NSIIC Board Announces Public Forum

on Dec 15 in Industry News

The National Sheep Industry Improvement Center Board (NSIIC) is planning to meet at the American Sheep Industry/National Lamb Feeders Association Convention in Scottsdale.  That convention is to be held from January 24-28, 2012 at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort,  7200 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, Arizona  85253.  The NSIIC Meeting will be held on Wednesday the 25th from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm.  The Board would like to dedicate a portion of the meeting to a public forum in order to get input from attendees as to the priorities for funding grants in the future.  During the last round of grants the major organizations provided the suggestions as to which areas of funding should be the highest priority.

These included:

1.           Strengthen and improve long-term sustainability of the goat and/or lamb and wool industry’s infrastructure by increasing production numbers.

2.     Provide integration of performance/production data from sources that can help enhance the National Sheep Improvement Program.

3.     Provide leadership training and education to producers and packers within the sheep and goat industries.

4.     Enhance sheep and/or goat production by improving the infrastructure of the U.S. sheep and goat industries through assistance to all segments of the industry to address sustainable production and marketing of sheep and goat milk, meat, fiber and related services such as grazing for fire management and pasture improvements.

5.     Promote lamb and meat goat marketing through an organized method that can measure tangible results.

6.     Enhance the sheep and goat industries by coordinating information exchange and seeking mutual understanding and marketing within the international industry community.

Individual suggestions are welcome and encouraged.  Larger Organizations are requested to post this information on their web site.

The Open forum will be from 2:00 – 3:00 pm in the room La Valencia B.  Please make an effort to provide feedback to the NSIIC so that they can provide grants in the most needed areas of the industry.