(December 1, 2008)  The American Sheep Industry Association’s executive board has approved a Vote Yes for American Lamb campaign in preparation for the national lamb checkoff referendum expected in February 2009.

As a key part of the campaign, state sheep-producer organizations and industry affiliated groups have been asked to formally join and lend their name to the campaign in support of a successful referendum. In addition, a volunteer-leader committee has been formed to implement the activities of the campaign. A similar campaign and volunteer-leader committee worked for the industry in 2005 when the sheep industry approved the referendum with eighty percent of the votes favoring the program.
The rule under which the checkoff was established requires a vote three years after implementation and again at the seven year mark, which will be in 2009. 

The referendum rules and voting period will soon be announced by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service. It is expected that the voting rules will be the same as in the 2005 referendum. Those eligible to vote include active sheep producers, feeders and first handlers, and in order for the lamb checkoff to continue, a majority of producer and sheep volume votes must be in favor of it.

“The American Lamb Board’s programs, which are funded through the checkoff, are a proven benefit for U.S. sheep producers and the No. 1 tool to fight for our market share against other heavily promoted lamb sources,” explains Burdell Johnson, American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) president. “The key to a successful referendum are the many producers and feeders that are interested enough in the industry to get out and cast a ‘yes’ vote in favor of the checkoff. If members of the industry are complacent and skip the chance to vote, a few hundred nay sayers may carry the day.”

Please work with the following list of volunteer leaders who are working in support of the Vote Yes campaign. For information on how to participate in the effort, contact Peter Orwick at ASI (303-771-3500 ext. 33 or porwick@sheepusa.org) or a member in your state listed below.   

Arizona
Dwayne Dobson

California
Greg Ahart
John Cubiburu
Dominique Minaberrigarai
Judd Redden

Colorado
Bonnie Brown
Angelo (Butch) Theos
Anthony Theos

Connecticut
Russ Robinson, Jr.

Delaware
Jo-Anne Lessard

Hawaii
Jan Dean

Idaho
Jeff and Cindy Siddoway
Margaret Soulen Hinson

Illinois
Jane Zeien
Indiana
Pearce McKinney

Iowa
Marsha Spykerman

Kentucky
Endre Fink

Maryland
Joan Hobbs

Maine
Richard Brzozowski
Brant Miller
Lisa Webster

Massachusetts
Tom Colyer

Michigan
Max Benne
Jim Bristol
Dale Thorne
Ben Tirrell
Eric Wallis

Minnesota
Robert (Bob )Padula
Daniel Persons
Montana
Aeric Reilly

National Lamb Feeders Association
Milt Ward

Nebraska
Mike Wallace

Nevada
Pete Paris

New Mexico
Caren Cowan

New York
W. Keith Stumbo

North Carolina
Brent Jennings

North Dakota
Justin Luther
Lyle Warner

Ohio
Cynthia Koonce
Ric (Richard) Wallace
Steven Wickersham

Oregon
Reed Anderson
Cynthia Harrold
Lynn Trupp

Pennsylvania
Greg Hubbard

South Carolina
Tara Wyatt

South Dakota
 Lynn Perry

Tennessee
Bill Kuecker

Texas
Lee Bloodworth
Marvin Shurley

Utah
Wm F Junior Goring
Doug Livingston

Virginia
Clinton Bell
Larry Weeks

Vermont
Jane Woodhouse

Washington
Fred Blauert

West Virginia
 Martha McGrath