DENVER, Colo. — Outstanding U.S. sheep industry members were honored for their contributions to the industry at an awards luncheon held Jan. 25 at the American Sheep Industry Association/National Lamb Feeders Association Convention in Las Vegas, Nev.
The owners of Cline Sheep Farm in Albany, Ohio, Kurt and Wendy Cline, were the recipients of the Environmental Stewardship Award for their many conservation practices that allow them to raise sheep and forage with little or no negative impact to the environment.
Practices
They have implemented numerous conservation practices including heavy-use feed pads, paddock and exclusion fencing, water systems, nutrient management and rotational grazing. They currently have 100 ewes, but because of their successful rotational grazing, they plan to increase the flock to 200.
The Clines said that being environmental stewards allows them “to give generations the opportunity to have a working, profitable farm in the future.”
In addition to this award, Cline Sheep Farm has also been recognized with the Ohio Livestock Coalition’s Environmental Stewardship Award and was a featured stop on the Athens County Conservation Connection Tour in 2006.
Other winners
Other award recipients include: Cleve Dumdi of Junction City, Ore., received the McClure Silver Ram Award; Ben Bartlett of Traunik, Mich., received the Flock Guardian Award; Steve Smith of Abingdon, Va., was awarded the Camptender Award; Rick Haines of Twin Falls, Idaho, received the Shepherd’s Voice Award for Broadcast Media; and the Shepherd’s Voice Award for Print Media was awarded to Jerry Lackey of San Angelo, Texas.
