FORT WORTH, Texas — Dr. Kim Stackhouse-Lawson – a professor in the department of Animal Sciences at Colorado State University and the Director of AgNext – will be the keynote speaker at the 2023 ASI Annual Convention’s Opening Session on Jan. 19.
While much of her research has centered around cattle, Stackhouse-Lawson is no stranger to the sheep industry. According to a press release from CSU, she grew up on a small ranch in rural California and was involved in 4-H as well as Future Farmers of America. Although her parents didn’t come from a livestock background, “They thought it was important for my brother and me to raise animals,” she said. “By the time I was in sixth grade, my one-sheep 4-H project had grown to 60 ewes.”
With that experience grew an appreciation for the land and the connection between it and the animals. As her flock was expanding, the family also moved to a larger ranch.
“The ranch we purchased had been burned in the Fountain Fire, which is the reason our family was able to afford it. As foresters by trade, my parents knew how to replant the 420 acres, which we then grazed with my sheep for weed and brush control,” she said. “I grew up watching the intricate way nature and domestic animals depend on and interact with one another, and fell in love.”
“I have dedicated my career to on-the-ground initiatives that I believe are making a difference in feeding the world sustainably,” Stackhouse-Lawson said. “I am excited to advance the sustainability of the livestock supply chain, including the natural resources that our food system depends on.”
And that’s her main focuse at AgNext, which utilizes a multidisciplinary approach to advance sustainable solutions for animal agriculture. Prior to leading AgNext, Stackhouse-Lawson was the director of sustainability for JBS USA where she was responsible for coordinating the company’s corporate sustainability program and strategy. She also served as executive director of global sustainability at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, where she developed the industry’s sustainability program.
2023 ASI Annual Convention Information
–American Sheep Industry Association