By BECKY TALLEY
Sheep Industry News Associate Editor

(March 1, 2010)  Larry Pilster of Alzada, Mont., and Mike Lippert of Olivia, Minn., were elected to the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) Executive Board at the 2010 ASI/National Lamb Feeders Association (NLFA) Convention in Nashville, Tenn., on Jan. 23, 2010. Pilster was elected to represent ASI’s Region VII, comprised of Montana, Idaho and Wyoming, and Lippert was elected to represent NLFA.

Pilster has a sheep and cattle operation, lambing around 1,700 head of mainly Targhee/Columbia cross ewes. Pilster is a second-generation sheep man, with his father starting the operation in Montana in 1940, having previously raised sheep in Nebraska. Each year, Pilster keeps 350-400 replacement ewe lambs for his flock and uses Suffolk rams to breed the 2 year olds as well as the courser-wooled ewes. White-face rams are bred to the finer-wool ewes to maintain the wool quality of the flock. In addition, the operation runs around 240 head of cows. Pilster’s wife Madge, mother Helen, and sons Shawn and Lane (wife Dawn and two daughters) are all part of the family operation. He also has a daughter, Misti Richardson (husband Del and son and daughter).

Pilster earned a bachelor’s degree in agriculture production from Montana State University, with a focus in agriculture economics and a minor in ranch management.

Pilster was on the board of directors for the Montana Sheep Growers Association, and served as president of the organization for two terms. He has been active in ASI’s Resource Management Council, serving as co-chair of the Predator Management Committee and as a member on the Public Lands Committee. In addition, he is involved with the Montana Stock Growers Association, National Cattlemen Beef Association, national and state public lands councils and various county-level committees, to name a few.

“I think that if the opportunity presents itself, someone who has been involved should step up and lead the way with whatever issue arises,” says Pilster of his election to the ASI Executive Board. “My goal is to make sure that we keep the wheels on the wagon.”

Lippert, a second-generation lamb feeder, continues to run part of an operation established by his father in 1957. Lippert mainly purchases lambs from North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming and Minnesota, at 80 to 100 pounds, feeds them out to market weight at 135 to 150 pounds and ships them to major packers. In addition, he farms corn, soybeans, alfalfa and vegetables with his brother Dan. Lippert is married to wife, Sharon, and has one adult daughter, Michelle.

 He earned a bachelor’s degree in business management from St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minn., and has used that knowledge in his feeding and farming operation.

Lippert served on the NLFA Executive Board from 1980-1992, served as vice president for the organization from 2005-2007 and, most recently, just ended his two-year term as NLFA president. The immediate past president of NLFA goes on to represent the organization on the ASI Executive Board.

“I know most of the people on the board, so I think that my ability to communicate and work with them will make it easier to accomplish the goals of the board of directors and the voting membership,” says Lippert of his election to the ASI Executive Board. “I am there to represent NLFA, so I am going to try to encourage and promote policies that will benefit lamb feeders and the whole industry.”