ASI Policy 2014

2014 American Sheep IndustryAssociation (ASI) Policy

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1-22:09:R14 Bighorn Health1-23:96:R10 Bighorn/Domestic Sheep1-24:10 Antimicrobial Use in Food Animals1-25:10 Bighorn/Domestic Sheep

Compatibility1-26:11 FootVax®1-27:13 Scrapie Priorities1-28:13 Screwworms1-29:14 Consideration of Foreign

Equivalency Data for Vaccine Licensing/Approval

1-30:14 Brucella ovis

2. ENDANGERED SPECIES

2-01:90:R10 Grizzly Bear Delisting2-02:92:R13 Wolf/Dog Hybrids2-04:95:R10 Management of Natural Resources/

Ecosystems2-10:03:R13 Environmental Treaties2-11:03:R14 Wolves’ Reintroduction and Delisting2-14:08:R13 Endangered Species Act2-15:08:R13 Management and Delisting of the

Wolf Populations2-16:11 Sage Grouse Recovery

3. ENVIRONMENT

3-01:94:R14 Wild and Scenic Rivers3-02:91:R11 Environmental Legislation3-04:92:R12 Private Property Rights Protection3-05:93:R13 Corporate Average Fuel Economy3-06:93:R13 Environmental Stewardship Statement3-07:95:R10 Environmental Benefits of Sheep3-08:96:R11 Impaired Streams/Watersheds3-10:00:R10 Federal Access to Private Property3-11:03:R13 Clean Water Act and Water Rights3-12:03:R13 Voluntary Technical Assistance and

the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative

3-13:06:R11 Wilderness Area Rights3-14:08:R13 FSA Office Closures3-15:10 Catagorical Exclusions (CXs)3-16:11 Humane Horse Slaughter3-17:11 Wild-Horse- and Burro-Herd

Reduction3-18:12 Biodiversity Definition3-19:13 Second Amendment Rights

TABLE OF CONTENTS .......................................1

i. FORWARD..................................................3ii. KEY TO POLICY CODES ..............................3iii. POLICY PROCESS (As of January 1998) ........3iv. POLICY DEVELOPMENT ...............................3v. POLICY IMPLEMENTATION...........................3vi. SUMMARY..................................................31. ANIMAL HEALTH/ANIMAL WELFARE ............42. ENDANGERED SPECIES.............................103. ENVIRONMENT........................................124. LAMB MARKETING....................................145. PREDATOR MANAGEMENT .......................156. PUBLIC LANDS..........................................167 PRODUCTION, EDUCATION AND RESEARCH..208. SEEDSTOCK .............................................229. WOOL MARKETING .................................2210. GENERAL .................................................2411. PELTS........................................................2812. DIRECTIVES...............................................28

1. ANIMAL HEALTH/ANIMAL WELFARE

1-01:90:R10 NAHMS1-02:90:R10 Vet-Client Relationship1-03:90:R10 Food Animal Veterinary Education

and Veterinary Assistant1-04:92:R13 Quality Assurance1-06:91:R12 Code of Practice/Animal Husbandry1-07:94:R11 Rendering1-08:95:R10 Over-the-Counter Drugs1-09:95:R13 Drug-Approval Process1-10:96:R14 Sheep Well-being and Exhibition1-11:97:R12 Scrapie Surveillance1-12:97:R13 Scrapie Research 1-14:02:R12 Scrapie Eradication1-15:05:R10 Scrapie Consistent State Status1-16:06:R11 Brucella ovis/Ram Epididymitis

Diagnostics1-17:06:R12 Scrapie Compliance and Enforcement1-18:06:R14 Scrapie Surveillance1-19:06:R11 Approval of Trace Mineral Products1-20:09:R14 Biosecurity1-21:09:R14 Regionalization/

Compartmentalization

AMERICAN SHEEP INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION POLICY 2014TABLE OF CONTENTS

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4. LAMB MARKETING

4-01:90:R14 Country-of-Origin Labeling4-02:90:R10 Meat-Inspection Fees4-03:91:R13 Export Enhancement Programs4-04:91:R14 Inspection Practices4-11:03:R10 LMAAP4-12:94:R14 Case-Ready Products4-13:04:R14 BSE Trade Impact4-14:05:R10 Control Processor Costs4-16:07:R12 Instrument Grading4-17:08:R13 Mutton Promotion

5. PREDATOR MANAGEMENT

5-01:90:R10 Predator Loss Data5-03:96:R11 Management of Predator Protected

Species5-05:94:R14 Compliance with USFS and BLM

Regulations5-06:00:R10 State-Managed Predator Programs5-07:03:R13 Predator-Management Methods5-09:03:R14 Wildlife Services (WS) Funding5-10:08:R13 Animal Damage Control (ADC)

Act of 1931

6. PUBLIC LANDS

6-01:91:R11 Wildlife Population Plans6-02:91:R13 Community Coalitions6-03:91:R13 Public Lands Council6-04:92:R13 Federal Grazing Fees6-05:94:R13 AUM Ratio (7:1)6-06:96:R11 Range-Improvement Funds6-07:99:R14 Biological Data Collection 6-08:00:R13 Management of National Grasslands6-09:00:R10 Range Conservationists’ Training6-10:01:R11 Grazing Allotments6-11:03:R13 Grazing Preference6-13:03:R13 Rangeland Monitoring6-17:03:R13 Protection of State Sovereignty and

Individual Property Rights6-18:04:R14 Transplantation and Movement

of Bison6-19:04:R14 Grazing Buyout6-20:04:R14 Travel Management6-22:07:R12 Recreation Campaign6-24:08:R13 Private Land Acquisition6-25:08:R11 Reservations of Public Lands6-26:10 Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA)6-27:11 States’ Authority to Manage Wildlife6-28:11 No Net Loss of Animal Unit Months

(AUMs)6-29:11 Alternative Allotments

6-30:12 U.S. Sheep Experiment Station (USSES)

7. PRODUCTION, EDUCATION andRESEARCH

7-01:90:R10 State Sheep and Wool Education7-02:90:R10 Predator-Control Research7-03:91:R11 Animal Agriculture Coalition7-05:00:R12 Research and Education Funding7-06:00:R13 Sheep Research and Technology

Transfer7-08:90:R14 Disease Research Funding7-09:90:R14 Livestock in Education Materials7-11:04:R11 Sheep Identification7-12:07:R12 Microbial Contamination7-13:07:R12 Genomics Research7-15:13 Ultrasound Technique

8. SEEDSTOCK

8-02:91:R14 Genetic Improvement8-03:91:R13 Seedstock Export/Import Programs

9. WOOL MARKETING

9-02:90:R14 Textile Imports9-03:90:R10 Wool-Content Labeling9-04:90:R10 “Buy Domestic” Requirements9-05:91:R11 Wool-Research Funding9-06:92:R12 Genetic Programs for Wool Quality9-07:93:R10 Wool Clip Contamination9-09:95:R14 Wool Quality9-10:90:R10 Shearing School Programs9-11:96:R11 Wool Pools9-13:96:R11 Wool Technology Research9-15:99:R11 Niche Marketing9-17:01:R10 USDA Market News9-18:03:R10 Removal of Tariffs on Woolpacks

and Covers9-19:05:R10 Grants for Sheep Shearing9-20:07:R12 Shearing Labor9-21:08:R13 Dye-Resistant Fibers (Hair and

Kemp) Contamination9-22:12 Classing Labor

10. GENERAL

Taxation and Accounting10-02:90:R13 Federal Tax Policy10-03:91:R11 Capital Gains10-07:93:R13 Federal Taxes10-09:93:R13 Health Premium Deduction

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10-10:93:R13 Farm-Licensed Vehicle Exemptions

10-11:93:R13 Cash-basis Accounting10-12:93:R13 Section 179 Deduction

( expensing depreciable assets)10-33:05:R10 Promote Development of

harmaceuticals for SheepTrade

10-15:98:R10 GATT10-17:00:R10 Anti-dumping Laws10-25:02:R12 Lamb Imports10-29:03:R13 Free Trade Agreements10-30:01:R14 Congressional

Appropriations,FAS10-49:14 Exports

Labor10-28:03:R10 Immigration and

Naturalization Service (INS)10-47:13 H-2A Program

Other10-13:94:R14 Alternate Research/Promotion10-14:94:R14 Farm Service Agency10-16:98:R13 DOT Regulations10-18:00:R10 Safety-Net Program10-22:01:R11 Freedom of Information Act 10-27:03:R13 Regulatory Impact

10-31:94:R14 Unfunded Federal Mandates10-32:04:R14 Risk-Management Tools10-35:06:R11 ASI Correspondence on

Behalf of Member States10-37:09:R14 Renewable Fuels 10-42:10 Climate Change10-46:11 ASI Goat Committee10-48:13 Air Quality Standards

11. PELTS

11-01:00:R10 Ked Control

12. DIRECTIVES

3-20:14 Wild Horse Management4-20:14 Lamb Carcass Maturity6-31:14 Grazing Improvement Act7-16:14 USMARC (U.S. Meat Animal

Research Center)7-17:14 USSES (United States Sheep

Experiment Station)10-50:14 Participation in Livestock Indemnity

Program (LIP)10-51:14 Reverse Trends of the Sheep Industry

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i. FOREWORDThe following are current policies of the American

Sheep Industry Association, Inc. (ASI), including thoseadopted by the ASI Board of Directors on Jan. 23, 2014.

ASI resolutions stand as adopted for a period offive years, unless amended or deleted by action of theBoard of Directors. At the end of that five-year period,resolutions are dropped unless extended for anotherfive-year period by a vote of the Board of Directors.Directives expire after one year.

ii. KEY TO POLICY CODES

• First digit(s) (from 1-12) indicate the area underwhich the policy is classified;

• Next two digits indicate the number of the policywithin that section (at time of passage);

• Next two digits indicate the year adopted; and• R indicates year renewed or revised.

(Note: Policies renewed for additional years willretain the number of the original year adopted with therenewal or revision date preceded by an R.)

Example: 1-04:03:R071 indicates 1st section, Animal Health/Animal Welfare-04 indicates 4th policy adopted under that topic:03 indicates that the policy was adopted in 2003:R07 indicates that the policy was renewed or revisedin 2007

iii. POLICY PROCESS The American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) is a

producer-driven federation of state associations repre-senting the U.S. sheep industry. The policy developmentand implementation process is also producer-driven.There are many opportunities for producers to becomeactively involved in discussions on issues facing theindustry; policy recommendations are developedthrough democratic processes that, on approval of theASI Board of Directors, set policy to guide ASI’s activi-ties and programs.

The policy process is made up of two steps: (1) Pol-icy Development and (2) Policy Implementation. PolicyDevelopment occurs before the annual meeting duringstate member association conventions, and in ASIcouncil meetings and policy forums held before or dur-ing the annual convention. These policies result in for-mal action by the Board of Directors during the AnnualMeeting. Policy Implementation occurs following theAnnual Meeting through the respective councils that putthe policy into action. The following more fully explainsthe two above-mentioned steps.

iv. POLICY DEVELOPMENTA trade association represents the interests of the

industry it serves. To do this, the policy developmentprocess must involve as many people as possible toreflect industry consensus. The policy development

process actually begins at the state member associationlevel, where producers first become involved in associa-tion activities. During annual conventions and other meet-ings, individual producers can raise issues, concerns orsuggestions that should be addressed by the industry.Resolutions or directives adopted by state associationsare forwarded to the ASI for consideration in PolicyForums during the annual convention. Policy Forums aremeetings organized by topics, which involve one votingrepresentative from every state member association ateach forum. The Policy Forums consider policy resolutionsfrom the states, recommendations from the ASI councilsand from individual producers, on which they takeaction. Resolutions and directives that are acted uponand passed during the Policy Forums are forwarded tothe Resolutions Committee.

The Resolutions Committee reviews the resolutionsand directives to prevent duplication between councilsand to resolve conflict with existing policy or other pro-posed resolutions and directives. The Resolutions Com-mittee may not develop new resolutions or directives,stop resolutions or directives from being considered bythe Board of Directors or substantially change them, butmay return them to a council for the purpose of resolv-ing conflicts.

The ASI Board of Directors then considers resolu-tions and directives during its Annual Meeting. Policyresolutions and directives adopted by the Board ofDirectors become ASI policy at the close of the AnnualMeeting. Resolutions remain active with Board ofDirectors’ renewal or revision; the Board may alsorepeal. If no action of any kind is taken, resolutionsautomatically sunset in the fifth year. Directives expireafter one year.

If an issue or situation arises following the AnnualMeeting that is not covered by existing policy, the Exec-utive Board has the authority to set interim policy.When doing so, the Executive Board relies on the coun-sel of the appropriate council. The Board of Directorsmust ratify interim policy action adopted by the Execu-tive Board at its next meeting.

v. POLICY IMPLEMENTATIONPolicy resolutions and directives adopted by the

Board of Directors are assigned to the appropriate ASIcouncil for implementation. Policies requiring legislativeaction are referred to the Legislative Action Council. It isthe responsibility of each council to pursue implementa-tion of actions addressed in their policy resolutions anddirectives. Councils periodically report to the Board ofDirectors and Executive Board on the progress of policyimplementation.

vi. SUMMARYSheep producers with policy questions are encour-

aged to contact their state association or the ASI office.From issue identification, to policy development, throughpolicy implementation, sheep producers set the coursefor the American Sheep Industry Association.

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THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the AmericanVeterinary Medicine Association (AVMA) and veteri-nary medical colleges be encouraged to developrecruitment and enrollment tactics that encourage thoseinterested in food-animal production, as well as thedevelopment of curriculum that addresses the need forrural and food-animal veterinarians, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the AVMA beencouraged to develop a food-animal veterinary assis-tant program that would produce accredited individu-als, who are able to supplement the food-animal vet-erinary practice.

1-04:92:R13 Quality Assurance

WHEREAS a more complete knowledge of theextent and causes of quality defects and potentialresidues will provide educational opportunities forsheep producers, and

WHEREAS identification of the source point ofdefects and residues in the production system will chal-lenge producers to improve production systems andpractices to enhance efficiency and assure quality andsafety of their products,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports the continuedand accelerated implementation of the National SheepSafety and Quality Assurance (SSQA) program.

1-06:91:R12 Code of Practice/Animal Husbandry

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI adopts the followingIndustry Code of Practice:

Domestic sheep production has been a part of thehuman way of life for thousands of years. Responsiblesheep husbandry has always included a concern for thewell-being and humane treatment of the sheep, as wellas a commitment toward good stewardship of the land.

Sheep operations in the United States are verydiverse, owing to the adaptability of sheep to a widerange of climates and management systems. Sheep areefficient converters of renewable forage to high-qualityfood and fiber. In many areas of the country sheep areused to glean crop residues or utilize agricultural by-products.

Nutrition - Providing sheep with adequate nutritioninsures their continued productivity and well-being.Sheep on pasture are frequently able to meet all ormost of their nutritional needs from grazing. Supple-mentation of natural feed sources may become neces-sary during certain stages of production or unfavorableforage conditions.

Under more intense raising systems, accepted NRCfeed requirements should be used in order to meet thesheep’s nutritional needs appropriate to their stage ofproduction.

Adequate water should always be available.

ANIMAL HEALTH/ANIMAL WELFARE1-01:90:R10 NAHMS

WHEREAS there are disease and national policyissues that may affect the sheep industry, and

WHEREAS the sheep industry needs informationgathered by National Animal Health Monitoring Sys-tem (NAHMS) on issues involving animal health, ani-mal productivity, animal welfare, product wholesome-ness, and the environment to promote and protect itsindustry, and

WHEREAS facts data and results from previousNAHMS studies have been beneficial to the sheepindustry by providing guidance on management, pro-duction, disease prevention, and marketing,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supportsthe planned NAHMS sheep study for 2011 that is bothregional and national in scope and priority-disease-issue targeted. The ASI recommends that NAHMS workwith industry and the National Agriculture StatisticsService (NASS), as well as state animal-health officials,on study design and implementation and that field andlaboratory resources be made available by USDA.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the sheep industrycontinues to be included in the NAHMS projects regularly.

1-02:90:R10 Vet-Client Relationship

WHEREAS adverse legislation affecting the avail-ability and application of biologicals and pharmaceu-ticals for use by livestock producers may cause extremehardship and financial impact to the entire livestockindustry, and

WHEREAS it is critical to establish a veterinarian-client-patient relationship, not only to obtain biologicalsand pharmaceuticals but also to stimulate an interest inand awareness of sheep health,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI recommends that sheepproducers establish a working veterinarian-client-patientrelationship for the continued use of pharmaceuticals andbiologicals by producers to maintain the general health ofthe sheep population and profitability of the industry.

1-03:90:R10 Food Animal Veterinary Education and VeterinaryAssistant

WHEREAS the U.S. sheep industry is in need ofqualified veterinarians who have knowledge of sheepdiseases and management practices, and

WHEREAS the shortage of veterinary service tothe food-animal industry has reached a critical level inrecent years, and

WHEREAS this shortage of veterinarians that servethe food-animal industry has been due to multiple fac-tors, that include economics and lack of students havinga food-animal background. This makes it difficult for vet-erinary practices to attract new graduates, and

WHEREAS the growing shortage of food-animalveterinarians emphasizes the need for an official food-animal veterinary assistant program,

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Sheep practices are constantly changing, as newknowledge about animal behavior and healthbecomes available. Producers are encouraged toincorporate these improvements into their operationswhenever possible.

1-07:94:R11 Rendering

WHEREAS the rendering and feed manufacturingindustries provide important services to the sheepindustry, and

WHEREAS the lack of rendering services forsheep has caused economic hardship to sheep pro-ducers, particularly those who utilize small/local pro-cessing facilities, and

WHEREAS preliminary results of ongoing researchindicate that BSE and scrapie are separate and dis-tinctly different diseases, and

WHEREAS current research on the spongiformencephalopathies will also have an impact on theassessment of risk of their transmission through ren-dered ruminant offal,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports researchefforts investigating the transmission of scrapie, andother spongiform encephalopathy diseases through thefeeding of rendered products, and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that ASI supportsresearch and development regarding alternative usesfor rendered sheep and sheep products.

1-08:95:R10 Over-the-Counter Drugs

WHEREAS there are relatively few medicationslabeled to treat sheep diseases, and

WHEREAS judicious use of antibiotics and anthel-metics is necessary to alleviate animal pain and suffer-ing and ensure animal health and welfare, and

WHEREAS the shortage of food-animal veterinari-ans is a significant issue to the sheep industry, and

WHEREAS the availability of FDA-approved, over-the-counter (OTC) antibiotics and anthelmetics is nec-essary in order for producers to have access to theseessential medications when needed, and

WHEREAS the sheep industry has developed train-ing and information programs to demonstrate produc-ers’ responsible use and administration of medicationsand vaccines, including a valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship (VCPR), and

WHEREAS eliminating OTC medications and vac-cine sales would not prevent their irresponsible use orensure their responsible use,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI opposes eliminating orotherwise restricting OTC sales to preserve the avail-ability of medications and vaccines that can be used forsheep, as long as they are being used within the validconfines of a VCPR and a quality assurance program.

Health - It is in sheep producers’ best interests tomaintain their flocks in a healthy, productive state and,to the extent possible, avoid the possibility of injury ordisease through good, preventative-health management.

Vaccines, anthelmintics and other health-care prod-ucts should be used in accordance with approved-veteri-nary practices, and care should be taken to comply withany drug-withdrawal requirements.

It is usually necessary to dock lambs and castratemale lambs in order to prevent serious health conse-quences, such as fly strike, inbreeding or cleanlinessproblems. These procedures should be done appropri-ately, at an early age and in such a manner as to mini-mize stress and not compromise the health or well-beingof the animals. Common sense should be used to avoidstress due to marking lambs during unfavorable weather.

Handling and Equipment - Handling facilities andworking corrals should be designed to ease handlingstress and reduce the possibility of injury. Corrals, load-ing chutes and shearing areas should be in good repairand free of sharp edges that could cause injury to thesheep or handler.

Pen size and feeder space will be variable depend-ent on the size of the sheep but should be large enoughto provide freedom of movement and ample access tofeed and water. Good ventilation is essential whendesigning housing for sheep. Buildings used to housesheep should be maintained in a sanitary, clean condi-tion.

Transporting sheep should be done in a safe mannerto prevent the consequences of both under and over-crowding; this includes loading and unloading. Debili-tated, non-ambulatory sheep should not be sent to mar-ket.

Animals at livestock markets, sales, shows and pub-lic exhibitions should be handled in a humane manner,and sheep producers should comply with regulationsand guidelines regarding showing and exposition ofsheep as outlined by state, local and/or general rules ofthe event.

Youth programs should encourage proper manage-ment and care consistent with accepted animal-produc-tion practices and humane-handling methods, asendorsed by ASI.

Management - Sound sheep management takes intoconsideration many diverse factors including feedresources, environmental conditions, marketing opportu-nities, and climate and breed suitability.

Condition - Reasonable efforts should be made topresent clean sheep and lambs for slaughter.

Predator losses have become an increasing problemin the sheep industry. Since sheep are basically defense-less animals, depredation from wild species or domesticdogs can cause great stress, suffering and death. There-fore, all available methods of predator control should bepromoted to control depredation on sheep.

Besides a concern for the health and well-being ofthe sheep, successful management involves a commit-ment to preserve and utilize natural resources in such amanner that insures the sustained productivity for the pro-duction of lamb and wool.

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1-09:95:R13 Drug-Approval Process

WHEREAS there is a lack of approved pharmaceu-ticals for the treatment of important sheep diseases, and

WHEREAS the current drug-approval process dis-courages research, development and data submissionleading to new products for the treatment of sheep dis-ease, and

WHEREAS new pharmaceuticals could significantlyimprove the overall health and well-being of sheep,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports legislativeand regulatory efforts that will restructure and expe-dite the drug-approval process and provide financialincentives to sponsors, while maintaining productsafety and efficacy.1-10:96:R14 Sheep Well-being

and Exhibition

WHEREAS the exhibition of livestock, includingsheep, is an important aspect of breed promotion, mar-keting and educational programs, and

WHEREAS the health, well-being and productivityof sheep is of paramount importance to the industry,including appropriate and necessary husbandry andmedical practices, and

WHEREAS a wide range of educational resourcesexists, which are targeted toward both youth and adults,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI endorses and assists inthe distribution of the Show Animal Care and HandlingGuide, published by the Animal Industry Foundation,the National Show Ring Code of Ethics, published bythe International Association of Fairs and Exhibitions,and other publications, videos and programs, whichare consistent with the Sheep Industry Code of Practiceand the Sheep Care Guide, both published by ASI, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the ASI supportshumane and necessary husbandry practices, as pre-scribed and/or endorsed by the United States AnimalHealth Association (USAHA), the American VeterinaryMedical Association (AVMA) and the American Associ-ation of Small Ruminant Practitioners (AASRP).

1-11:97:R12 Scrapie Surveillance

WHEREAS scrapie is a significant disease insheep, the European Union has stated Bovine Spongi-form Encephalopathy (BSE) may be present in thesheep population in Europe, and the United States istaking precautionary measures to reduce the risk ofBSE occurring in this country through voluntary andregulatory action, and

WHEREAS U.S. Department of Agriculture(USDA)/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service(APHIS) has finalized regulations restricting interstatemovement,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI urges USDA/APHIS tocontinue sheep and embryo import-control measures toprevent the introduction of BSE or new strains ofscrapie into the United States. APHIS should also con-duct country-by-country risk assessments as a basis forimportation, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI supportseducational efforts to disseminate information on thescrapie disease and transmission, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI supportsbasic and applied research on scrapie and other Trans-missible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSEs), focusingon development of methods necessary to diagnose anderadicate them, and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that ASI urgesUSDA/APHIS and Food Safety and Inspection Service(FSIS) to augment TSE surveillance efforts and urgesUSDA/Agricultural Research Service (ARS), NationalInstitute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and others toincrease their education and research programs onscrapie and other TSEs.

1-12:97:R13 Scrapie Research

WHEREAS the role of premise contamination dueto scrapie is not understood, and

WHEREAS the carrier status of scrapie genotypesis not yet determined, and

WHEREAS the role of vectors and fomites inscrapie transmission has not been determined, and

WHEREAS complete strain typing is yet to beaccomplished,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI urges USDA/ARS andAPHIS to continue to share information as it relates toscrapie eradication, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI urgesUSDA/APHIS to continue conducting epidemiologicalstudies and ongoing monitoring surveys of scrapie-infected flocks to help define the role of premise con-tamination in scrapie transmission, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI urgesUSDA/ARS to continue the development of protocolsfor secure on-farm, bio-containment facilities.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that ASI urgesUSDA/ARS and USDA/APHIS to make appropriaterequests for budgetary increases for scrapie researchprojects and epidemiologic studies designed to ascer-tain the roles of:1. sheep genotype,2. possible vector and fomite resources,3. premise contamination,4. non-classical scrapie, and5. interactions of the above

1-13:99:R09 TSE Eradication

WHEREAS Transmissible Spongiform Encephal -opathies (TSEs) are recognized globally to be a risk ofanimal health, human health and trade, and

WHEREAS there is no uniform regulatory policyon all types of TSEs, and

WHEREAS the origin and pathogenesis of individ-ual TSEs are not well understood,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI urges USDA/APHIS topropose rulemaking to reduce the risk, control anderadicate all TSEs in the United States, and that appro-priate import controls be codified.

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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI urgesNVSL/Center for Veterinary Biologics (CVB) toapprove validated test kits as soon as possible and thatthese test kits be provided to diagnostic laboratories,so that commerce in sheep seedstock won't be furtherinterrupted.

1-17:06:R12 Scrapie Compliance and Enforcement

WHEREAS ASI strongly supports scrapie eradica-tion in the United States, and

WHEREAS an animal-identification program is themost important component of a disease-eradicationprogram, and

WHEREAS compliance with animal-identificationrequirements under the current scrapie program isinadequate in some locations, and

WHEREAS APHIS is currently able to trace about80 percent of scrapie-infected sheep found throughslaughter surveillance to their flock of origin, and

WHEREAS traceability of infected animals to breed-ing flocks is essential to the scrapie-eradication effort,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI urges USDA/APHISand State Veterinarians to enact and strictly enforce allof the appropriate laws and regulations required forstates to meet and maintain “consistent state” statusand that any state not in compliance be removed fromthe consistent state list subjecting the animals leavingthese states to substantial restrictions.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI urgesUSDA/APHIS to strictly enforce the current scrapie-IDrequirements under the 9 CFR.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI urgesUSDA/APHIS to propose amendments to the 9 CFRthat are consistent with current science and UM&Rguidelines, as well as to address enhanced methods forachieving higher compliance with animal traceability.

1-18:06:R14 Scrapie Surveillance

WHEREAS ASI strongly supports scrapie eradica-tion in the United States, and

WHEREAS some populations of sheep with agreater likelihood of scrapie infection may be underrepresented in the current scrapie-surveillance pro-gram, and

WHEREAS since 1990, 15 goats from 9 stateshave been confirmed scrapie positive, and

WHEREAS for the United States to receive scrapie-free status, the prevalence of scrapie in goats and allsheep populations must be determined,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that ASI urgesUSDA/APHIS to continue its surveillance efforts in tar-geted sheep and goat populations and determine thecurrent prevalence rates.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI urges USDAthat in flocks where a diagnosis of Nor-98 like scrapiehas been made, regulatory action should be handledon a case-by-case basis and that depopulation be uti-lized only after other scientifically based, regulatoryoptions have been considered.

1-14:02:R12 Scrapie Eradication

WHEREAS the USDA/APHIS has finalized regula-tions to restrict interstate movement of sheep to eradi-cate scrapie,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports this approachand urges USDA/APHIS and state animal-healthauthorities to take appropriate and aggressive actionsto enforce the scrapie-eradication regulations andincrease scrapie-surveillance sampling.

1-15:05:R10 Scrapie Consistent State Status

WHEREAS USDA/APHIS established minimumstandards for states to attain Consistent State status forScrapie requirements in August 2001, and

WHEREAS USDA/APHIS recognized the complica-tions faced by many states, including the need for leg-islative action, rule making, and producer education andhas allowed additional time for states to comply, and

WHEREAS USDA/APHIS plans to remove Consis-tent State status from any state that does not haveappropriate legislation, regulations and come into fullcompliance by the end of their next legislative session,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports USDA/APHISin requiring all states to attain Consistent State statusand in enforcing compliance with all standards in theScrapie regulation and UMR (Uniform Methods andRules) on Consistent State status by the earliest possibledate that can be established by the USDA/APHIS inconsultation with industry and state partners.

1-16:06:R11 Brucella. ovis/Ram Epididymitis Diagnostics

WHEREAS USDA/APHIS/National VeterinaryServices Laboratories (NVSL) has provided control seraand antigens to other laboratories for several years, and

WHEREAS the antigens produced for the B. ovistest have been inconsistent in quality resulting in bothfalse positive results and a high proportion of suspects;many animal health laboratories responded to this situ-ation by in-house modification of the B. ovis test toattempt to minimize these effects. The result is that theB. ovis test offered by one laboratory often produces adifferent range of negative, suspect and positive resultscompared to other laboratories, and

WHEREAS this situation has created a lack of con-sumer confidence in the test and in the competence oflaboratories offering the test, so that several laborato-ries have voluntarily stopped offering the test, and

WHEREAS these inconsistencies are affecting thereputations of diagnostic laboratories among sheepproducers,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI urges USDA/APHIS/Veterinary Services (VS)/NVSL to work with diagnosticlaboratories to develop new test reagents and anti-gens, thus a more appropriate panel of control seraand serum bank and to validate and make available amore accurate B. ovis test, and

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BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that ASI urges USDAto work diligently with the World Organization for Ani-mal Health (OIE) to affect the publication of guidelineson appropriate regulatory approaches to non-classicalscrapie.

1-19:06:R11 Approval of Trace Mineral Products

WHEREAS iodine deficiencies and other mineraldeficiencies in sheep can occur in large numbers andbe more widespread than commonly believed, and

WHEREAS iodine supplementation through free-choice-mineral mixtures is not always effective, and noalternative methods of supplementing iodine are avail-able in the United States, and

WHEREAS commercial, slow-release-iodine prod-ucts are safe and routinely recommended by the WorldHealth Organization for human supplementation indeveloping countries, and sheep producers in countriesthat compete with American producers use slow-release-iodine products that are available as injectionsand boluses,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI encourages companiesand supports their efforts to obtain FDA approval for theuse of safe, slow-release-iodine preparations and othertrace-mineral products for sheep.

1-20:09:R14 Biosecurity

WHEREAS the security of the U.S. food supply, theeconomic viability of the country and the economicwelfare of agriculture producers’ food and fiber is atrisk from natural, accidental or intentional introductionof catastrophic diseases,

THERFORE BE IT RESOLVED that ASI recom-mends that sheep producers develop written biosecu-rity plans for their operations, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI works withits state sheep associations and affiliates to encouragesheep producers to be active in their county AnimalIssues Committees and that ASI encourage local sup-port for state and national animal veterinary diagnos-tic laboratories, and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that ASI support fund-ing for research related to catastrophic livestock dis-eases, including research by APHIS, ARS, universitiesand the National Center for Foreign and Zoonotic Dis-ease Defense (FAZD Center).

1-21:09:R14 Regionalization/Compartmentalization

WHEREAS USDA/APHIS/VS utilizes regionaliza-tion to create trade opportunities with other countries,while at the same time safeguarding animal health;regionalization can help facilitate the marketability ofU.S. animals and products, and

WHEREAS USDA/APHIS/VS participates in theWorld Organization for Animal Health (OIE), whoseguidelines help guard against introduction of animaldiseases without creating unjustified trade barriers,

and VS uses OIE guidelines when negotiating tradeprotocols, and

WHEREAS the relevance of international animal-health and disease-control standards, as well as U.S.standards, are considered when regionalization isimplemented, and

WHEREAS the United States is close to being ableto apply for Scrapie-free status with regionalization, and

WHEREAS the concept of compartmentalizationcould be beneficial to the trade of U.S. sheep andsheep products if implemented in such a manner thatprovides verifiably secure-animal health and diseaseprotection,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that ASI urgesUSDA/APHIS/VS to adhere to the following parame-ters when considering or implementing regionalizationor potential compartmentalization of areas or opera-tions of any country for the importation of animals oranimal products into the United States, and when con-sidering regionalization or potential compartmental-ization of any area or operations in the United Statesfor animal disease control:1. Policies and regulations must be transparent and

based on sound science.2. Policies and regulations must be based on science-

based, quantitative- and qualitative-risk assessmentand risk analysis.

3. Risk assessment and analyses should consider andmeasure added risk due to potential economicincentives to trans-ship animals or animal productsfrom non-regionalized areas to proposed regional-ized areas.

4. Policies and regulations must be fair and consistent.BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI urges

USDA/APHIS/VS to require any country where region-alization is employed for the purposes of exportation ofanimals or animal products into the United States toadhere to the following:1. Areas regionalized must be definitively identifiable

by geographic boundaries.2. Animal movement controls, identification require-

ments, and biosecurity measures must be strictlyenforced.

3. Disease surveillance and control, diagnostic capa-bilities, and epidemiologic response capabilitiesmust be available and adequate.

4. Notification of disease occurrence or presencemust be immediate.

5. Compliance with all parameters must be verifiableby the USDA/APHIS/VS.

6. USDA/APHIS/VS must monitor compliancethrough required periodic (at least annual) reviewswith site visits and data requests to update riskassessments as necessary and indicated by thereview and verification process.BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that ASI urges

USDA/APHIS to consider and incorporate the aboverequirements as proposed regulations for compartmen-talization and regionalization are developed.

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1-23:96:R10 Bighorn/Domestic Sheep

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI urges federal and statemanagement agencies to implement the following pro-cedures in areas where bighorn and domestic sheepco-exist:1. Recognize and utilize current scientific information

that shows bighorn sheep harbor endemic patho-genic organisms, specific to that species, i.e.,psoroptic mange, lungworm and certain biotypesof pasteurella.

2. Be cognizant that other ruminant species (deer, elk,moose, antelope, cattle and bison) carry patho-genic microorganisms, which could be transmittedto existing susceptible bighorn sheep populations;recognizing that multiple ungulate species havebacterial flora in common that may play a role inbighorn sheep disease.

3. When an augmentation of bighorn sheep is indi-cated in management of an existing herd, a screen-ing profile to identify possible pathogens should becompared to that of the existing population in orderto evaluate compatibility and risk of introducing anew or different pathogen into the established herd.

4. Establish nutritional, including a macro- and micro-nutrient-monitoring protocol, for managed bighornsheep herds. Body condition scores should be uti-lized as a tool to monitor the availability of appro-priate nutritional resources.

5. Evaluate the impacts of predation on bighornsheep, and implement control programs.

6. Recognize “buffer zones”, as a means of separa-tion, are unacceptable, and oppose restrictions tolivestock-grazing permits, livestock-managementplans and trailing permits simply due to proximityto bighorn sheep.

7. For the short term, we accept the concept of mini-mizing contact between bighorn sheep and domes-tic sheep as one tool to reduce conflict, as long asrecommended risk-mitigation practices maintainexisting grazing of domestic sheep in their currentnumbers and areas. It is imperative that the valueof separation is validated by research.

8. Encourage the policy of multiple use on public landsand/or to seek statutory change if needed, depart-mental policy and/or directives, including legisla-tive corrections, if needed, to develop a generalnational policy and require federal and state agen-cies to follow this policy. We further encourage theuse of cooperative, locally led and based workinggroups, which provide equal numbers and bal-anced representation of both bighorn enthusiasts, aswell as domestic sheep representatives, includingthe affected permittees, to develop the locallyappropriate implementation details of ASI policy.

1-22:09:R14 Bighorn Health

WHEREAS the working premise that separation ofdomestic sheep and bighorn sheep populations willprotect populations of bighorn sheep from morbidityand mortality due to respiratory disease has multipleflaws, the primary being experimental design. The sep-aration premise is based primarily on bighorn sheepthat were maintained in confinement, which is by itselfa major unnatural stressor. Second, the historical workis based on statistically invalid numbers, i.e. small sam-ple sizes. Lastly, the published work is limited in scopeand didn’t consider the multiple factors that other ani-mal populations contribute to the development of fatalrespiratory disease. We now know that population-based problems result from multiple factors influencinginteractions between the host, infectious agents andenvironment, and

WHEREAS, the evidence upon which these healthclaims is inconclusive in regard to disease transmissionfrom domestic sheep to bighorn sheep,

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that ASI pursueefforts to cause the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, StateDepartments of Fish and Game and Departments ofWildlife, Caine Center in Idaho, USDA/APHIS, andUSDA/ARS to cooperate with state universities and pro-ducers in devising reasonable scientific studies by inde-pendent scientists to help determine the influence ofdomestic sheep on the health of bighorn sheep, as wellas to rigorously explore the multi-causal nature of diseaseand death in bighorn sheep, such as range conditions,transplant policy, nutrition-mineral deficiency, predation,adverse winters, observed-density-dependent decrease inreproduction and increase in mortality through well-designed epidemiological studies, and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that continued belief inthe premise of separation without the benefit of coopera-tive risk assessment may not provide the sought-after resultof thriving bighorn sheep populations. Success of separa-tion is dependent on removal of all sources of infection,which is clearly not possible in this situation. Instead, whatis needed is a thorough survey of existing wild bighornsheep populations to characterize the differences in popu-lations that are thriving and those that have recently expe-rienced ‘die-offs.’ This research needs to be conducted byresearchers with expertise in population-based surveys.The following factors need to be statistically characterized:host genetics; nutrient availability and content (includeswater, protein, energy and trace elements); pathogen vir-ulence not limited to respiratory agents; and interactionwith other domestic and wildlife species and environmen-tal influences. Methods to provide population immunity tobighorn populations are paramount, and the above inves-tigations may show that some bighorn populationsalready possess immunity to respiratory disease. Thehypothesis is that such data will result in scientific-basedunderstanding of how these factors affect bighorn sheeppopulation stability and growth. With this information,stakeholders will be provided with the data needed toguide policy and decisions on the best methods to stabi-lize and potentially expand bighorn sheep populations inareas that are suited for their habitation.

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1-24:10 Antimicrobial Use in Food Animals

WHEREAS there is widespread concern and mis-perception regarding factors contributing to antimicro-bial resistance, and

WHEREAS scientific evidence does not supportthe claim that prudent antimicrobial usage in food ani-mals is a contributing factor to the development ofantimicrobial resistance,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that ASI encour-ages sheep producers to become trained and certifiedthrough the ASI Sheep Safety and Quality Assuranceprogram and practice judicious and prudent use ofantimicrobials in treating and preventing disease con-ditions in sheep.

1-25:10 Bighorn/Domestic Sheep Compatibility

WHEREAS there is no currently published, gener-ally accepted, and truly “peer reviewed” scientificresearch that clearly defines the risk of disease trans-mission between domestic sheep grazing under rangeconditions and bighorn sheep nearby, and

WHEREAS it appears that domestic-sheep-grazingpractices that minimize the risk of contact betweendomestic sheep and bighorn sheep will continue to beadopted in the absence of such conclusive science,and

WHEREAS ASI recognizes that public landsextend over state boundaries, which therefore necessi-tates a regional or national response, and

WHEREAS practical, generalized, and industryaccepted guidelines are necessary for the regulatingagencies and/or Sovereign Indian Nations with over-sight of lands to use as functional grazing mitigationpractices until such science exists,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports the concept ofgeneralized, good-animal husbandry and sound-man-agement practices for grazing that take into accountlocal and regional differences on a site-specific basis.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI continues topursue actions that will protect producers’ grazing.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI encouragesregulating agencies and/or Sovereign Indian Nationsto provide alternative allotment allocations forinstances where producers grazing has been revokeddue to bighorn-health concerns.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI seeks fund-ing for appropriate scientific studies by independentscientists to determine the compatibility with and influ-ence of domestic sheep on the population sustainabil-ity of bighorn sheep, as well as rigorously explore themulti-causal nature of disease and death in bighornsheep, such as range conditions, transplant policy,nutrition, mineral deficiency, lack of genetic diversity,predation, adverse-winter conditions, observed-den-sity- dependent decrease in reproduction, and increasein mortality, through well-designed epidemiologicalstudies.

1:26:11 FootVax®

WHEREAS, FootVax® vaccine for foot-rot preven-tion is no longer available for foot-rot prevention in theUnited States and

WHEREAS, FootVax® has been a useful tool tosome American producers, and

WHEREAS the NAHMS report ranks foot rot as thenumber 3 disease concern of U.S. sheep producers,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI work with USDA/APHIS/CVB or other appropriate agencies and vac-cine manufacturers to develop and license an effectivefoot-rot vaccine for U.S. sheep industry use.

1-27:13 Scrapie Priorities

WHEREAS ASI in cooperation with USDA/APHIShas worked diligently over the years to eradicatescrapie through education, research, surveillance andcompliance, and

WHEREAS the number of found cases of scrapiein the United States has been reduced to a very smallpercentage of the U.S. sheep and goat populations;the incidence of scrapie-positive sheep sampled hasdecreased by 96.2 percent since 2003 to .0057 per-cent in 2012, thus making scrapie eradication achiev-able in the foreseeable future, and

WHEREAS being a “Scrapie Free” country isessential to the sheep and goat industries to be able toparticipate in trade agreements and marketing ourproducts in a global economy, and

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI accepts the challenge ofmaking “Scrapie Free” its number one (#1) animalhealth priority, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI works withUSDA/APHIS to make scrapie eradication their top pri-ority and to continue its funding to complete the eradi-cation process.

1-28:13 Screwworms

WHEREAS screwworms, Cochliomyia hominivo-rax, have been eradicated from the United States dueto successful USDA efforts, and

WHEREAS screwworms present not only signifi-cant animal health implications, but also wildlife andhuman-health implications,

BE IT RESOLVED, in order to prevent re-infesta-tions of the United States with screwworms, ASI urgesUSDA to pursue and request appropriations to main-tain funding for adequate fly production levels byretaining sterile screwworm fly production plants inCentral America.

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2-04:95:R10 Management of Natural Resources/Ecosystems

WHEREAS management of natural resources andecosystems are critical to ASI,

BE IT RESOLVED that federal management of nat-ural resources include: 1. Protection of property rights and the constitutional

rights of U.S. citizens,2. Multiple usage options for federal land,3. Consideration of local community needs,4. The role domesticated livestock play for a healthy

environment,5. Emphasis on incentives rather than regulations, 6. Inclusion of private-property owner, state, county

and local governments into federal decisionprocesses,

7. Scientifically and technologically based decisions,and

8. Recognition of human and economic health.

2-10:03:R13 Environmental Treaties

WHEREAS according to the Constitution of theUnited States, all powers not expressly granted to thefederal government are reserved to the states and thepeople, and

WHEREAS the federal government is entering intoglobal treaties, which exceed the powers granted fed-eral government under the Constitution, and

WHEREAS these treaties are adversely affectingthe rights reserved to the states and the people accord-ing to the Constitution, including rights of private prop-erty,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI urges the U.S. Congressto forego consideration of any treaty until impacts ofsuch treaties on the rights of the states and the peoplehave been determined by economic, political, culturaland social analysis at the local and state level, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if it is deter-mined that the impacts of a treaty are adverse, ASIurges that the treaty in question be dropped from con-sideration or that ASI supports the defeat of the ratifi-cation of such treaty by the U.S. Senate.

2-11:03:R14 Wolves’ Reintroduction and Delisting

WHEREAS the wolf population in North Americais expanding with little chance of becoming endan-gered within the foreseeable future, and

WHEREAS efforts to reintroduce wolves into otherregions of the United States does little to furtherenhance recovery efforts of the species as a whole, butdoes have the potential to impact the continued viabil-ity of the sheep industry in those regions proposed forintroduction,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI opposes any wolf intro-duction or reintroduction program that restricts the useof private property or the utilization of federal or stateland by the private sector, and

1-29:14 Consideration of ForeignEquivalency Data forVaccine Licensing/Approval

WHEREAS the U.S. sheep industry lacks vaccinesthat are widely available outside the United States toprevent economically important diseases and enhanceanimal well-being,

WHEREAS Sheep vaccines are widely availableand have been used extensively with demonstratedsafety and efficacy in Canada, Australia, NewZealand and United Kingdom, and the non-availabilityof these vaccines puts the U.S. producer at a competi-tive disadvantage,

BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Sheep Indus-try Association urges USDA Center for Veterinary Bio-logics to use foreign-equivalency data more extensivelyto approve vaccines for use in the U.S. sheep industry.

1-30:14 Brucella ovis

WHEREAS there are reports from veterinariansthat the Brucella ovis ELISA tests performed at morethan one lab in adult-breeding rams is detecting appar-ent false positives in closed flocks. These rams weredemonstrated by further repeated testing to have nor-mal fertility and were negative on culture for Brucellaovis and other organisms. The possibility of cross reac-tions with other conditions (vaccination, vaccine com-ponents, other bacterial infections) in rams should beinvestigated by USDA, as the true prevalence of dis-ease positive/test positive rams decreases, and falsepositives become more problematic in management ofadult-breeding rams. An accurate test is essential, asmany states require a negative B. ovis ELISA test forrams to move interstate. This is of particular importancein the western-range states, where normal summer-grazing areas often cross state lines.

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI urges the formation ofa work group to work with accredited veterinary diag-nostic laboratories and NVSL (at the 2014 USAHA-AAVLD meeting) to investigate the accuracy of the cur-rent Brucella ovis ELISA test and report its findings andrecommendations at the 2015 ASI annual convention.

ENDANGERED SPECIES2-01:90:R10 Grizzly Bear Delisting

WHEREAS the total predetermined population ofthe grizzly bear in the northern continental divide andYellowstone ecosystem has been reached,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports removal of thegrizzly bear from the threatened and endangeredspecies list.

2-02:92:R13 Wolf/Dog Hybrids

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports prohibiting theownership, breeding or sale of wolf/dog and/or coy-ote/dog hybrids in the United States.

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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI requests thatthe agencies responsible for wolf management collar aminimum of one wolf per pack before, during and afterdelisting, and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that ASI supports thedelisting of the wolf from the Endangered Species Act.

2-14:08:R13 Endangered Species Act

WHEREAS ASI believes that, to a large extent, theintent of Congress in enacting the Endangered SpeciesAct (ESA) of 1973 has been subverted,

WHEREAS it appears the listing of species by fed-eral agencies is being used as a tool to advance polit-ical and philosophical agendas as opposed to the trueintent of the act, and

WHEREAS numerous populations of species,which are not isolated or threatened as a whole, arebeing listed as evolutionary significant units or varietyof species, and

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports efforts to havethe Congress of the United States re-evaluate the origi-nal intent of this legislation,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED ASI strongly urgesthe following concerns be addressed:1. The listing of any species that is not truly threatened

throughout its entire range and is being listed withthe intent of limiting multiple-use, including sheepgrazing, and the use of private property should beprohibited.

2. Critical habitat must be identified at the time of aspecies being proposed for listing.

3. Population criteria of delisting must be clearly iden-tified at the time of proposed listing, and oncethose delisting criteria are met, delisting shouldautomatically occur.

4. That Environmental and Economic Impact State-ments that include potential for regulatory takingsbe conducted, and that provisions be providedwithin the ESA for the just compensation for prop-erty taken for public use, either directly or through“regulatory takings”.

5. That initial review of the listing petition, inventory ofspecies numbers, inventory of critical habitat of thespecies and scientific evidence of decline be madeavailable for public review, and that private andcommercial data and evidence be considered inthe listing process.

6. That the empirical evidence supporting the listing ofa species as threatened and endangered be “clearand convincing” and subject to independent scien-tific peer review.

7. That local and state governments be invited andallowed to participate in the gathering and reviewof data for listing, development of recovery plansand the designation of critical habitat, and thosemeetings to be open to the public, and that noticesof such meetings be widely publicized.

8. That listing, research and all species recoveryexpenses be identified and published on an annualbasis, and federal agencies are held accountablefor those costs.

9. The establishment of migratory corridors for broadranging species, such as the wolf and grizzly bear,for the purposes of land-use control rather than thestabilization and recovery of the species, be pro-hibited.

2-15:08:R13 Management and Delisting of Wolf Populations

WHEREAS science-based recovery goals for a sta-ble and genetically diverse population of wolves for theGreater Yellowstone/Idaho region have long been met,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports immediatedelisting of wolves under terms and conditions deemedacceptable to the individual states, by those states,without further demands or stipulations placed uponthem by the USF & WS, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI supports anyand all efforts to restrict wolves to areas as small aspossible in order to limit their expansion into adjoiningstates, while maintaining minimally viable populationsto assure any attempts to re-list wolves fail, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI requests fed-eral funds be available to adequately cover the states’costs for wolf management and that any future indem-nification programs be designed to cover costs borneby livestock producers.

2-16:11 Sage Grouse Recovery

WHEREAS sage grouse recovery is vital to thesheep industry’s interests, and sage grouse has beenfound as warranted but precluded as a candidate forlisting as a threatened or endangered species by theU.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS), and

WHEREAS there are local and state workinggroups within sage grouse range meeting to addressthe declining population of sage grouse in an effort toprevent a listing,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that ASI encour-age FWS and state-wildlife agencies to work with allpermittees and landowners when developing conser-vation plans, for greater sage grouse conservation,within the respective states, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that ASI supports thedevelopment of Candidate Conservation Agreements withAssurances to provide protection for landowners, and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that ASI supports thedevelopment of grazing programs to aid in rangelandrestoration and protection efforts that also support theeconomic viability of the sheep industry.

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harvested. Sheep also help control weeds on streambanks, croplands, pastures and rangelands, reducingthe need for chemical herbicides.

In range operations sheep have been successful insuppressing brush for wildfire control. They also are effec-tive in weed and brush control on new forest plantings.

Following well-planned range and pasture man-agement, sheep safely and naturally revive lands andbenefit wildlife in the process.

Sheep harvest the land, recycle vital nutrients backto the soil and provide mankind with nourishment,clothing, and shelter.

3-07:95:R10 Environmental Benefits of Sheep

WHEREAS targeted grazing has been demon-strated to be an effective vegetation-management toolfor restoring landscapes, managing invasive and nox-ious plant species, managing fire-fuel loads, improvingwildlife habitat, and generally enhancing ecosystems,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI will promote the use oftargeted grazing for public- and private-sector landmanagers, grazing contractors, and to the generalpublic by educating them on the environmental benefitsof targeted grazing, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI will continueto provide leadership to support research, develop edu-cational tools, and enable networking between graz-ers, land managers, policy makers, and the public, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI will encour-age public-land-management agencies, such as BLM,U.S. Forest Service, and NRCS to institutionalize theuse of targeted-grazing tools in their respective organi-zations, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI pursueefforts to include targeted grazing in agency policyand funding opportunities, and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that ASI collaboratewith and provide leadership for targeted-grazing activi-ties within private, state, Federal, academic organiza-tions, and non-governmental organizations (NGO),such as Society for Range Management (SRM), GrazingLands Conservation Initiative (GLCI), American Forageand Grassland Council (AFGC), etc.

3-08:96:R11 Impaired Streams/Watersheds

WHEREAS various streams and watersheds in theUnited States have been listed by the EnvironmentalProtection Agency as "impaired streams," and

WHEREAS this has had a dramatic impact on pri-vate property rights and economic factors,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI opposes the Environ-mental Protection Agency's and the various state agen-cies' general listing of impaired streams and water-sheds without quantifiable and scientific data.

ENVIRONMENT3-01:94:R14 Wild and Scenic Rivers

WHEREAS ASI is opposed to proposals whichnecessitate the taking of scenic easements or fee title toprivately owned land by eminent domain, or thatunnecessarily involve federal responsibility for a river,which is being adequately managed by a state,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI opposes adding morerivers and adjoining lands to the National Wild andScenic Rivers System, and urges re-evaluation of allexisting Wild and Scenic Rivers. (All land so acquiredby the federal government should be returned to theoriginal owners), and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that any land desig-nated for Wild and Scenic Rivers be subject to localordinances and police jurisdiction.

3-02:91:R11 Environmental Legislation

WHEREAS ASI is committed to maintaining aviable sheep industry, and production includes soundenvironmental practices,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI researches and identi-fies language in existing laws that impact the U.S.sheep industry and take an active role in affecting thatlanguage in the renewal of environmental legislation.

3-04:92:R12 Private Property Rights Protection

WHEREAS the United States is founded on the prin-ciple of private property ownership recognizing that thelong-term productive capabilities and stewardship of thecountry are best served by private ownership,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI press for legislation thatprotects the principle of private property ownership.

3-05:93:R13 Corporate Average Fuel Economy

WHEREAS efforts have been made recently inCongress to impose drastic, government-mandatedincreases in the Corporate Average Fuel Economy(CAFE) standards on the automotive industry for carsand light trucks, calling for a 40-percent increase, and

WHEREAS unrealistic standards would seriouslyreduce the availability of full-size and mid-size vansand pickup trucks, and

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI calls upon Congress toreject any effort to impose unrealistic standards on theautomobile and farm equipment industries, whichthereby impact agriculture.

3-06:93:R13 Environmental Stewardship Statement

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI adopts the followingEnvironmental Stewardship Statement:

Sheep are earth-friendly animals. They are efficientconverters of renewable forage to high-quality foodand fiber. In many areas of the country, sheep are usedto graze leftover stalks and seed after crops have been

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3-10:00:R10 Federal Access to Private Property

WHEREAS Private property rights are protectedby the U.S. Constitution,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI opposes federal or stateagency entrance on private property without expressedwritten permission, easement or probable cause.

3-11:03:R13 Clean Water Act and Water Rights

WHEREAS there are many sections of the CleanWater Act and other federal laws that diminish statewater rights; confuse federal responsibilities over man-agement of water with those responsibilities of states,Indian nations and individuals; are used as land-usecontrols; expand the definition of navigability; andserve to federalize water rights,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI strongly supports pro-tection of state and individual water rights.

3-12:03:R13 Voluntary Technical Assistance and the Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI strongly supports volun-tary technical assistance on privately owned grazinglands, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI endorses theGrazing Lands Conservation Initiative voluntary techni-cal-assistance program to managers of privately ownedgrazing lands and actively pursues congressionalappropriations to fund this initiative.

3-13:06:R11 Wilderness Area Rights

WHEREAS Section 4 of the Wilderness Act of1964 states that "the grazing of livestock, where estab-lished prior to effective date of this Act, shall be per-mitted subject to such reasonable regulation as aredeemed necessary," and

WHEREAS the Act also protects valid, existingrights to livestock trails, reservoirs and private property,and "nothing in the Act shall constitute an express orimplied claim or denial on the part of the Federal Gov-ernment as to exemption from State water laws,"

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports the protectionof valid, existing rights of its members and memberstates within designated wilderness areas.

3-14:08:R13 FSA Office Closures

WHEREAS FSA Offices provide invaluable pro-grams that are designed to improve the economic sta-bility of the agricultural industry and to help farmersadjust production to meet demand,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI encourages the FSA towork towards minimizing the closing and consolidationof their offices in a manner that is reflective of the needof the area rather than a constraint of the budget.

3-15:10 Categorical Exclusions (CX)

WHEREAS a Categorical Exclusion (CX) is a cate-gory of action which does not individually or cumula-tively have a significant effect on the environment andwhich have been found to have no such effect in pro-cedures adopted by a Federal agency in implementa-tion of these regulations and for which, therefore, nei-ther an environmental assessment nor an environmentalimpact statement is required, and

WHEREAS Federal land-management agenciesutilize CXs to mitigate time and resources to issue graz-ing permits for public-land users in an efficient, evi-dence-based manner,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI urges federal land-man-agement agencies to utilize CXs in all appropriate situ-ations.

3-16:11 Humane Horse Slaughter

WHEREAS horses are an important component ofthe sheep industry, and

WHEREAS the U.S. sheep industry supports thehumane treatment and management of all animalsincluding horses, and

WHEREAS it is economically important for horseowners to be allowed to sell horses for the highest mar-ket value, and

WHEREAS barring humane horse slaughter doesnot offer an alternative for horses to which humaneslaughter is no longer available; there are no manda-tory care standards established for horse rescue facili-ties to ensure the humane treatment of horses; the num-ber of unwanted horses presently sent for humaneslaughter will overwhelm the ability of the current net-work of horse protection facilities to care for them; andeuthanasia and carcass disposal are very expensive,which may cause people to abandon horses, and

WHEREAS in 2006 approximately 55,000 horseswere slaughtered at U.S. facilities, and according tothe American Association of Equine Practitioners, sub-sistence care for these horses would cost approximately$1,825 per horse per year or $100 million annually;and costs will escalate as more horses are added tothis category every year;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that ASI isopposed to any regulation or legislation that wouldinhibit or prohibit the sale or transportation of horsesfor humane slaughter.

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3-17:11 Wild-Horse- and Burro-Herd Reduction

WHEREAS, the population growth of wild horsesand burros in the western United States continues tooutpace natural death loss and adoption rates, and

WHEREAS, this overpopulation greatly contributesto range degradation, reducing the biodiversity andproductivity for wildlife and livestock, and

WHEREAS, long-term, feedlot-type management isnot economically sustainable,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that ASI favors acomprehensive program, including fertility control, sexratios, and other humane means of wild-horse- andburro-herd reduction.

3-18:12 Biodiversity Definition

WHEREAS the term “biodiversity” has beenadopted as an ultimate goal of various natural resourceagencies, and

WHEREAS the term “biodiversity” has become co-opted by a wide range of organizations in order topromote specific agendas, and

WHEREAS legislation continues to be createdwhich purports to enhance biodiversity, yet fails toacknowledge people and their socioeconomic needsand influences, prohibits management of the nation’snatural resources, and creates new authorities, all ofwhich superimpose umbrella requirements over timetested patterns of regulatory management,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supportsa definition of biological diversity in its broadest con-text, which includes all living organisms including peo-ple, their physical, sociological, and financial relation-ships, and which is based upon scientific and adaptivemanagement of the biospheric processes, which sus-tain civilization, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI supports leg-islation, regulations, and treaties beneficial to the U.S.sheep industry, which lead to the increase of biodiver-sity, that, by definition embraces the role of people,their relationships with and management of naturalresources, and socioeconomic stability and resilience.

3-19:13 Second Amendment Rights

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports the right to keepand bear arms to protect lives, property and livestock.

LAMB MARKETING4-01:90:R14 Country-of-Origin Labeling

WHEREAS ASI is concerned with consumers’ con-fusion between foreign and domestic lamb,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI pursue legislation, andall other avenues, to require country-of-origin includingpositive identification of lamb at the retail and whole-sale level.

4-02:90:R10 Meat-Inspection Fees

WHEREAS ASI believes the U.S. Department ofAgriculture (USDA) meat inspection service provides aninvaluable service in protecting and ensuring the con-suming public of meat’s safety, and

WHEREAS ASI believes if the government chargesprocessors a user fee for inspection services, the priceof meat will rise significantly and meat safety might becompromised,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI opposes federally man-dated user fees for meat-inspection services.

4-03:91:R13 Export Enhancement Programs

WHEREAS greater participation in the global mar-ketplace could be beneficial to the U.S. sheep industry,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI urges the U.S. govern-ment to continue to recognize that the export of U.S.agricultural products will help to reduce the U.S. tradedeficit, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI urges theU.S. government to include sheep products in exportenhancement programs.

4-04:91:R09 Inspection Practices

WHEREAS all meats, poultry and fish products arenot currently required to meet the same criteria forlabeling and inspection,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI works to ensure that allmeats, poultry and fish are required to meet the samestringent standards for inspection and labeling.

4-12:94:R14 Case-Ready Products

WHEREAS the case-ready-retail business modelprovides tremendous opportunity to grow the sales oflamb and lamb products,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI urges the American LambBoard to work with meat retailers to address retail issuesconcerning the case-ready business model and aggres-sively work to pull through case-ready products.

4-13:04:R14 BSE Trade Impact

WHEREAS the diagnosis of a cow infected withBSE has been made in the United States, and

WHEREAS this finding may adversely impact thelevel of consumer confidence in our nation’s food sup-ply and result in subsequent impacts to our nation’s live-stock industries, and

WHEREAS appropriate regulatory programs existand continue to be enhanced to ensure a safe and ade-quate food supply,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that ASI and theNational Lamb Feeders Association (NLFA) coordinateefforts with affiliated interests, including the USDA, toensure BSE does not unreasonably or unnecessarilyimpact the movement of sheep and sheep products ona domestic or export basis.

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4-14:05:R10 Control Processor Costs

WHEREAS lamb processing in the United Statesfaces challenges, including waste disposal and render-ing issues, labor and overall operating costs and food-safety regulations, and

WHEREAS a viable lamb- and sheep-processingsector is essential to the economic health and viability ofthe U.S. sheep industry,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI encourages StateDepartments of Agriculture, USDA and the U.S. Con-gress to aggressively support processors and to exam-ine existing legislation and regulations for possible revi-sion and development of new approaches, as needed,in order to assure the continued viability of the lamb-and sheep-processing sector, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the followingissues should specifically be addressed:1. assistance with meat processing waste issues (ren-

dering),2. USDA/FSIS Hazard Analysis and Critical Control

Point (HACCP) regulations, and3. high-operating costs driven by labor issues, Worker’s

Compensation and other governmental regulations.

4-16:07:R12 Instrument Grading

WHEREAS the American sheep industry utilizesofficial USDA grade determinations and certification-program requirements to segregate dissimilar car-casses based on grading attributes, and

WHEREAS the state of current instrument-technol-ogy evaluation and prediction has progressed to a pointwhere it is now repeatable, accurate and precise, and

WHEREAS value determinations using technologycan be based on smaller, more precise incrementalstratifications of the lamb carcass grades, than currentgrading practices,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI encourages the Agri-cultural Marketing Service (AMS) to conduct the neces-sary research and develop the appropriate testing pro-tocols and requirements, in conjunction with all inter-ested parties, to allow for instrument technologies to beutilized in evaluations of lamb carcasses for the classi-fication of those carcasses based on published criteriathat reflect attribute differentiation that can be utilizedfor value determinations.

4-17:08:R13 Mutton Promotion

WHEREAS ewe and ram depreciation is one ofthe largest cost factors in sheep production,

BE IT RESOLVED that the ASI encourages theAmerican Lamb Board to invest in improving the valueof cull breeding stock through promotion and mer-chandising activities geared toward mutton.

PREDATOR MANAGEMENT5-01:90:R10 Predator Loss Data

WHEREAS predator-loss data is essential to theAmerican sheep industry for assessing the impact ofpredation,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports continuedfunding for Wildlife Services (WS) to collect total, pred-ator-loss data.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI urgesWildlife Services to enhance the accuracy of their datacollection and reporting.

5-03:96:R11 Management of Predator Protected Species

WHEREAS Congressional earmarks and the intro-duction of predator species listed as threatened or endan-gered places an increased burden on USDA/WildlifeServices’ (WS) limited budget and resources,

BE IT RESOLVED that states or federal authoritiescover the costs of any protected predator species cur-rently being controlled by WS and that ASI opposesany future efforts to shift existing WS funds or personnelto the increased management or control of protectedpredatory species without corresponding increases infunding provided by the state or federal agency havingmanagement authority over those species.

5-05:94:R14 Compliance with USFS and BLM Regulations

WHEREAS livestock grazing is a legitimate useand a necessary natural resource management tool infederally managed lands, and an effective animal-dam-age-control program is needed to control livestock, aswell as wildlife losses,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports a requirementfor the establishment of multi-year WS work plans bythe U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Bureau of LandManagement (BLM) so that animal damage control canbe effectively accomplished, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI supports thenotification of all agency personnel that they must complywith current USFS and BLM regulations regarding animaldamage control.

5-06:00:R10 State-Managed Predator Programs

WHEREAS ASI believes in local collaboration fordecision making on predator management,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI encourages states toestablish coalitions with livestock, sportsmen, andwildlife organizations to work cooperatively with statewildlife agencies to coordinate and implement effectivepredator-management programs for the benefit ofwildlife populations and the livestock industry.

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5-10:08:R13 Animal Damage Control (ADC) Act of 1931

WHEREAS the Wildlife Services Program hasworked hand in hand with agriculture since the pas-sage of the ADC Act of 1931 to achieve environmen-tal balance between agriculture and the environment,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports the ADC Actof 1931, as currently amended, and any other legisla-tion and regulation that provides effective predatormanagement tools for landowners, predator specialistsand agents, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI supports leg-islation and regulation improving the effectiveness ofpredator management, including support for the modi-fication of statutes and regulations to streamlining andfacilitating the lawful take of some migratory birdspecies, which are causing depredation losses andspreading human diseases, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the ASI opposes anyefforts to repeal the ADC Act of 1931, or amendmentsthat weaken Congress’ original intent in passing theAct, and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that ASI opposes anylegislation and/or initiative that restricts control andmanagement of depredating animals.

PUBLIC LANDS6-01:91:R11 Wildlife Population Plans

WHEREAS western wildlife population numbersand trends are set at the discretion of the state, and

WHEREAS the state depends upon privatelandowners and federal land-management agencies toprovide forage, critical winter range, water and openspace for this wildlife, and

WHEREAS State Wildlife and Fisheries Compre-hensive Plans and Resource Management Plans, basedon sound resource information, commensurate habitatand the analysis of wildlife management capabilities,are used to bridge the split state authority over wildlifeand federal and private authority over wildlife habitat,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that ASI urgesstates and federal land managers to maintain wildlifenumbers within the limits of existing plans and to bringany populations numbers (i.e. elk), which haveexceeded plan limits, back into compliance.

6-02:91:R13 Community Coalitions

WHEREAS ASI has long supported the multiple-use concept presently used on federal and state lands,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports efforts to buildcommunity coalitions advocating continued multiple-use activities.

5-07:03:R13 Predator-Management Methods

WHEREAS ASI recognizes that wildlife is a valu-able public resource; it also recognizes that wildlife mustbe managed in a responsible and legal manner toreduce and minimize damage to agriculture and privateproperty and to reduce risks to public health and safety,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supportstraditional methods of predator control, including leg-hold traps, snares and aerial gunning, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI supports con-tinued use of devices, such as the livestock protectioncollar, M-44s and the compounds contained within, byurging Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) re-regis-tration of these products, through the maintenance ofreasonable re-registration fees, and by seeking meas-ures that remove excessive regulation and impediments,which make use of these devices impractical, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI supportsresearch and data collection conducted by theNational Wildlife Research Center and supporting theEPA registration of the above-mentioned and otherpredator toxicants, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI supports theresearch and development of new technologies, includ-ing biological and alternative controls to reduce depre-dation, and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that ASI supportsboth corrective- and preventative-control methods asessential to an effective Integrated Predator Man-agement Program.

5-09:03:R14 Wildlife Services (WS) Funding

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI urges Congress to main-tain sufficient funding for an effective Wildlife ServicesProgram, including infrastructure, research, up-to-dateequipment and aviation needs and programming costs,and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that as demand tomanage sheep depredation surfaces in other regions ofthe nation, that ASI supports efforts to secure fundingfor predator management within these areas withoutimpacting existing programs for funding allocations,and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI opposesefforts by Congress and the Administration to direct orrequire any specific levels of cost-sharing for WS activ-ities, as fixed levels of cooperative funding could seri-ously hamper the program’s cooperative relationshipsand unfairly penalize the cooperative partners whoexperience temporary funding shortages, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI opposes thediversion of existing funds to non-lethal programs, and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that, in interest of theprogram, ASI recommends that WS bear only thoseAPHIS overhead costs directly associated with theactual Wildlife Services Program.

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6-03:91:R13 Public Lands Council

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI work closely on all mat-ters of concern and with the necessary agencies andorganizations on all issues concerning range-manage-ment problems on state, federal and private lands, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI work closelywith the Public Lands Council (PLC) and any otherorganization on matters relating to the livestock man-agement of federal and state lands and recognize PLCas the lead organization on public lands issues.

6-04:92:R13 Federal Grazing Fees

WHEREAS federal lands grazing is critical notonly to the western sheep industry but also to the infra-structure of the industry as a whole, and

WHEREAS long-term stabilization in pricing offederal range forage greatly benefits the stewardshipof the resources and the long-range planning for live-stock producers and lending institutions,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports a formula-based federal grazing fee, which is fair and equitableto the U.S. sheep industry and provides for long-termstabilization of pricing for federal forage and ruralcommunities.

6-05:94:R13 AUM Ratio (7:1)

WHEREAS the assessment of AUMs (Animal UnitMonths) at a ratio of seven sheep to one cow would moreaccurately reflect the relationship of the species in prac-tice rather than the currently used five-to-one ratio, and

WHEREAS the federal government will actually losegrazing-fee revenue due to sheep permits being convertedor vacated and potential increases in grazing fees, and

WHEREAS changing the ratio to seven-to-one, forassessment purposes only, would assist sheep permit-tees to remain in the sheep business and ultimatelymean increased revenues to the government,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI develops and supportslegislation that would change the federal grazing AUMratio of sheep to cattle to seven-to-one, for assessmentpurposes only.

6-06:96:R11 Range-Improvement Funds

WHEREAS large portions of range-improvementprojects completed by the livestock industry enhancethe habitat for game animals as well as the domesticanimals, and

WHEREAS the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)and U.S. Forest Service (USFS) have asked that a largepercentage of 8100 range-improvement funds be ear-marked for wildlife and wildlife biologists (which wouldbe a violation of Congressional intent),

BE IT RESOLVED that the ASI asks Congress andthe agencies to earmark all range-improvement andrange-betterment funds to return to the source fromwhich they were derived.

6-07:99:R14 Biological Data Collection

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI monitors the collectionmethods of biological data by federal agencies toensure private-property rights are protected.

6-08:00:R13 Management of National Grasslands

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports the followingobjectives in the preferred alternatives of all Environ-mental Impact Statements involving National Grass-lands Management:1. No wilderness or roadless recommendations for the

grasslands;2. No management objectives for extirpated species;3. Maintenance and encouragement of range-

improvements and grazing;4. Provisions for maintaining or improving local exist-

ing economies;5. An open-travel management policy;6. Maintenance and control of existing prairie dog

populations;7. Provisions for in-stream flow water rights only when

unappropriated water is available and in accor-dance with state law; and

8. Provisions for oil, gas energy and mineral develop-ment with surface occupancy.

6-09:00:R10 Range Conservationists’ Training

WHEREAS many federal agencies are employingindividuals who are not qualified to serve as rangemanagers and conservationists,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI recommends the U.S.Forest Service (USFS), Bureau of Land Management(BLM) and other federal agencies retain and hire rangeconservationists, who are adequately educated andtrained in range management, as outlined by the Soci-ety for Range Management’s Certification Program forRange Managers.

6-10:01:R11 Grazing Allotments

WHEREAS legislative and regulatory provisionsexist mandating the completion of numerous reviews,reports and surveys for all grazing allotments,

BE IT RESOLVED that appropriate regulatoryagencies complete necessary documentation sufficientto allow continued multiple-use of our federal lands, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the USFS andBLM keep permittees informed and work cooperativelywith permittees in the National Environmental PolicyAct (NEPA) process,

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that ASI supports thelegal and historical definition of "No Action" in NEPAanalysis as being "status quo" as opposed to an inter-pretation of "no grazing" or "no use."

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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI calls on theAdministration to enforce Executive Order #12630requiring federal agencies to conduct Takings Implica-tion Assessments (TIA) if a federal action is likely toencroach or infringe on personal property rights, and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that ASI call on Con-gress and the Administration to halt and correct Executiveactions and initiatives, such as the Clean Water ActionPlan and American Heritage Rivers Initiative that haveserved in the past to muddy the distinctions between stateand federal responsibilities and have infringed upon indi-vidual and state property rights.

6-18:04:R14 Transplantation andMovement of Bison

WHEREAS bison are known carriers of brucellosisand tuberculosis, which can spread to domestic live-stock,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI opposes legislation thatprevents the killing of bison leaving Yellowstone Park.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI opposes stateor federal efforts that would result in the implementationof grazing systems of wild bison outside of the park andthe transplantation of bison to areas outside of the park.

6-19:04:R14 Grazing Buyout

WHEREAS federal-land livestock grazing is impor-tant to the economic structures of western counties andstates and wholesale cancellation of grazing permits andleases would devastate these counties and states, and

WHEREAS government policy has caused the par-tial or total loss of value of federal grazing permits,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports compensatinglivestock growers for their loss of permit value, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI opposes anyand all government buyout programs to purchase andpermanently eliminate grazing permits.

6-20:04:R14 Travel Management

BE IT RESOLVED that the travel managementplans for federally managed lands must include lan-guage to provide those who hold grazing permits andleases guaranteed exemptions for management andmaintenance purposes.

6-22:07:R12 Recreation Campaign

WHEREAS conflicts on federal land between motor-ized recreation and grazing are increasing across theWest, and

WHEREAS federal land permittees are responsiblefor the conditions of their allotment, regardless of thecause of those conditions,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, ASI supports thepromotion of a campaign to decrease recreation con-flicts on federal lands, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this campaignwill partner with motorized recreation associations,other affected users’ associations and the federal agen-cies to execute the following:

6-11:03:R13 Grazing Preference

WHEREAS a preference status for current permit-tees on federal lands is desirable and necessary forcontinued operation of ranch business,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI urges the USFS and BLMto give first preference for permits and leases to presentpermittees rather than entities that have no land- orwater-base property or year-around operations, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI recommendsthat the BLM and USFS re-issue grazing preferences onallotments that have been surrendered or otherwise leftvacant to qualified grazers.

6-13:03:R13 Rangeland Monitoring

WHEREAS pursuant to the direction of U.S. Con-gress it is critical to determine and document the cur-rent trend and condition of America’s rangelands, and

WHEREAS knowledge of biological and physicalrangeland functions is critical to the design and evalu-ation of alternative-management programs, thus deter-mining the ecological well-being of the land and theeconomic viability of livestock and wildlife/range pro-duction systems, and

WHEREAS monitoring data that is gathered in apractical, feasible and economic manner is interpretedand used in agency and ranch decision-making andon-the-ground management of range resources,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports USFS and BLMrange-monitoring standards that are scientificallybased, peer-reviewed and are consistent with applica-ble law, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI urges U.S.Congressional direction of U.S. Department of Agricul-ture (USDA) and the Agricultural Research Service(ARS) to develop new, sound, effective and scientificmethods of assessing and monitoring rangeland healthover time and space, using uniform, quantifiableparameters to express condition and trends, and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that industry users beencouraged to take an active role in the development,interpretation and implementation of the above-men-tioned procedures.

6-17:03:R13 Protection of State Sovereignty and Individual Property Rights

WHEREAS past administrations and federal agen-cies have encroached on constitutionally protectedproperty rights and the sovereignty of the state throughvarious federal actions,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI calls on Congress torestore their constitutional role in the protection of suchproperty rights and sovereignty, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI calls on theAdministration to fully involve state and local govern-ments, whose economies are dependent on the outputsof natural resources found on federal lands, in resourceplanning processes through measures such as NEPAand other legislative means, and

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1. Education of permittees, recreation users, lawenforcement officials:a. promote awareness of multiple uses, differing

impacts by seasons of use, use of trails for recreation, involvement in agency planning,

b. develop educational materials,c. train spokespeople,d. develop sign system to post on federal lands, ande. contribute to livestock and recreation trade

publications.2. Promotion of local law enforcement solutions to

user conflicts.3. Involvement in recreation and travel planning.

6-24:08:R13 Private Land Acquisition

WHEREAS ASI believes that the best steward ofour nation’s most basic productive resources is the per-son with a vested interest in its future,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI opposes legislation thatestablishes long-term funding sources for the purpose ofprivate-property acquisition, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI opposespublic acquisition of private property except in cases ofmutual agreement between parties.

6-25:08:R11 Reservations of Public Lands

WHEREAS BLM and USFS lands are not just an inte-gral part of the range livestock industry, but provide avariety of benefits and uses to the American public, and

WHEREAS continued reservations of these lands aswilderness, wilderness study areas, “wildlands”, road-less areas, national monuments, wild and scenic rivers,national conservation areas and other designations notonly causes multiple-use to be displaced from theseregions, but also restricts management options availableto ensure the sustainability of natural resources,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI calls on Congress to fur-ther restore its constitutional role in managing landsbelonging to the United States, rather than allowingnon-elected, federal personnel the power to reservefederal lands through de facto designations of roadlessareas, wilderness study areas and other measures, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED the ASI supports thecontinuation of grazing and other traditional uses thatoccurred prior to federal reservation of public landsand grandfathered into such designations becauseCongress found them not to be in conflict.

6-26:10 Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA)

WHEREAS The Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA)provides for the award of attorney fees and otherexpenses to eligible individuals and small entities thatare parties to litigation involving the Federal govern-ment, and

WHEREAS the Congressional intent of EAJA was toovercome the inability of many American individuals andsmall business owners to combat the vast resources of theFederal government in administrative adjudications and

to redress the balance between the government acting inits discretionary capacity and the individual, and

WHEREAS non-profit environmental groups havefiled several hundred lawsuits, and in turn, the Federalgovernment has paid out several millions in taxpayerdollars in settlements and legal fees in cases againstthe U.S. government, and

WHEREAS this redirection of agency and pro-gram funding to pay for EAJA awards is negativelyimpacting BLM and Forest Service ability to managelands for multiple use, and

WHEREAS a database of EAJA awards is not avail-able to determine the extent of awards, and recentresearch indicates that organizations worth millions ofdollars are collecting most of the awards, which indi-cates the Congressional intent of the Act is not being metand that EAJA is actually financing litigation intended byanti-livestock organizations to disrupt or eliminate multi-ple-use, including livestock-production on Federal lands,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports the followingactions:1. stringent oversight of the EAJA award process to pre-

vent reimbursement of inflated attorney and consult-ant fees,

2. a detailed accounting of EAJA awards as a manda-tory component of the public record, and

3. a fair distribution of EAJA funds to eliminate the dis-proportionate payouts to special interest NGOs, andBE IT FURTHER RESOLVED ASI urges the Federal

Government to halt the abuse of EAJA’s original intentof ensuring all citizens get access to the court system.

6-27:11 States’ Authority to Manage Wildlife

WHEREAS, individual states have ownership ofand management authority over the wildlife within theirborders, and

WHEREAS, over time, federal-land-managementagencies have attempted to usurp state-managementauthority of wildlife on federally managed lands, and

WHEREAS, federal-land-management agenciesshould be restricted from interfering with state-wildlifemanagement, and

WHEREAS, federal-land-management agenciesare responsible for managing federal lands to meetmultiple-use objectives, as opposed to managing thewildlife on the land,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that ASI stronglyurges Congress to clearly direct federal-land-manage-ment agencies to defer to states’ authority to managewildlife, except for species specifically listed as feder-ally threatened or endangered.

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7-02:90:R10 Predator-Control Research

WHEREAS research is necessary to explore theavenues for more effective and discriminate predatorcontrol,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports funding ofpredator-control research.

7-03:91:R11 Animal Agriculture Coalition

WHEREAS the Animal Agriculture Coalition (AAC)has been an important and vital advocate for animalagriculture research, education, animal health, foodsafety and food security, and

WHEREAS the coalition has been very effective inidentifying high-priority research needs, and

WHEREAS there is an increasing and critical needfor all of animal agriculture to define a few high-priorityneeds, which are broad enough to encompass variousspecies needs,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI commends and compli-ments the AAC for taking leadership in developing aconsolidated set of priority needs, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI endorsesworking closely with the AAC to lay out long-term strate-gies for the development and presentation of these pri-orities to appropriate groups, such as USDA, Depart-ment of Homeland Security (DHS), Department ofHealth and Human Services (HHS), Congress, alliedindustry and the public.

7-05:00:R12 Research and Education Funding

WHEREAS sheep research and education effortshave eroded over the past several years with losses ofboth human and financial resources, and

WHEREAS sheep producers continue to dependupon the institutions in their states for technologicaladvancements and tools for enhancing the productionefficiency and marketing programs that affect theiroperations and thus, the U.S. sheep industry, and

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI seeks additional con-gressional appropriations for sheep research, technol-ogy transfer and education programs in the form of tar-geted funding that is focused on technological enhance-ments and improved competitiveness.

7-06:00:R13 Sheep Research and Technology Transfer

WHEREAS the expenditures on sheep researchhave been beneficial to the industry, and

WHEREAS research and technology developmentare essential components for an industry to becomemore competitive,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI urges the U.S. Depart-ment of Agriculture (USDA) to make significantly morefunds available for sheep research and technologydevelopment to provide the necessary technical tools forthe sheep industry to become more competitive, and

6-28:11 No Net Loss of Animal Unit Months (AUMs)

WHEREAS, continued access to federal-landsgrazing is extremely important to the continuation andexpansion of an economically viable and sustainableU.S. sheep industry, and

WHEREAS, federal AUMs have an economic valueto federal-lands permittees and their financial lenders tosuch an extent that the value of AUMs is taxed by theIRS, and the AUMs are considered by financial lendersas an asset to livestock operations, and

WHEREAS, federal-land-management agencieshave shown little interest in maintaining a sufficientnumber of active AUMs to sustain an economicallyviable livestock industry,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that ASI fully sup-ports a “no net loss” policy in regards to livestock graz-ing AUMs;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI is opposedto the transference or liquidation of livestock AUMs forthe purpose of creating wild-horse preserves or wildlifesanctuaries.

6-29:11 Alternative Allotments

WHEREAS, wildlife-mitigation programs havecaused active sheep allotments on federal lands to beclosed, and

WHEREAS, these closures have caused extremehardships to western-range-sheep operators, and

WHEREAS, numerous productive allotments overthe years have been retired and made unavailable toproducers,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that ASI call onthe USFS, BLM, and Congress to actively pursue return-ing productive and viable allotments, together withaccess to use by the U.S. domestic-sheep industry.

6-30:12 U.S. Sheep Experiment Station (USSES)

BE IT RESOLVED the USDA maintain and continue allrangeland resources representing multiple ecosystemsavailable to the USSES so that it can fulfill its mission toserve the industry.

PRODUCTION, EDUCATION and RESEARCH7-01:90:R10 State Sheep and

Wool Education

WHEREAS the U.S. sheep industry relies upon theexpertise in sheep and their products (meat, wool andmilk) from the teaching, research, and extension com-ponents at various land-grant and state universities,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI encourages the reten-tion and expansion of university teaching, research,and extension programs directed at expertise in sheepand their products.

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BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that focus should beon the following specific areas: animal health, genet-ics, value-added products, meat and wool quality,product safety and global competitiveness, and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that ASI encouragesand supports research and technology development/transfer efforts concerning lamb-pricing efficiency andaccuracy, demand and value-based marketing.

7-08:90:R14 Disease Research Funding

WHEREAS the economic losses due to internal para-sites, abortions, foot rot, pneumonia, mastitis and other dis-eases that are affected and have the potential to be con-trolled or combated through management or other preven-tative practices, and

WHEREAS the consumer is demanding a productfree of violative residues,

BE IT RESOLVED that funding be sought to pro-vide research-based information to help producersimplement management practices and other preventa-tive measures to reduce the use of pharmaceuticals tocombat diseases.

7-09:90:R14 Livestock in Education Materials

WHEREAS less than 2 percent of this nation’s pop-ulation is engaged in the actual production of food andfiber, and

WHEREAS it is imperative that our society under-stands the issues confronting our industry as well asunderstand the general mechanics of the productionprocess, and

WHEREAS the proper education of our youth inregards to agriculture is a significant and important firststep in this understanding, and

WHEREAS many youth are being taught that pred-ators are not a danger to livestock resources and thatour industry’s animal-damage-control programs aredetrimental to all wildlife,

BE IT RESOLVED that the ASI supports the accu-rate representation and presentation of information onlivestock production and management, public land use,predator problems and controls in school textbooksand other educational materials.

7-11:04:R11 Sheep Identification

WHEREAS a catastrophic animal disease, such asthe Foot-and-Mouth Disease, can imperil the U.S. sheepindustry, and

WHEREAS tthe Department of Homeland Security(DHS) and the USDA have stated the need for anational livestock disease traceability system for for-eign animal disease containment and eradication, and

WHEREAS USDA has revised the prior animalidentification policy into a new approach to achievinganimal disease traceability

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports the concept ofanimal disease traceability, and

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI endorses the 2005 rec-ommendations of the Sheep ID Working group, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI believes thatany mandatory national disease traceability or live-stock-identification system should include the following:1. The cost of identification, database services, supplies

and devices should be provided by the public sector.2. If the implementation of a National System for live-

stock in the sheep sector is not the same as theNational Scrapie Eradication Program ID require-ments, then a seamless transition to another systemshould be planned and announced well ahead of thetime with device supplies available through well-organized distribution channels.

3. A National System for sheep should accommodateall the various production systems in the UnitedStates, including group movement of owned animalsfor management purposes, as well as movementthrough feeder and slaughter channels.

4. A National System should contribute to the manage-ment, marketing and business needs of the U.S.sheep industry.

5. A National System for sheep should be thoroughlyfield tested before implementation to demonstratethat the technology is compatible with normal indus-try operations.

6. Implementation of this system must not economicallyburden any sector of the U.S. sheep industry.

7-12:07:R12 Microbial Contamination

WHEREAS recent outbreaks of microbial-causedailments in humans have triggered public outcry aboutfood safety, and

WHEREAS some outbreaks have been traced tocrops directly consumed by humans, and

WHEREAS the exact source for these microbes isunknown, but human and non-human animals are sus-pected as a likely cause, along with human sanita-tion, and

WHEREAS grazing-crop residue and grazingadjacent to cropping areas is a significant economiccomponent of the sheep industry, and

WHEREAS there is a lack of valid scientificallybased information regarding the degree to which sheepmay contribute problematic strains of microbes to thefood web, to what degree the microbes from sheep maypersist in the environment, and in what ways the organ-isms can move in the environment onto or into humanfood crops once leaving the sheep, and

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports the necessaryreview of the literature pertaining to these issues, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI vigorouslysupports and encourages research efforts to developthe necessary scientific information that will betterinform managers of animals relative to food safety, aswell as provide research-based, peer-reviewed sciencefor developing policy for both public and private land.

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WHEREAS ASI encourages domestic and interna-tional programs to market lamb, wool and pelt prod-ucts, as well as by-products of the sheep industry,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI continues to seek toexpand producer-marketing opportunities by develop-ing and supporting programs aimed at exporting/importing seedstock and genetic material.

WOOL MARKETING9-02:90:R14 Textile Imports

WHEREAS the domestic textile industry is a primaryconsumer of American wool and that industry is continu-ally threatened by imports of fabric and apparel,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports measures toregulate the growth of these imports to reduce thethreat to the domestic textile market.

9-03:90:R10 Wool-Content Labeling

WHEREAS widespread mislabeling of wool fabricand garments causes a loss to consumers of millions ofdollars each year and damages all sectors of the woolindustry,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports increased govern-ment action, particularly by the Federal Trade Commissionand Customs Department, to police the labeling of woolcontent on fabric and garments in the domestic market.

9-04:90:R10 “Buy Domestic” Requirements

WHEREAS ASI, together with the textile industry,recognizes the importance of maintaining a sound,domestic-textile industry, and

WHEREAS increased import of textiles is detri-mental to the U.S. textile industry,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI encourages the U.S. Con-gress to maintain its support for Defense Department “BuyDomestic” requirements (Berry/Hefner Amendment) andurges the Defense Department to confine its entire textilepurchases to domestically produced products.

9-05:91:R11 Wool-Research Funding

WHEREAS major companies and entities havebeen successful in winning Department of Defense con-tracts by assisting in research and development of newproducts, and

WHEREAS research and development of new andbetter military apparel is still critical for protection ofour armed forces,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI seek research dollarsthat will assist in research programs aimed at findingand establishing criteria that will aid such developmentfacilities as the U.S. Army Natick Laboratories and oth-ers that ultimately will lead to greater usage of domes-tic wool in military apparel applications.

7-13:07:R12 Genomics Research

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports and encouragesincreased USDA funding and resources to support inter-national sheep genomics research and education efforts.The major goals of these research and education pro-grams will be to: 1) identify genes with a major effect ondisorders, diseases, and performance traits, and 2) pro-duce genomic breeding values for economically impor-tant traits in the major breeds of U.S. sheep.

7-15:13 Ultrasound Technique

WHEREAS ASI has supported and encouragedthe creation of certification schools for ultrasound tech-nicians to ascertain carcass qualities, and

WHEREAS those schools are now available andtrained technicians are available, and

WHEREAS research has shown that there is adirect correlation between rib-eye size or eye-muscledepth and red-meat yield, and

WHEREAS red-meat yield has a direct-profit rela-tionship on all phases of the industry – from the grower,feeder, and packer to the retailer,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI strongly encourages theuse of the ultrasound technique to determine rib-eyesize or eye-muscle depth on potential breeding ewesand ram lambs (especially of the meat breeds routinelyused to sire crossbred-market lambs), and the measure-ments be available for buyers at ram sales, other pointsof commerce and for the use in genetic-evaluation pro-grams to generate EBVs.

SEEDSTOCK8-02:91:R14 Genetic Improvement

WHEREAS genetic improvement is integral to theadvancement and profitability of sheep production, and

WHEREAS other livestock species have increasedproduction through performance programs stressingEPDs,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI strongly encourages theactive participation and cooperation of breed associations,universities and producers in the National Sheep Improve-ment Program (NSIP) to further work toward achievementof their production and performance goals, and

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports and encour-ages the use of all available tools and quantitative tech-nologies that will contribute to genetic improvement atthe seedstock, commercial and feeding sectors.

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that ASI supports theNSIP and encourages its members to make use of thisprogram.

8-03:91:R13 Seedstock Export/Import Programs

WHEREAS ASI is the national trade associationfor the U.S. sheep industry and is engaged in pro-grams designed to enhance the profitability and sus-tainability of the sheep industry, and

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9-06:92:R12 Genetic Programs for Wool Quality

WHEREAS wool-quality improvement has been iden-tified as a priority by the American sheep industry, and

WHEREAS improving genetics is integral in makingpermanent advancement of the domestic wool clip, and

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports genetic pro-grams encouraging wool quality.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI supports theactive exploration and development of new andadvanced wool assessment tools.

9-07:93:R10 Wool Clip Contamination

WHEREAS non-wool fiber contamination costs theU.S. wool textile industry millions of dollars per year, and

WHEREAS these types of contamination damagethe reputation of the U.S. wool clip both domesticallyand internationally, and

WHEREAS the primary complaints concerning theU.S. wool clip are polypropylene, non-scourablepaint/markers, hair, medullated and colored fiber con-tamination, and

WHEREAS this problem will not be solved withouta significant, long-term, coordinated effort by allaffected parties,

BE IT RESOLVED that the American sheep indus-try desires the highest quality in its wool and fully sup-ports the American textile industry's request and needfor delivery of a contaminant-free U.S. wool clip, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI seeks a solu-tion to the problem, and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that ASI supportsemphasis on the Certified Quality Programs, includingboth the producer and shearer components, with a viewtowards improving the value and quality of the U.S. clip.

9-09:95:R14 Wool Quality

WHEREAS ASI supports the application of inter-national standards to improve the quality, marketabilityand price of our wool clip, and

WHEREAS the U.S. wool trade has gathered infor-mation, and through consensus, developed a Code ofPractice for the preparation of wool clips in the UnitedStates to apply these standards and support woolpreparation, and

WHEREAS the Code of Practice ensures that U.S.wool prepared, packaged, sampled, tested andreported to standards acceptable by the internationaland domestic trade,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports the continuededucation and adoption of these standards by all seg-ments of the U.S. wool industry to improve wool prepa-ration and to enhance marketing and future sales ofU.S. wool worldwide.

9-10:90:R10 Shearing School Programs

WHEREAS ASI is very concerned with the produc-tion of a quality wool clip and supports efforts to improvethe ability of producers to prepare such a clip, and

WHEREAS the shearing school training programstrain shearers in the preparation of sheep for shearing,as well as the packaging of a product in which sheepproducers can take pride,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports all recognizedshearing school programs.

9-11:96:R11 Wool Pools

WHEREAS wool pools provide a fair-market valuefor producers through skirting, classing and sorting,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports the efforts ofwool pools to help ensure fair-market value for produc-ers' products.

9-13:96:R11 Wool Technology Research

WHEREAS wool and wool genetics research isimportant to the health of the U.S. sheep industry, and

WHEREAS funding for wool research entities isuncertain, and

WHEREAS the U.S. Department of Agriculture andAgricultural Research Service (USDA/ARS) woolresearch program addresses the addition of value tothe domestic wool clip,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI seeks research fundingfor universities and government research centers, whichwill aid in the development of new wool technologies

9-15:99:R11 Niche Marketing

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports and encouragesniche marketing for both wool and lamb. We encourageour members to find additional markets for their products.

9-17:01:R10 USDA Market News

WHEREAS U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)Market News provides vital market reporting servicesfor the U.S. wool and pelt markets, and

WHEREAS the world wool market reports wool ona clean-wool basis, which provides complete informa-tion and an accurate description of wool and a stan-dard for world comparison, and

WHEREAS the majority of the U.S. wool clip isnow exported in raw, scoured or top form and thatinternational currency exchange rates greatly affectwool prices, and international buyers prefer beingquoted clean-wool based prices,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI encourages AgricultrualMarketing Service (AMS) and other entities to reportwool sales on a clean basis, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI encouragesAMS/Market News to report currency exchange ratesand other market information, and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that ASI supportsretention of the Market News personnel in Colorado tocontinue this important service for the American wooland pelt industries.

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BE IT RESOLVED that ASI encourages the classingof all wools and supports the use of trained classers,both U.S. and foreign, for handling quality wools in theUnited States.

GENERALTaxation and Accounting10-02:90:R13 Federal Tax Policy

WHEREAS current federal tax policy fails toaddress situations involving sellers of farm and ranchproperty, assets and livestock and encourages short-term consumption rather than savings and investment,and to agricultural businesses that have large fluctua-tions in income from year to year,

BE IT RESOLVED that the ASI favors legislation to:1. give more favorable treatment of capital gains;2. make income averaging permanent;3. support favorable depreciation schedules; and4. support passage of estate and gift tax legislation,

which will eliminate or significantly reduce the bur-den of estate and gift taxes on family farms,ranches, and small businesses now and on a per-manent basis.

10-03:91:R11 Capital Gains

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI goes on record as sup-porting favorable treatment to capital gains.

10-07:93:R13 Federal Taxes

BE IT RESOLVED that the ASI seeks federal legis-lation that exempts officers of family farm corporationsand all other forms of farm and ranch ownership, suchas partnerships, from the requirements of the federalUnemployment Tax laws.

10-09:93:R13 Health Premium Deduction

BE IT RESOLVED the ASI supports 100-percentdeductibility of health-insurance premiums for the self-employed.

10-10:93:R13 Farm-Licensed Vehicle Exemptions

BE IT RESOLVED that farm-licensed trucks beexempt from the special federal Highway Use Tax andfarm trailers be exempt from federal Excise Tax, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI supportsexemption from the tax on non-highway use of farm-licensed vehicles.

9-18:03:R10 Removal of Tariffs on Woolpacks and Covers

WHEREAS nylon woolpacks are widely used inthe U.S. wool industry, however, are not manufactureddomestically and must be imported,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI actively seek inclusionof nylon woolpacks in the Harmonized Tariff Scheduleof the United States (HTS) 6307.90.9989, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI aggressivelyseek to extend the duty suspension on nylon packs.

9-19:05:R10 Grants for Sheep Shearing

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI seeks available grantsfor specialized training, such as shearing and classing.

9-20:07:R12 Shearing Labor

WHEREAS sheep shearing is an international-trade occupation, and the United States depends uponboth domestic and foreign labor for the harvesting ofwool,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports the use of bothU.S. citizens and properly documented, legal, foreignlabor for shearing in the United States, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI encouragesthe U.S. Department of Labor to work with the labordepartments in foreign countries on a reciprocal agree-ment, allowing the use of legal U.S. citizens for shear-ing in other countries.

9-21:08:R13 Dye-Resistant Fibers (Hair and Kemp) Contamination

WHEREAS Dye-Resistant-Fiber contamination coststhe wool-textile industry millions of dollars per year,and

WHEREAS this type of contamination is detrimen-tal to the reputation of the U.S. wool clip domesticallyand internationally, and

WHEREAS an increasing complaint of U.S. woolis dye-resistant fibers, including hair and kemp con-tamination, and

WHEREAS this problem will not be resolved with-out a significant, long-term, coordinated effort by allaffected parties,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI seeks solutions to theproblem of dye-resistant fibers, including coordinatedefforts involving the sheep and wool industries.

9-22:12 Classing Labor WHEREAS quality wools are important to the suc-

cess and competitiveness of the U.S. sheep industry,and

WHEREAS sorting and classing are key steps toimproving the quality of wool in the U.S. sheep indus-try, and

WHEREAS the U.S. sheep industry depends ontrained classers, both U.S. citizens, and properly doc-umented, legal, foreign labor,

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10-11:93:R13 Cash-basis Accounting

WHEREAS cash-basis accounting is utilized bymany farmers and ranchers as a simple, effective, cost-efficient method of recordkeeping, and

WHEREAS due to the volatility of market prices,weather and levels of farm income, in addition to thecyclical nature of agricultural financing, cash account-ing is a vital and necessary management tool for farm-ers and producers,

BE IT RESOLVED that the ASI opposes any legis-lation, ruling, regulation or proposal that restricts theavailability of cash accounting based on the type ofbusiness structure or any type of arbitrary cap basedon gross receipts.

10-12:93:R13 Section 179 Deduction (expensing depreciable assets)

WHEREAS the sheep industry is a large and inte-gral part of agriculture in the United States, and

WHEREAS every effort should be made to supportSection 179 Deductions for agriculture and the sheepbusiness,

BE IT RESOLVED that the ASI supports efforts tocontinue or to increase Section 179 Deductions, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Section 179Deduction continues to apply to machinery, equipment,buildings, and breeding livestock for sheep producersparticipating in the sheep business.

10-33:05:R10 Promote Development of Pharmaceuticals for Sheep

WHEREAS there is a severe shortage ofapproved, new animal drugs for use in minor species,including sheep, and

WHEREAS because of the small market shares,low-profit margins involved, and the capital investmentrequired, it is generally not economically feasible fornew animal drug sponsors to pursue approvals forminor species, and

WHEREAS because the populations for which suchnew animal drugs are intended may be small and con-ditions of animal management may vary widely, it isoften difficult to design and conduct studies to establishdrug safety and effectiveness under traditional new ani-mal drug-approval processes, and

WHEREAS it is in the public interest and in the inter-est of animal welfare to provide for special proceduresto allow the lawful use and marketing of certain new ani-mal drugs for minor species and minor use that take intoaccount the special circumstances and ensure that suchdrugs do not endanger animal or public health, and

WHEREAS the U.S. Congress recognized these cir-cumstances exist and unanimously approved The MinorUse and Minor Species Animal Health Act of 2004 duringthe 108th Congress and said act was immediately signedinto law (Public-Law 108-282) by the President, and

WHEREAS it is widely agreed that tax credits forclinical testing expenses have helped encourage the

development and labeling of “orphan drugs” forhuman use, and comparable incentives should encour-age the development and labeling of new animal drugsfor minor species (including sheep) and minor uses,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports legislativeefforts to amend the Minor Use and Minor Species Ani-mal Health Act of 2004 to include language that wouldprovide federal tax incentives for the development andlabeling of much needed pharmaceuticals for minorspecies and minor uses.

Trade10-15:98:R10 GATT

WHEREAS the Doha round of World TradeOrganization trade negotiations continue, and

WHEREAS the European Union maintains morethan two billion dollars in annual subsidies for its sheepproduction and strict quotas on lamb imports, and

WHEREAS this unfair trade situation puts more pres-sure on the United States and the domestic sheep indus-try to the advantage of European sheep producers,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI urges the U.S. govern-ment to address this unfair situation in the trade nego-tiations, and if European subsidies and import quotasfor sheep and sheep products are not eliminated, thenestablish an equitable system for U.S. producers.

10-17:00:R10 Anti-dumping Laws

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI oppose any efforts toweaken anti-dumping laws.

10-25:02:R12 Lamb Imports

WHEREAS the American sheep industry effectivelyutilizes renewable resources on public and privatelands and crop aftermath to produce domestic foodand fiber that feeds and clothes, not only our own peo-ple but people around the world, and

WHEREAS the American sheep industry hasembarked on an aggressive program to increase sheepnumbers in the United States, and

WHEREAS the importation of lamb could have a neg-ative impact on profitability and ASI’s growth efforts, and

WHEREAS federal regulations continue to impedeour ability to grow the flock, and

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI encourages Congressand the Administration to address issues that would becounterproductive to ASI’s goals to increase sheepnumbers and profitability to meet market demand in theUnited States.

10-29:03:R13 Free Trade Agreements

BE IT RESOLVED that foreign governments andtheir constituents not be allowed access to U.S. marketsthrough trade agreements unless such trade is equi-table, legal and not detrimental to U.S. sheep andgoats producers of like products.

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10-47:13 H-2A Program

WHEREAS the American sheep industry isdependent on a legal, well trained, and highly skilledlabor force, and

WHEREAS that labor force comes from manycountries around the world, who are allowed to workin the United States under H-2A work visas, and

WHEREAS the loss of this labor force would becatastrophic to the U.S. sheep industry, and

WHEREAS ASI is proactive in the areas of contin-uing fair pay and treatment during a worker’s tenure inthe United States,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI takes necessary actionto insure the continuance of the H-2A Program or simi-lar programs.

Other10-13:94:R14 Alternate Research/

Promotion

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI develop alternateresearch, promotion and operational funding sources inaddition to funding provided by the American Wool Trust.

10-14:94:R14 Farm Service Agency

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports the preservationof the U.S. Department of Agriculture local committeesystem of locally elected producers, including conserva-tion districts, for natural resource programs, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI opposes thetransfer of USDA programs to other departments.

10-16:98:R13 DOT Regulations

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI opposes federal Depart-ment of Transportation (DOT) regulations that inhibitnormal daily farm and ranch activity including cropplanting and harvesting procedures.

10-18:00:R10 Safety-Net Program

WHEREAS the U.S. lamb and wool industrieshave experienced severe volatility in markets, and

WHEREAS the sheep industry is an important partof agricultural production in the United States, and

WHEREAS ASI successfully lobbied for inclusionof a marketing-loan program for wool in the Farm Billto help stabilize income in a volatile wool market,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI carry a priority of itslegislative efforts and limited funds to maintain andenhance the wool-marketing-loan program, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI seeks anadditional safety net for sheep producers through live-stock risk-management options.

10-30:01:R14 Congressional Appropriations, FAS

WHEREAS exports of American wool have grown withthe support of American Wool Council programs, and,

WHEREAS the USDA Foreign Agricultural Serviceis a critical partner with international programs of Mar-ket Access Program (MAP), of Foreign Market Devel-opment (FMD) and of Quality Samples Program (QSP),

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI actively supports con-gressional appropriations to fund the Foreign AgriculturalService and QSP, MAP, FMD and other FAS programs.

10-49:14 Exports

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI aggressively seekaccess to international markets for the export of Amer-ican sheep, lamb and related products.

Labor10-28:03:R10 Immigration and

Naturalization Service (INS)

WHEREAS the H-2A program is a mutually bene-ficial program because it provides shepherds for U.S.sheep ranchers, and it provides U.S. job opportunitiesto individuals from other countries who desire to builda better life for themselves and their families, and

WHEREAS the H-2A program is an indispensablecomponent of the western U.S. sheep industry, and theprogram has worked well except for the enforcement ofthe program, and

WHEREAS due to the lack of enforcement, H-2Aworkers breaking their contract is now on the increase,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI support monitoring the H-2A program and work with our Congressional Delega-tions to assure that appropriate statutory or regulatorylanguage be adopted that will maintain the special rulespertaining to the sheep industry in the H-2A program.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that ASI will workwith the Western Range Association, Mountain PlainsAgricultural Service, the U.S. Department of Labor, theImmigration and Naturalization Service, the Office ofHomeland Security, foreign consulate offices and callon Congressional Delegations to work for additionalfunding that will enhance the enforcement of the H-2Aprogram. Considerations for enforcement provision:1. Foreign workers that abandon their jobs in the

sheep industry should be deported immediately.These individuals should be held financially respon-sible to pay back the cost of their inbound trans-portation to the United States. Once deported,these individuals should be entered into a federalgovernment database that will permanently denythem any access back into the United States.

2. Consulate offices need to provide and enforce aclearly defined set of criteria required to obtain avisa to enter the United States for employment in theH-2A program.

3. The procedures and processing time to get herdersinto the United States needs to be more efficient toenable herders to arrive as soon as possible.

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10-22:01:R11 Freedom of Information Act

WHEREAS various entities are using the Freedomof Information Act to obtain information from federalagencies that is personal in nature or deals with the pri-vate affairs of business, and

WHEREAS this information is being used to nega-tively impact business enterprises and individuals andpotentially jeopardizes the recipients of sheep-programfunding,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI work with other agricul-tural organizations toward legislation and regulatorymeasures that protect personal and private businessinformation of the agriculture industry and entities fromdisclosure through the Freedom of Information Act.

10-27:03:R13 Regulatory Impact

WHEREAS local, state and federal regulationscontinue to be created that impact agriculture,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI opposes regulationsthat are not science-based and encourages efforts tokeep livestock production as a viable part of the agri-cultural industry.

10-31:94:R14 Unfunded Federal Mandates

WHEREAS unfunded mandates on state and localgovernments, such as those found under the CleanWater Act, Endangered Species Act and Clear Air Acthave increased significantly in recent years, and

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI supports Congressionalaction that will bring about an end to federal unfundedmandates.

10-32:04:R14 Risk-Management Tools

WHEREAS price volatility for both market prices ofproduction and production inputs can vary greatly inthe sheep industry, and

WHEREAS producers also deal with extremes inweather and variability of available forage and water,and

WHEREAS LRP-Lamb, as developed by ASI, hasproven to be a useful risk-management tool for theindustry and the only price-risk management tool cur-rently available in the United States for sheep,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI continue to actively sup-port LRP-Lamb and implement additional risk-manage-ment tools for sheep production and marketing.

10-35:06:R11 ASI Correspondence on Behalf of Member States

WHEREAS ASI sends numerous letters during theyear to governmental entities backing programs that areimportant to the American Sheep Industry, and

WHEREAS the member states are individually listedon these letters giving their support to the concept, and

WHEREAS it is often difficult for ASI to individuallycontact all states and receive their permission to use theirnames on these letters,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that when ASI ini-tiates correspondence on behalf of its member states,that such correspondence will be reviewed by the indi-vidual states and, if no objection is received by ASI asto a specific state's name being used, then ASI mayproceed in mailing such correspondence with memberstates being listed.

10-37:09:R14 Renewable Fuels

WHEREAS, ASI supports our nation's commitmentto reduce dependence on foreign energy and supportsefforts to develop forms of renewable energy, and

WHEREAS, this commitment is creating opportuni-ties and challenges for our nation's agricultural pro-ducers, and

WHEREAS, ASI believes in a market-based econ-omy but there is concern about the influence of renew-able-energy policy on the availability and price of feed-grains and other feedstuffs,

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, ASI supports tran-sition to a market-based approach for the productionand usage of ethanol produced from livestock feed-stuffs, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, ASI supportsresearch and development of renewable fuels that mayprovide additional benefits for the livestock industry.

10-42:10 Climate Change

WHEREAS the federal government is pursuing cli-mate change policy to reduce U.S. greenhouse gasemissions, and

WHEREAS anti-livestock organizations are por-traying livestock incorrectly as major contributors toharmful emissions, and

WHEREAS sheep grazing, as well as lamb andwool production, have comparatively low, carbon foot-prints and add great value environmentally to forageimprovement and wildlife habitat and open space;

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI opposes legislation orregulation that would be detrimental to sheep produc-tion in the United States, including methane regulationof livestock under the Clean Air Act, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED as a part of anynational climate change policy, sheep producers shallbe compensated for any management practices whichreduce or offset emissions.

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DIRECTIVES3-20:14 Wild Horse Management

WHEREAS in 1971, the Wild Free-RoamingHorses and Burros Act (WFRHBA) was established,and directs the Secretary of Interior to manage free-roaming horses “in keeping with the multiple-use con-cept for public lands”, and

WHEREAS appropriate management levels (AML)for free-roaming horses have been established by bal-ancing the need for forage and water between free-roaming horses, wildlife, and livestock with the explic-itly stated purpose that “The Secretary shall managewild, free-roaming horses and burros in a manner thatis designed to achieve and maintain a thriving naturalecological balance on the public lands”, and

WHEREAS the WFRHBA directs the Secretary ofInterior to maintain appropriate management levels by“the removal or destruction of excess animals, or otheroptions (such as sterilization, or natural controls onpopulation levels)”, and

WHEREAS the WFRHBA directs the Secretary tomake determinations on appropriate management lev-els by consulting “with the United States Fish andWildlife Service, wildlife agencies of the State or Stateswherein wild, free-roaming horses and burros arelocated, such individuals independent of Federal andState government as have been recommended by theNational Academy of Sciences (NAS), and such otherindividuals whom he determines have scientific expert-ise and special knowledge of wild horse and burro pro-tection, wildlife management and animal husbandry asrelated to rangeland management”, and

WHEREAS the Secretary of Interior has frequentlyfailed to follow the original intent of the WFRHBAbecause of public pressure from wild horse advocacygroups, and because of restrictive language insertedinto the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) appropria-tions process, and

WHEREAS the Bureau of Land Management hasreached an unprecedented crisis because of the exces-sive cost of caring for horses in short-term and long-term holding facilities ($46.2 million FY2013), theexcessive cost of litigation caused by wild horse advo-cacy groups, and increased costs to gather horses;causing the BLM wild-horse budget to grow to a total of$76.1 million for FY2013, and

WHEREAS as of December 31, 2013 there were49,800 horses/burros in short- and long-term holdingfacilities that have been removed from the rangebecause of overpopulations, and

WHEREAS the Bureau of Land Management esti-mates a total of 40,600 horses/burros on BLM lands,but the National Academy of Sciences study concludedthat BLM’s estimates are as much as 50--percent under-counted. Therefore, there are likely 70,000 to 80,000horses/burros on the range, when BLM has determinedthat the AML numbers should be 26,300horses/burros, which means there is approximately50,000 excess horses/burros on the range today, and

10-46:11 ASI Goat Committee

WHEREAS action by the ASI Goat Committee hasresulted in the formation of the American Goat Federationwith its own set of officers and board of directors, and

WHEREAS the American Goat Federation (AGF)is now gathering members, identifying funding, andhas prioritized issues and project areas,

BE IT RESOLVED that any functions of the ASIGoat Committee not completed be assumed by the ASIExecutive Board and officers of ASI, and

BE IT FUTHER RESOLVED that ASI continue towork with AGF by supporting their goals and objec-tives through a mutually agreed upon financialarrangement for providing selected services as AGFexpands and the organization matures, and

BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that ASI be open tothe possibility of inviting the AGF to join the ASI Boardas a member in good standing through the payment ofappropriate organizational dues.

10-48:13 Air Quality Standards

WHEREAS efforts are being made to establish AirQuality Standards for many industries, including agri-culture, and

WHEREAS proposed standards would have farreaching, negative effects in agricultural production,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI calls on Congress toreject any effort to impose standards that create anundue burden on agriculture.

PELTS11-01:00:R10 Ked Control

WHEREAS the United States and international peltmarkets demand quality, cockle-free pelts for use in var-ious products, and

WHEREAS quality, cockle-free pelts are of highervalue and substantially increase pelt prices and pro-ducer profitability, and

WHEREAS the total value of a market lamb isimpacted by pelt quality,

BE IT RESOLVED that ASI strongly supportsaggressive efforts by U.S. producers and lamb feedersto reduce and eliminate keds and other external para-sites on U.S. sheep to produce consistent quality pelts.

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WHEREAS some herd management areas (HMA)are 500 to 1,000 percent over AML, andhorses/burros have virtually no predators, and NAShad concluded that their populations increase at anaverage of 20 percent each year, doubling their num-bers in less than five years, and

WHEREAS the Bureau of Land Management hasstopped gathering free-roaming horses and will let theirnumbers continue to grow at 20-percent annually, eventhough their numbers already significantly exceedAML, and

WHEREAS overpopulation of free-roaming horsesis damaging to the welfare of the horses, livestock stockpermittees that utilize grazing allotments on publiclands, and wildlife, as well as doing long-term damageto the ecosystem,

THEREFORE BE IT DIRECTED that the AmericanSheep Industry Association (ASI) join the NationalHorse and Burro Rangeland Management Coalitionand work to remove or amend appropriations ridersthat inhibit or restrict the Department of Interior/Bureauof Land Management from implementing the WFRHBAas originally intended by Congress.

4-20:14 Lamb Carcass Maturity

WHEREAS ASI Directive 4-18:13 (Lamb CarcassMaturity) stated “BE IT DIRECTED that ASI work withUSDA to propose a more accurate definition of thematurity window for the grade standard that currentlyexists for yearling mutton, and

“BE IT FINALLY DIRECTED that ASI work with USDAto propose a more industry agreeable term for yearlingmutton.”

BE IT DIRECTED that ASI continue to “work withthe USDA to propose a more industry agreeable termfor yearling mutton”, and

WHEREAS there has not been sufficient discussionwithin the industry to reach a consensus on this issue,or to ascertain the market impacts of the proposedchanges (yearling lamb and yearling mutton) to theUnited States Standards for Grades of Lamb, YearlingMutton, and Mutton Carcasses,

BE IT DIRECTED that no changes be implementedat this time, and additional research and industry dia-logue take place in order to adequately assess the mar-ket impact of proposed changes and to reach a con-sensus within the sheep industry.

6-31:14 Grazing Improvement Act

BE IT DIRECTED that ASI supports the principles ofthe Grazing Improvement Act but has concerns withcertain provisions in the Senate reported bill, whichneed to be addressed before final passage and fullindustry support.

7-16:14 USMARC (U.S. Meat AnimalResearch Center)

BE IT DIRECTED that ASI evaluate and articulatethe American sheep industry’s needs and expectationsfor the U. S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC)to include:1. Quantitative Genetics and Genomics2. Nutrition3. Sheep Health4. Lamb Meat Quality and Safety

BE IT FURTHER DIRECTED that ASI convey thisinformation to appropriate ARS program and adminis-trative staff and have a presence in those processesdetermining future direction of the USMARC.

7-17:14 USSES (U.S. Experiment Station)

BE IT DIRECTED that ASI evaluate and articulate theAmerican sheep industry’s needs and expectations forthe U. S. Sheep Experiment Station (USSES) to include:1. Sheep Breeding and Genetics2. Range Management and Nutrition3. Animal/Range Interface

BE IT FURTHER DIRECTED that ASI convey thisinformation to appropriate ARS program and adminis-trative staff and have a presence in those processesdetermining future direction of the USSES.

10-50:14 Participation in LivestockIndemnity Program (LIP)

BE IT DIRECTED that ASI work with USDA on theimplementation of LIP, particularly including such issuesas a definition of “Beginning Inventory” and “AdverseWeather Determination,” to allow all sheep operationsto successfully participate in the program.

10-51:14 Reverse Trends of theSheep Industry

BE IT DIRECTED that all segments of the industryaccept the change that is required to reverse the trendsthat threaten the survival of the sheep industry and mayprevent participation of young entrepreneurs.

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American Sheep Industry Association, Inc.9785 Maroon Circle, Suite 360Englewood, CO 80112-2692

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