I've been accepted as one of thirty-two participants for this sheep industry leadership school in Columbus, Ohio at Ohio State University.  There have only been three others from the State of Florida since it has been offered.  

The program objective is to provide a greater understanding of meat quality and marketing to enable producers to increase the competitiveness of their lamb products and the profitability of their operations. Participants evaluate live animals, observe harvesting techniques, learn about carcass evaluation and grading, and take a hands-on role in the fabrication of the carcasses into wholesale and retail products.

The 2010 Howard Wyman Sheep Industry Leadership School will be an intensive four-day program combining Ohio State University’s popular Lamb 509 program with the site tours and one-on-one small group format utilized by previous Leadership Schools.

The sheep and goat industry are important in Florida because the weather allows for year round breeding naturally.  In colder areas of the United States, hormones are used to induce females to breed to help overcome the seasonal limitations in the marketplace.  Both sheep and goat are becoming a staple in the diet of informed Americans.