfestival.com SEE WEBSITE FOR LATEST DETAILS ON HOW TO ENTER

Sept. 12 National Bluefaced Leicester Show, Jefferson County Fair Park, Jefferson, WI. www.wisconsinsheepandwoolfestival.com or www.bflsheep.com. CANCELLED

Nov. 6-7 10th Annual Ozark Fiber Fling - Steelville, Mo. - www.ozarkfiberfling.com

Do you have an event coming up? Let us know!

Debbie Petzel – [email protected]