Eastern Montana Consolidated Wool Pool 2002

Garfield County Wool Pool

January 25, 2002

Dear Sheep Producers,

  This letter is an invitation to join the Garfield County Wool Pool under a new consolidation program the pool is participating in this year.  The program was developed by the Extension Service and funded by the Department of Agriculture (as explained below).  The over all mission of this proposal is to create an incentive to improve wool quality, package uniformity, and a larger volume to attract the attention of specific buyers.  To participate, producers must be a member of a wool pool.  There is a $1.00 fee to join the Garfield County wool pool, a $.03 per 100 weight handling fee and $.04 per pound State Wool Grower Dues. 

  Included in this letter is a description of the lines of wool that have been developed for this program and some shearing guidelines.  There is a card that you need to fill out indicating the number and type of wool fleeces you will have in 2002 (Please return this to Garfield County Extension Office by February 15, 2002).  It will be the responsibility of the grower to assure that the person(s) shearing and baling the wool follow the guidelines.

  The purpose of the Consolidated Pools is to increase the volume of wool to be offered and sort the wool into several lines or grades to entice specific buyers.  The process will be for pool participants to deliver wool locally as normal.  At the time of delivery, the producer would receive a weigh ticket as well as a visual classification of the wool provided by a certified ASI wool grader.  Wool from the pool will be transported to a storage facility in Jordan.  The wool will be placed in line grades and core tested.  One representative from each pool will serve on a Bid Committee representing the Consolidated Eastern Montana Wool Pool Market.  Wool will be offered to buyers by sealed bid.

  In the packaging requirements, it is required that bales weigh between 350 and 450 pounds.  If you do not shear enough sheep to fill a bale, place the fleeces in a non-contaminated sack, plastic or nylon is preferable (burlap, white poly feed sacks, and blue poly tarps are contaminated sources).  A baler will be available on delivery day to repackage these smaller quantities.  You must indicate re-baling requirements on your fleece count card.

  A grant has been secured to cover the additional cost of processing the wool (cost of the grader, re-handling charge and storage cost, and core test costs) for the 2002 clip.

  We hope you will consider joining the Garfield County Wool Pool.  Samples of wool which fit in the Fine and Choice lines may be seen in the Extension Office.   If you have any questions, please call the Garfield County Extension Office (557-2770).

This is a value added marketing effort - the goal is to add value to your wool through creating a larger amount of same type wool to offer for sale. The success of the program relies on your commitment to preparing and sorting your wool so that it can be marketed at its highest potential value. Please try to follow these guidelines as you prepare your wool for delivery

All wool will be packaged in a square bale containing only one type of wool and of acceptable weight and density.

Weight should be between 350 and 450 pounds per bale

If baling is not possible at shearing Baling can be done at delivery day

If wool is to be baled at delivery due to small lot or not having access to a baler the wool should be delivered in a manner that does not cause contamination

No Burlap or Polypropylene Packages

Deliver wool to delivery day only in approved packaging - incorrectly packaged wool will not be accepted

Shear the white-faced sheep first in mixed flocks to prevent contamination.

Sort off types of wool and package separately

Do not shear wet sheep

Keep the wool clean

Do not mix x-bred, speckled faced, brown faced or hairy type sheep with white face wool

Wool is only as valuable as the poorest in the bale

Wool should be sorted at the farm before packaging

Producer should pick the one line that represents the majority of their wool

Sort wool into another package that does not fit the major line

Wool will be sorted based on the following characteristics:

                    * Cleanliness, staple length, type and diameter or grade

Poly Twine contamination - if found, wool will be rejected from the program

Hair sheep or hair sheep cross breeds - this program has no line for this type of fiber and will not be accepted.

Wool will be cored and sold on a clean basis - represent the wool as it is so that it can be placed in the correct line. Following these guidelines will improve the value of all of the wool in the program.

The bag grader is not employed to determine the value of the wool.

The responsibility of the grader is to place each bale of wool in the proper line so that it can be properly represented to potential buyers.

Producers can assist the grading process by following the preparation steps.

The bag grader may place your wool in a different line than you intended.

Producers should use the bag grader as an opportunity to learn more about your clip.

                   Clean lines

Fine line - clean 62's and higher 2 1/4inch minimum staple length, high yielding

Choice line - clean, good length, 56's - 60's, no crossbred or hairy wool!!

White face regular - clean coarser type of wool, good yielding

Black face clean line - good length with minimum of vegetable matter and dirt

                    Other Lines

White face off sorts - could be low yielding, burry, chaffy, short, stained, variable grade etc.

Black face off sorts - same as above for white face