Global Sheep Forum a chance for community to connect, learn

George Tatham

The Global Sheep Producers Forum (GSPF) members, including Beef + Lamb New Zealand, will meet in Toronto for the fourth annual Global Sheep Forum.

Other GSPF members include the American Lamb Board, British National Sheep Association, Canadian Sheep Federation, National Sheep Association, National Wool Growers' Association of South Africa, and Sheep Producers Australia.

“The aim of the GSPF is to provide a common voice for the global sheep community that reflects a collective vision of the future sustainability of the sector,” said George Tatham, B+LNZ's board director, who will attend the meeting.

“The GSPF strives to foster global collaboration in order to develop evidenced and united positions and collective actions that address the shared challenges and opportunities facing those in the sheep industry, irrespective of global boundaries.

“It is important to connect with our international counterparts in order to have a united voice,” Mr Tatham said.

“The GSPF brings together producers all around the world who share a passion for sheep farming.

“We want to provide a platform for farmers to connect, share knowledge and learn from each other.

“We also want to demonstrate to the public that they can be confident that sheep products such as meat, wool and milk are ethical and environmentally friendly choices,” he said.

The Next Generation Global Sheep Forum is an important aspect of the GSPF and one of its purposes is to share information and support sheep farming around the world by connecting young farmers through an interview recorded as a podcast and hosted by AgWatchers.

The first two podcasts were launched this month, with one featuring Nicholas Jolly, B+LNZ's senior trade policy adviser.

The aim is to educate but also entertain, to have engaging conversations with those involved in agriculture, AgWatchers' Andrew Whitelaw said.

“By supporting the Next Generation Global Sheep Forum, we hope to learn from sheep producers worldwide, and in turn our listeners will gain knowledge and insights.”

Looking to the future, B+LNZ wants to hear from young New Zealand farmers who would like to be involved with the GSPF, Mr Tatham said.

“We want to connect them with their international counterparts. The podcasts are just the beginning of how we will do this.”

• New Zealand sheep farmers who want to get involved can contact Mr Jolly at