Meeting called to order by President Ryan Kish.  Treasurer’s Report given by Sec/Treasurer Clare Askew.  After the show and all expenses, we have $1980.00 in the bank.  That includes profit from show and raffle. 

 

Old Business:  Emails and survey sheets regarding the sale were passed around to the members at the meeting.  Most of the feedback was positive.  Suggestions from buyers were made about limiting the number of animal from any one breeder and having birth and weaning weights at least for the bucks sold.  It was also suggested we serve goat meat at the next sale.  We can do so, but we can�t charge for it unless we pay a $125 vendor fee.  But, we could give it away and ask for donations.  The fact that the restrooms are so far from the sales pen was brought up and it was suggested we look into renting port-a-potties or using the sheep barns and the south arena for the show.  Also it was suggested we have a hospitality table with coffee and hot water for hot chocolate and tea and some snacks.  We can have a donation jar for anyone who wants to donate for the goodies. The 4-H club that served food at the sale didn�t sell as much as they expected, so have frozen hamburger patties available for sale. Anyone interested in purchasing some of the patties, contact Wayne Gifford.  It was also suggested we have an information table with info about the meat goat industry.  Don Sperry and June Lee will look into purchasing panels so the club will have its own and not have to borrow them or improvise for pens next year.  We need pens that are easy to get in and out of if we are going to have a show. A motion was made and seconded to have Policies and Procedures for next years sale put in writing by the Sale Committee, Wayne Gifford, Gary Custer, Lynn Fowler, Janene Jones and Clare Askew and presented to the general membership to be voted on at the next meeting.  The reasons for this would be so everyone will know exactly how the sale will be run, how much fees will be, how many animals each seller will be allowed, how many does vs bucks there will be, or anything else that the membership feels needs to be in the policy.

 

Junior Members:  June Lee has several applications for junior members that would like to participate in the doeling project.  Linda Hernandez volunteered to be a mentor, but more are needed.  Linda, Don Sperry, June, Joanne Stoneman and Lindy Gifford volunteered to inspect the premises where the does will be going to make sure they will be properly cared for.

 

New Business:  The motion was made and seconded and passed by voice vote to have a two day show May 3 & 4 at the Payette County Fairgrounds in New Plymouth, Idaho.  It will be called the Cinco de Boer Show or the Boer de Mayo.   It would be ABGA sanctioned.  Anyone wanting to sell animals would be able to do so private treaty. (Post the fact the animal is for sale and the price on the pen.  There would be a pen fee, the amount to be determined).  There will be a wether lottery, with the wethers priced at $75 to $100.  The 4-H members would draw numbers to determine the order in which they could pick show wethers.  One judge suggested was Fred Homeyer, his charge is $800.00 for the weekend.  That includes a clinic.  Everyone is urged to contact vendors to sponsor prizes and for ads in the program.  The charge will be $25.00 which includes a business card ad in the program.  Rules for showing are on the ABGA website under ABGA Sanctioned Show Rules.  Entries in the show will cost $5 per head per day for early entry and $8.00 per head per day for late entries up to the day of the show.  Ads in program will be $10.00 for business card size, ¼ page will be $25.00, ½ page will be $50.00 and full page will be $100.00. 

 

Mark Harbaugh, a new member from Ashton, Idaho, gave a talk about using goats in the state noxious weed program.  He is a member of the Cooperative Weed Management Area.  There is $455 million in grant money available.  There are 8000 acres in Fremont County and 20,000 acres in Lemhi to be cleared at $40 per acre.  The website for information about the program is www.agri.idaho.gov/Categories/PlantsInsects/NoxiousWeeds.  The email address is weeds@agri.idaho.gov.  Phone number is (208) 334-2840.  Grant requests have to be in by November 20, 2007, but you won�t know until April whether or not you would get the grant you apply for.  Every County gets $10,000 for weed control from the State, plus there is usually a portion of your property tax that goes for weed control.  You can contact your county extension office to see how that money is spent and if there is any available for private use.  Anyone wanting to talk to Mark about the program, contact him at (208) 652-7070 or email mark_harbaugh@patagonia.com.

 

Our next meeting will be December 1st, at 1 pm at the Hampton Inn, north of Exit 38 in Nampa.  This is the first Nampa exit, the one where all the car dealerships are and the Idaho Center. 

 

It was decided to try a regular meeting room rather than a restaurant so we could conduct the meeting better.  The price is $75.00 which includes setting up the room and having  coffee and water service.  The association can pay for it or we can take donations from the members. 

 

I would like to encourage all of our 43 members to attend the next meeting.  Decisions will be made about the show and next years sale.  If you did or didn�t like the way things were done and you have suggestions for the future sale and ideas about the show, the only way your opinion will be heard is if you come and make it known at the meeting.  Also, election of new officers will be held at this meeting.  These will be the members who will help guide the association for the next year, so it�s important that everyone have their say.  Dues for 2008 will be due in January.  Anyone who paid from September 2007 on will be prorated at $1.50 per month.  So if you joined for the sale, you will only owe $14.00 for next year.

 

Please visit our website for current membership list and other information about the association.  We want to thank Becky Gates for doing such a beautiful job on it.  It is www.srmga.com           

 

Thanks and see you all at the next meeting.

Clara Askew
Secretary/Treasurer