Message from the President,

I would like to introduce the 2011 AMLA Board of Directors to you:

• President: Pam Fink
• Vice President:  Darlene Awarski
• Secretary: Phyllis Wilkerson
• Treasure: Pat Behrens
• Registrar: Sue Morgan

Please do not hesitate to contact some or all of us with your concerns, suggestions, thoughts or to volunteer to work on a AMLA project.

I would like to start my message by sharing with you a few changes we have made to our newsletter.

1. Over the course of 2011 there will be 12 electronic newsletters going out to all AMLA members.
2. Each newsletter will include a President's Message that will focus on updating the membership on what the board is currently working on, thinking about or just staring to talk about.  
3. All AMLA members will be allowed to advertise, on a rotating basis, their farm AT NO CHARGE in the newsletter.  Please email or mail (Pam Fink, 65 Windy Valley Lane, Blue Ridge, GA 30513) a copy of your farm’s business card to me and your farm ad will be added to the rotation.  Based on current membership your farm ad should appear at least 4 times over the course of the year.
4. Crias are what makes all of our hearts go pitter patter so we would like to add some cria pictures to as many newsletter issues as possible.  Please email new cria pictures to me and I will make sure we all have a chance to share our pride and joy(s) with everyone.
5. In the February, May, August and November issues there will be a “Featured Farm” article.  Sue Morgan has agreed to take on this project so if you would like your farm to be “Featured” please contact Sue and she will explain how to submit your article and farm picture.
6. Every issue possible will include at least one llama health article.  If you have an article, would like to write an article or know of someone who has llama health information please contact Pam so we can schedule when your article will appear.
7. We want the newsletter to be about AMLA members and not just too AMLA members so if you have any interesting, informative, funny or important stories as well as any fun facts to share with the group please let me know and I will make sure to include your information in the next issue.    
8. We would like to include upcoming show information whenever possible so if you have a show coming up in your area please let me know so it can be included in the next issue.
   
   

Membership Dues are due for 2011.  Please send your $25 farm membership dues to ILR as soon as possible.

Registration Fees - Something we are considering and would like your input in is raising the mini llama registration fees for NON-AMLA members.  The board feels AMLA members should receive preferred pricing and non-AMLA members should pay premium pricing.  What are your thoughts?  What do you think non-AMLA members should pay for registering their:

• immature
• mature
• mature without immature registration

AMLA Advertising - The board is considering spending some money this year advertising AMLA and the fact that there is such a thing as “Mini Llamas”.  What are your thoughts, about how much should we spend and where we should spend it.  We would also like to know if any of you would like to serve on the advertising committee. 

Our Web Site has become very stagnate.  It is time for some NEW content.  If you have any information, pictures or even a funny show story I would love to add it to our web site.  Please forward anything you would like added to our web site to Pam.

Our Annual Meeting will be held at the Heartland Classic Llama and Alpaca Show April 30th and May 1st. More information will be in our February and March newsletters. If at all possible please plan on attending.

As you can see your board has hit the ground running.  We look forward to working with the membership to help AMLA grow, generate excitement in the llama world as well as the general public for Miniature Llamas.

Sincerely,
Pam Fink
AMLA President

Upcoming Shows that include Minis

Virginia Classic Llama and Alpaca Show
March 12 - 13, 2011
Held at the Virginia Horse Center
Lexington Virginia
Deadline to Enter: February 15, 2011

Heartland Classic Llama & Alpaca Show
Sanctioning: ILR – SD Sanctioned
Date: April 30 and May 1,, 2011
Location: Iowa

Ozark Classic Llama & Alpaca Show
Sanctioning: ILR – SD and ALSA Sanctioned
Date: April 30 and May 1,, 2011
Location: Sedalia, Mo
Contact: Mary Beeson
Phone#: 417-581-6692

Indy 400 and Indy 500 Llama Show
Sanctioning: ILR – SD and ALSA Sanctioned
Date: May 2011
Location: Hamilton Country Fairgrounds, Noblesville, IN

Llama Body Condition

Have you always wondered what a healthy llama should look like? Attached is a chart that might help you.

USDA Announces New Framework for Animal Disease Traceability

USDA Press Release

WASHINGTON — Agriculture Secretary Vilsack announced today that USDA will develop a new, flexible framework for animal disease traceability in the United States, and undertake several other actions to further strengthen its disease prevention and response capabilities.

“After concluding our listening tour on the National Animal Identification System in 15 cities across the country, receiving thousands of comments from the public and input from States, Tribal Nations, industry groups, and representatives for small and organic farmers, it is apparent that a new strategy for animal disease traceability is needed,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. "I’ve decided to revise the prior policy and offer a
new approach to animal disease traceability with changes that respond directly to the feedback we heard."

The framework, announced today at the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) Mid-Year meeting, provides the basic tenets of an improved animal disease traceability capability in the United States. USDA’s efforts will:

• Only apply to animals moved in interstate commerce;
• Be administered by the States and Tribal Nations to provide more flexibility;
• Encourage the use of lower-cost technology;
• Be implemented transparently through federal regulations and the full rulemaking process.

“One of my main goals for this new approach is to build a collaborative process for shaping and implementing our framework for animal disease traceability,” said Vilsack. “We are committed to working in partnership with States, Tribal Nations and industry in the coming months to address many of the details of this framework, and giving ample opportunity for farmers and ranchers and the public to provide us with continued input through this process.”

One of USDA’s first steps will be to convene a forum with animal health leaders for the States and Tribal Nations to initiate a dialogue about the possible ways of achieving the flexible, coordinated approach to animal disease traceability we envision. Additionally, USDA will be revamping the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Animal Health to address specific issues, such as confidentiality and liability.

Although USDA has a robust system in place to protect U.S. agriculture, with today’s announcement, the Department will also be taking additional actions to further strengthen protections against the entry and spread of disease. These steps will include actions to lessen the risk from disease introduction, initiating and updating analyses on how animal diseases travel into the country, improving response capabilities, and focusing on greater collaboration and analyses with States and industry on potential disease risk overall.

More information on USDA’s new direction on animal traceability and the steps to improve disease prevention and control is available at http://www.aphis.usda.gov/traceability.

Board Members
Pam Fink,President
Darlene Awarski,Vice President
Phyllis Wilkerson, Secretary
Pat Behrens, Treasurer
Sue Morgan, Registrar

Membership
AMLA membership dues must be sent to ILR. ILR is responsible for maintaining our membership list. Dues are $25 per farm and membership runs the calendar year.

Registration
Individual llama registrations must be sent to ILR. You will receive a combined ILR-AMLA registration paper for each mini llama you register or upgraded.

Fees for AMLA registration are:
Initial Registration: $10
Immature to Mature Status $6 Checks should be made payable to AMLA and sent to PO Box 8, Kalispell, Mt 59903. If you have any questions email ILRA at amla@lamaregistry.com

Annual Web site Ads
All breeder ads, both photos and copy, should be emailed to Pam Fink and the $50 fee should be made payable to ALMA and mailed to Pat Behrens, 1076 Harrods Creek Rd, Paris, Kentucky 40361

Newsletter Ad s
Business card farm ad are free to all AMLA members. Please email a copy of your farm business card should to Pam Fink. The number of ads used each month will depend on space availability .


Julie & Derek Sines
1132 W, Woodrow Rd.
Shelby, MI 49455
231-742-0931



Darlene & Ken Awarski
5265 Norris Run Rd.
Blacksburg, VA
540-808-8664



Joyce & Pete Barber
506 Jones Rd.
Mill Springs, NC 28756
828-625-4132



Sue & George Morgan
33693 Hibernia St.
Frontenac, MN 55026
651-380-2236



Tami & Merle Mann
2605 Luminary Lane
Oskaloosa, IA 52577
641-673-7740



Pam & Jerry Fink
65 Windy Valley Lane
Blue Ridge, GA 30513
706-258-2432

AMLA's Newsletter editor and Web Master is Pam Fink.
Comments on how to improve both are encouraged. Please feel free to send comments, suggestions corrections etc.
to Pam anytime.

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