The Dairy Sheep Association of North America (DSANA) is made up of dairy sheep producers, sheep-milk cheesemakers and processors, and industry supporters, including suppliers, technicians, consultants, and educators. Our goal is to improve our industry, support our producers and processors, and promote our sheep-milk products. For 25 years we have held our annual Symposium at locations all over North America. We have heard presentations that have enlightened and guided us, gone on farm tours that have taught and inspired us, and lately, attended cheesemaking workshops that grow our community’s skillset. Our volunteer Board, and our committees, are working to offer our members tools that can be used to improve the sustainability of their operations, and to provide programs that will strengthen our community. How can you become involved? Join us! Join DSANA, and then join one of our committees.
Mission
The Dairy Sheep Association of North America (DSANA) is made up of dairy sheep producers, sheeps-milk cheesemakers and processors, and industry supporters, including suppliers, educators, and researchers.
DSANA strives to grow the sheep dairy industry through education, promotion, and community building by:
Providing tools for dairy sheep management by educating, supporting, and encouraging new and established sheep milk dairies, farmsteads, and artisanal sheep milk cheese-makers.
Building community among sheep milk producers, cheese makers and processors, by encouraging cooperation and the exchange of information.
Promoting the products manufactured from sheep milk.
Helping producers organize activities for the genetic improvement of dairy sheep in North America.
Endeavoring to inform and educate the public as to the merits and availability of sheep dairy products.
Striving to help foster international understanding and the free exchange of ideas between North American-based producers, and fellow producers and processors abroad.
History
November 1-3, 2001 – Decision made at the 7th Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, to form the Dairy Sheep Association of North America. Nancy Clark, New York, elected the interim/organizational President.
June 26, 2002 – DSANA by-laws, written by Nancy Clark, New York; Alistair McKenzie, Quebec; Carol Delaney, Vermont; and Charles Capaldi, Wisconsin, were adopted.
November 7, 2002 - Charter Meeting of DSANA held at the 8th Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
DSANA’s Presidents
2002 – 2004: Nancy Clark, New York
2004 – 2005: Mike Thonney, New York
2005 – 2007: Larry Meisegeier, Wisconsin
2007 – 2009: Claire Mikolayunas, Wisconsin
2009 – 2011: Bill Halligan, Nebraska
2011 – 2012: Laurel Kieffer, Wisconsin
2012 – 2013: Bill Halligan, Nebraska
2013 – 2015: Michael Histon, Maryland
2015 – 2017: Laurel Kieffer, Wisconsin
2017 – 2019: Bee Tolman, New York
Locations of the Dairy Sheep Symposia
1995. 1st Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium. Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Yves Berger, Chair
1996. 2nd Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium. Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Yves Berger, Chair
1997. 3rd Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium. Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Yves Berger, Chair
1998. 4th Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium. Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Yves Berger, Chair
1999. 5th Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium. Brattleboro, Vermont, USA; Carol Delaney, Chair
2000. 6th Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium. Guelph, Ontario, Canada; Axel Meister, Chair
2001. 7th Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium. Eau Claire, Wisconsin, USA; Yves Berger, Chair
2002. 8th Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium. Ithaca, New York, USA; Michael Thonney, Chair
2003. 9th Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium. Québec, Québec, Canada; Lucille Giroux, Chair
2004. 10th Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium. Hudson, Wisconsin, USA; Yves Berger, Chair
2005. 11th Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium. Burlington, Vermont, USA; Carol Delaney, Chair
2006. 12th Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium. La Crosse, Wisconsin, USA; Yves Berger, Chair
2007. 13th Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium. Guelph, Ontario, Canada; Eric Bzikot, Chair
2008. 14th Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium. Maryville, Tennessee, USA; Claire Mikolayunas,Chair 2009. 15th Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium. Albany, New York, USA; Claire Mikolayunas, Chair
2010. 16th Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium. Eau Claire, Wisconsin, USA; Claire Mikolayunas,Chair 2011. 17th Great Lakes Dairy Sheep Symposium. Petaluma, California, USA; Cynthia Callahan, Chair
2012. 18th DSANA Symposium. Dulles, Virginia, USA; Laurel Kieffer, Chair
2013. 19th DSANA Symposium. Cambridge, Ontario, Canada; Eric Bzikot, Chair
2014. 20th DSANA Symposium. Chehalis, Washington; Terry Felda, Brad &Megan Gregory, Co-Chairs
2015. 21st DSANA Symposium. Madison, Wisconsin, USA; Brenda Jensen &David Thomas – Co-Chairs
2016. 22nd DSANA Symposium. Ithaca, New York, USA; Michael Thonney, Chair
2017. 23rd DSANA Symposium. Orford, Quebec, Canada; Marie-Chantal Houde, Chair
2018. 24th DSANA Symposium. Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Sarah Hoffmann, Chair