THE WASHINGTON STATE SHEEP PRODUCER. PO Box 2145, Leavenworth, WA , WSSP President

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1 PO Box 2145, Leavenworth, WA February 25, , SPECIAL THANKS TO THE WASHINGTON WOOL GROWERS AUXILIARY FOR SPONSORING THIS NEWSLETTER A Letter From Moxee... Greetings WSSP Members, Here it is almost March and the March winds are a little early. Hopefully those April showers will be a little early too. It has been a busy month February 2 thru the 4th. Wendy and I headed to Oklahoma City to The Society of Range Management Convention. S. Martinez Livestock was Pictured left to right: Charles Richmond, Director of Rangeland Management, nominated for the Mark and Wendy Martinez, Jim Pena, NFS Associate Deputy Chief. National Award of Outstanding Achievement in Rangeland Management. By Maura Laverty, who is the Forest Range Program Manager in Wenatchee. It was quite an honor!! Unfortunately Nick wasn't able to go. He stayed behind to keep everything running smooth at the Lambing Camp. Lambing has been productive and we are getting to the half way point quick. Ready to turn the first group out on sagebrush if the darn cheat grass would grow. Sure would be nice to get a little precipitation... Hopefully all of you are having a great lambing season. God Bless. Mark Martinez WSSP President Volume 27, Issue 1 Inside this issue: President s Message Classified Ads WWGA President Message 2013 Board & Officers Scrapie Link Scrapie News New Members Associate Members Lambing School Info MIWW Results Scrapie News Cont. Corporate Sponsors Sheep News Corporate Sponsors Upcoming Events 8 WSSP Board Meetings: Bar 14 Restaurant, Ellensburg unless noted April 27, 2013 September 28, 2013 October 23, 2013 in Ritzville CLASSIFIED ADS $.20 per word. Send payment with your ad to P.O. Box 2145, Leavenworth, WA 98826, (509) Superior Farms Asks for Your Vote Each year, hundreds of new consumer products are introduced to the meat, poultry and seafood market. The National Provisioner magazine whittled last year's crop down to an innovative dozen. It is now up to consumers to vote to decide on the winning product. The Superior Farms' line of Lamb Slow Cookers has been selected as one of the 12 best new products of This lamb product was inspired by world flavors and was designed for today's at-home foodie. "Lamb Slow Cookers were meant to really show the versatility of lamb, which is a protein enjoyed worldwide," said Angela Gentry, marketing director. "With three flavors to choose from, (Baracoa, Masala and Moroccan), busy home cooks can enjoy these easy-to-prepare entrees." Go online to and place your vote for the best new consumer product of 2012.

2 Page Board of Directors: District 1: Greg Hordyk, Arlington Al Schwider, Maple Valley District 2: Teri Blankinship, Winlock Pete Bowman, Chehalis District 3: Jerry Richardson, Moses Lake Pat Thoren, Moses Lake District 4: Sam Hays, Prosser A. Gene Fernandez, Sunnyside District 5: Les Boian, Springdale Andy Pille, Espanola District 6: Dick Appel, Endicott Jerry Kjack, Walla Walla At Large: Jim Acuff, Post Falls Todd Barth, Ephrata Gene Champion, Moses Lake Ross Merker, Rainier Shearing School Coordinator: Sarah M. Smith, Moses Lake Greetings from Appel Valley Farm, We have our first lamb so maybe lambing season has started. It s supposed to snow this weekend so of course it s time to lamb. Dick and I attended the ASI convention in San Antonio the end of January. It was foggy in the morning and 80 by afternoon. Certainly not what we northerners were used to. We should all be proud of our Make It With Wool contestants. Johanna Svensson of Indianola our Senior contestant was sixth runner up and our Junior contestant Danny Butler of Walla Walla placed in the top 13. There were three gentlemen in the national contest this year. They designed their own dance routine to start off the style show. They were great. More congratulations are due Loveta Boyce. She was elected the new ASIW Vice-President. She will do a wonderful job. Next state convention look her up and buy some big bucks tickets. They help fund the Make It With Wool contest and she is responsible for them the next two years. Dick asked me to relay to you that the Whitman, Spokane and Columbia Basin Wool Pools have sold their wool. White face is $1.40 and black face is $.85 I am going to lecture a few of you ladies. Get your mammogram. At my regular mammogram in November they found breast cancer. I have been undergoing test since the lumpectomy in December and am now starting radiation. No breast cancer in my family so this was a surprise. Go get tested. Love, Helen and Dick Hot Links American Sheep Industry: Market Reports: USDA/Scrapie: scrapie.htm, OR scrapie USDA News Releases: FSA Wool & Mohair details: ftp://ftp.fsa.usda.gov/public/ notices/lp_1891.pdf psd/mohair.htm NASS Sheep/Goat Statistics QuickStats/Create_Federal_All.jsp Washington State Legislative Hotline: The January 2013 report for the National Scrapie Eradication Program has been released. The report is available at animal_diseases/scrapie/downloads/ monthly_scrapie_rpt.pdf. WSSP 2013 Officers President Mark Martinez, Moxee, st Vice-President Nick Martinez, Moxee, nd Vice-President Julie Dashiell, Hunters, Past President Art Swannack, Lamont, Auxiliary President Helen Appel, Endicott, ASI Representative Art Swannack, Lamont Executive Secretary/Editor Marcia Parrish, Leavenworth, , wssp@gmx.com

3 Volume 27, Issue 1 Page 3 Volume 27, Issue 1 Eradicating Scrapie: How Sheep Producers Can Help The National Scrapie Eradication Program (NSEP) has stated there has been a 96% decrease in the percent positive sheep sampled at slaughter adjusted for face color since the start of Scrapie Slaughter Surveillance in FY It further states there were 47% fewer newly identified infected and source flocks in FY2012 compared to the same date in FY2011. In FY2012, there were 21 cases of classical scrapie identified in sheep in the United States. No cases of classical scrapie in goats were identified and no cases of Nor98 scrapie were identified in FY2012. From FY2003 to FY2012, about 2,510 sheep and 31 goats have tested positive for classical scrapie in the USA. At the current rate of progress, the NSEP expects the prevalence of scrapie to be at or near zero by FY In Washington State, USDA APHIS Veterinary Services is actively collecting scrapie slaughter surveillance samples. During FY2012 approximately 382 sheep samples and 32 goat samples were collected that had Washington scrapie tags. No scrapie cases were discovered in Washington in FY2012. There are several ways producers can help the scrapie eradication effort: 1. With sheep, use RR rams to pass on genetic resistance to scrapie to the lambs. 2. Keep a closed flock/herd. Select replacement ewes and does from lambs and kids born in your flock. This eliminates the risk of purchasing a ewe or doe that may be infected with scrapie. Scrapie is usually transmitted by females during lambing/kidding. 3. Obtain replacement ewes and does from Scrapie Flock Certification Program (SFCP) certified flocks Membership Information We welcome the following new members: Gerry & Kathleen Kaufman, Kaufman Show Lambs, Carlsborg Robin & Stafford-Ames Morse II & III, Bankside Farm, Duvall Annual dues for regular or associate members are $ Junior members $ WSSP, P.O. Box 2145, Leavenworth, WA 98826, , wssp@gmx.com and herds which have taken measures to lower the risk for scrapie infection. 4. Keep confined lambing and kidding areas as clean as possible by discarding placenta, birth fluids, and contaminated bedding. Use household bleach (6 ¼ cups bleach mixed with 9 ¾ cups water) to disinfect clean, dry, solid surfaces and equipment. 5. When at fairs prevent physical contact especially with any female sheep or goats that have a vaginal discharge, have recently lambed or kidded or aborted. Separate by a vacant pen, barn alley, or solid barrier. 6. Recognize the signs of scrapie in sheep and goats. Infected sheep and goats usually show signs of scrapie from 2-5 years of age or older caused by damage to the nerve cells in the brain. Early signs include behavioral changes, tremor (especially of head and SCRAPIE Continued on Page 6 Associate Members Columbia Basin Sheep Producers 719 S. Poplar Moses Lake, WA Kittitas County Sheep Producers 440 Robinson Canyon Rd. Ellensburg, WA Spokane Area Sheep Producers W. Stoughton Rd. Cheney, WA Southwest Washington Sheep Producers 173 Bay Road Winlock, WA Whitman County Woolgrowers 752 Lanky Road Colfax, WA Utah Wool Marketing Assoc. 55 S. Iron St., Suite 2, Bldg. 657 Tooele, UT

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5 Volume 27, Issue 1 Page 5 Volume 27, Issue 1 WA State Make It With Wool Results By Susan Parr The state Make It With Wool competition was held on October 27 in Yakima, in conjunction with the annual convention of the Washington State Sheep Producers Association. The contest and fashion show involved 16 contestants who modeled garments they had sewn with fabric that was at least 60% wool. The Junior winner was 16- year-old Danny Butler of Walla Walla. He tailored a brown wool suit and tweed vest. He will proceed to the national level of competition in San Antonio, Texas, in January. Alternate Junior winner was 14-year-old Mia Suhrbier of Winlock. She machine embroidered her black wool crepe sheath dress and received a Viking sewing machine. The Senior winner was 19- year-old Johanna Svensson of Indianola. Her electric blue wool melton jacket pairs with black wool slacks and a white wool top to win a trip to the national level. Also receiving a sewing machine was Senior alternate, 17-year-old Michaela Nordheim of Waitsburg. She tailored a plum jacket and skirt. The Adult winner, and recipient of a serger, was Eileen Moebius of Kapowsin. She sewed a black and white checked jacket and black wool slacks. Eileen s picture, video and garment will proceed to National Make It With Wool to be judged. One adult national winner will go to San Antonio. Alternate Adult winner was Dorothy Fish of Federal Way. She sewed a blue wool jersey dress and handwoven coat ensemble and received a cash award. The Washington Make It With Wool contest is sponsored by the Washington Wool Growers Auxiliary and the Washington State Sheep Producers. The national contest is sponsored by the American Sheep Industry and the American Sheep Industry Women. All ages are encouraged to Junior winners Mia Suhrbier and Danny Butler. make, model and enter fashionable wool garments. District contests are held throughout the state during October of each year. Qualified district winners proceed to the state contest. For national MIWW results, please see Helen Appel s letter on page 2. For more information, please contact State Director, Susan Parr, of Tacoma, WA (253) Senior winners Johanna Svensson and Michaela Nordheim. Adults winners Dorothy Fish and Eileen Moebius.

6 Page 6 SCRAPIE Continued from Page 3 neck), scratching and rubbing against fixed objects (apparently to relieve itching), loss of coordination, weakness, weight loss despite retention of appetite, biting of feet and limbs, lip smacking, gait abnormalities, including high stepping of the forelegs, hopping like a rabbit, and swaying of the back end. Have your veterinarian evaluate sheep/ goats showing these clinical signs or call the Washington State Veterinarian s office at (360) or the USDA Veterinary Services Office in Tumwater, WA at (360) to report scrapie suspects. 7. Make sure your sheep and goats have scrapie ear tags before leaving the farm. Call USDA Tag ( ) or Millie Chopic directly at to obtain free scrapie ear tags and pliers and obtain specific requirements for the identification of sheep and goats. Keep tagging, purchase, and sales records for at least 5 years. 8. Participate in scrapie surveillance by submitting samples from sheep or goats that have died or are slaughtered on your farm. Categories of on-farm sheep and goats to sample can include: A. Sheep or goats older than 18 months of age that have died on your farm. B. Sheep or goats of any age that show clinical signs of scrapie. (Please read item #6 to review the signs of scrapie.) C. Sheep or goats that are slaughtered on your farm as follows: 1. Black faced or Southdown or Montadale sheep older than 18 months of age with no up per age limit. 2. White face or mottled face sheep 2 5 years of age. 3. Goats 2 5 years of age. Please call or Millie Chopic at (360) or millie.m.chopic@aphis.usda.gov to obtain free scrapie ear tags or free shipping boxes that include a pre-paid air bill to submit sheep and goat heads for scrapie surveillance. Instructions and further guidance will also be provided. Let our grower-owned consignment Warehouse market your wool to the world. Will Hart Griggs, Manager (435) ~ Fax: (435) S. Iron St., Suite 2-Building 657, Tooele, UT utahwool@wirelessbehive.com

7 Volume 27, Issue 1 Page 7 Volume 27, Issue 1 U.S. Lamb Prices to Recover in 2013 The U.S. lamb prices are expected to rebound in 2013 encouraged by stable demand and reduced supplies. This is according to an analysis of the sheep industry that was made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's, Economic Research Service in its Livestock, Dairy and Poultry Outlook. "In 2012, sheep inventory registered a smaller decline than in the previous two years. Despite the drought conditions in most of the sheep-producing areas, the "grow our flock" program by the sheep industry appeared to slow the decline. The National Agriculture Statistics Service's Sheep and Goats report estimated the inventory of all sheep and lamb in the United States on Jan. 1, 2013, as 5.34 million head, down 1 percent and a 30,000-head decline from Breeding sheep inventory decreased to 3.98 million head on Jan. 1, 2013, down 1 percent from 4.0 million head on Jan. 1, A 2-percent decline was seen in the 2012 lamb crop and is expected to result in further production declines during 2013, with production at around 152 million pounds. As a result, slaughter lamb prices, which declined significantly in 2012, are expected to show strength in 2013." The full report is available at

8 Page Calendar of Events NCWA Jr. Livestock Show -- March 28-30, Moses Lake WSSP Lambing School -- March 30, Lamont WSSP Shearing School -- April 1-6, Moses Lake Shepherds Extravaganza -- April 18-21, Puyallup NW Jr. Livestock Show -- April 19-20, Puyallup WSSP Board Meeting -- April 27, Ellensburg Puget Sound Jr. Livestock Show -- June 1-2, Mount Vernon NW Jr. Sheep Expo -- July 19-20, Moses Lake WSSP Ram & Ewe Sale -- July 19-20, Moses Lake Palouse Empire Fair -- Sept. 6-9, Colfax WSSP Annual Convention -- Oct , Ritzville Washington State Sheep Producers P.O. Box 2145 Leavenworth, WA 98826