DENVER — Ohio’s Don Van Nostran received the American Wool Council Wool Excellence Award at the American Sheep Industry Association’s“>American Sheep Industry annual convention, Jan. 26-28 in Scottsdale, Ariz.
Bob Woodbury, of from Woodbury Wool in Colorado, also received the honor.
Co-op leader
Van Nostran retired from Mid-States Wool Growers Cooperative Association in 2008 after spending 19 years as its general manager.
During his tenure, he developed a new automated grading system for handling wool. This process increased the cooperative’s efficiency, saving it both time and money.
In addition to the new processes, Van Nostran served as a liaison between the cooperative and the producers.
“Don is both an innovator and a forward thinker. Everyone that worked with Don knew that all they needed was a handshake when doing business with Mid-States,” said Darrell Keese, Keese International.
Van Nostran and his wife currently operate a small sheep farm in Ohio.
Ohio farm honored
The Moore family of Cottage Hill Farm, Flushing, Ohio, received the national Environmental Stewardship Award. The sixth, seventh and eighth generations of the Moore family currently work on the farm and show a commitment to environmental stewardship through everyday management practices with their sheep flock.
The farm, deeded in 1810, has grown to be an operation of more than 1,000 ewes.
The Moores have implemented numerous conservation practices, and have worked closely with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service to construct fence, spring developments and stock tanks and hundreds of feet of pipeline, and to create an approved nutrient management plan.
They also practice intensive grazing practices, which include forage analysis to improve the quality and quantity of pastures; use horses, rather than motorized vehicles, to save energy and produce a calmer atmosphere; and protect streams by planned manure applications outside buffer zones.
Rick and Marcia Moore accepted the award on behalf of the family.
Other awards
Lorin Moench Jr. from Salt Lake City, Utah, received the McClure Silver Ram Award for his lifetime of achievement and dedication to supporting the American sheep industry.
Moench has served the American Sheep Industry Association in most leadership capacities and on most sheep-related committees, teams and task forces over the past several decades, including serving as ASI president, Utah Wool Growers Association president and American Lamb Board chair.
He runs a commercial flock of around 10,000 ewes,.
The Camptender Award was presented to G. F. Kennedy, DVM, of Pipestone, Minn., for his mentoring of countless veterinary students over the past 50 years.
Kennedy has also taken the lead role in many issues related to sheep health, including vitamin E levels, baby lamb health, nutrition and scrapie., and has developed nutritional products that have saved many a lamb.
The California Farm Bureau Federation’s Communications Department received the Shepherd’s Voice for Media Award.
Ben Powell from Tennessee was recognized for 50 years of industry service as the Tennessee Sheep Producers Association‘s secretary/treasurer from 1961 through 2011.
The association was incorporated in 1955 with Powell as a charter member. Powell’s father served as treasurer until 1961 when the two positions were combined, and Powell began his service.
