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MOUNTAIN STATES LAMB AND WOOL COOPERATIVE COMPLETES PURCHASE OF MOUNTAIN STATES ROSEN

On September 17, 2008, Mountain States Lamb and Wool Cooperative acquired the remaining 50% of Mountain States Rosen. More specifics on the transaction will be included in an upcoming letter to the membership.

Mountain States Rosen was formed in 2003 when Mountain States Lamb and Wool Cooperative bought 50% of B. Rosen and Sons. B. Rosen started in the lamb business 60 years ago. Mountain States Rosen is the largest integrated distributor of domestic lamb and veal in the United States.

2008 ANNUAL MEETING

The Beartooth Mountains provided a beautiful backdrop for the Mountain States Cooperative Annual Meeting held July 16-17 in Red Lodge, Montana. More than 120 producers and family members attended the meeting.

The event kicked off on Wednesday evening with an enjoyable welcoming reception featuring lamb kebobs and assorted appetizers. The annual business meeting was held on Thursday. Financial statements were reviewed and the Mountain States Rosen purchase was discussed at length. David Gage and David Bernstein gave an update on MSR. The day concluded with an Open Forum in which members asked questions of the board and staff on a wide variety of topics.

Alex Glann, of Food and Fiber Risk Managers kicked off Friday with a comprehensive update and Q&A time on the LRP program. Powell Lamb Pool discussed their history and procedures for marketing lambs through the Co-op as a group. A field tour was held at Dean and Dena Spaulding’s operation. After touring Ben and Alice Ann Brown’s lamb operation, the group had lunch beside the Clark’s Fork River and learned about the history of the area.

We were again able to keep the cost to the members to a reasonable amount thanks to the generosity of the following sponsors:

Double J Feeders
JBS Swift
Houghton Hampshires
Mountain States Rosen
Dan Selle-Selle Livestock
Nugget International
Powell Lamb Pool

MEMBER LIST

We periodically receive a request from members for a directory of the names and addresses of all our Mountain States Lamb Cooperative members. Up until this point, we have not given the list out, even to members. We have provided our members with another member’s contact information when requested.

We do realize it would be a convenience and a potential value to our members to have this information. Therefore, the board has voted to make contact information available to members upon request. This is for members only and the information will not be available to outside parties or for solicitation. If you do not wish to be included on this list, please let the office know immediately.

Country of Origin Labeling

Mandatory Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) begins on September 30, 2008. There is still some uncertainty surrounding COOL, but USDA will be working with members of the supply chain and retailers over the next six months to reach compliance. The final COOL rules are not expected to be burdensome for producers to follow, but buyers will ask for more information than they have in the past.

While additional labeling categories exist, livestock producers need to be concerned with animals in two categories:

Product of the USA: born, raised and slaughtered in the U.S. or animals that have been continuously in the U.S. since on or before July 15, 2008. considered acceptable evidence on which the slaughter facility may rely to initiate the origin claim, provided it is signed by someone who has first-hand knowledge of the origin of the animal(s) and identifies the animal(s) unique to the transaction. Please see the enclosed Producer Affidavit that the Co-op will need from all producers.

Buyers should also request a signed affidavit from the seller identifying the date of sale, number of lambs, seller contact information, and the country where the animal was born and raised prior to sale. Buyers should retain the following records for at least two years to provide an audit trail:

Signed affidavits from the seller of livestock
Bill of Sale
Health and brand papers
Supporting documents *

Original Producers should maintain the following records:

Lambing Records
Inventory records that reconcile
Purchase and sales receipts
Supporting documents identified by the USDA*

*The supporting documents include: Income statement, balance sheet and other financial records. Scale tickets, purchase and sales receipts, feedlot closeout records, health records and shipping records and receipts.

TOP LAMBS

The top lambs in June were sent by Julian Land and Livestock, Kemmerer, Wyoming. Fed at Miller Feedlot in Worland, Wyoming, these lambs earned of $7.99 in market grid premiums and another $4.67 in natural premiums for a total average premium of $12.66 per head. The load was 87% yield grade 2’s.

Helle Livestock, Dillon, Montana had the top lambs in July. They were 96% yield grade 2’s and 3’s and averaged $7.11 in grid premiums. They also earned an additional $5.76 in natural premiums for a total average premium of $12.87 per head. These lambs were fed at Double J, Ault, Colorado.

The top August lambs were also fed at Double J. Lava Lake Land and Livestock topped the grid at $6.78 per head with a load that was 97% yield grade 2’s and 3’s. After qualifying for a natural premium of $5.56 per head, the lambs earned a total average premium of $12.34 per head.