Elevate Ewe is designed for beginning sheep producers who want to develop or improve a full or part-time sheep operation. Participation in Elevate Ewe is a great opportunity to increase knowledge of all aspects of the sheep industry and improve skills needed to be successful shepherds. The program is open to people with 10 years or less of management experience in sheep production. If not currently involved in sheep production, participants must show a strong desire to manage a sheep operation in the future. The program will run from September 2024 through August 2025.
Program delivery will feature a combination of workshops, webinars, hands-on field days, and networking opportunities. Throughout the course participants can expect to receive hands-on experience working with sheep and a step-through process of developing a personalized business management plan. Whether a participant has ten or thousands of sheep this course is designed to help mitigate risk and increase overall success in raising sheep. Participants can also expect additional assistance through personalized, one-on-one consultation visits to their own operation.
The Elevate Ewe Program involves face-to-face workshops, webinars, South Dakota industry tours, producer visits, and networking and mentoring opportunities.
- Webinars: At least four webinars will be utilized to cover introductions to the program, basic nutrition, and additional producer panel discussions. Participants will be required to have a computer/device with high-speed internet access, and preferably camera capabilities to fully engage.
- South Dakota industry tours: Two trips will expose participants to several facets of live animal, wool, and meat product markets. Information about auction markets, wool buyers, and lamb marketing will be explored. Hands-on experiences with sheep handling, wool testing, and lamb fabrication will be incorporated. Primary locations will be SDSU Sheep Unit and Meat Lab in Brookings, Newell Sheep Yards in Newell, and Center of the Nation Wool warehouse in Belle Fourche to name a few.
- Sheep producer tours: Successful sheep producers will host tours of their operations and share insights into history, management, business or marketing plans, and decision-making criteria. Classroom and hands-on opportunities will be paired with producer tours to enhance the learning experiences.
- Networking and mentoring: Participants will interact with each other, successful producers, and other experts to develop relationships that improve the sustainability and success of individual operations. Experts include SDSU faculty and staff, state and federal partners, NGO staff, and industry representatives. One of the primary networking opportunities will be the 2024 South Dakota Sheep Growers Association Annual Convention in Rapid City on September 27-28, 2024.
Application Process
Please use the form on the event page below to apply for the Elevate Ewe Program. All applications are welcome, but preference will be given to applicants who have been actively managing a sheep operation for 10 years or less of their adult life. Consider “adult life” as starting after formal education (i.e., high school/technical school/college) and when management decisions were controlled by you. If you have questions, please contact Jaelyn Whaley, SDSU Extension Sheep Field Specialist.
