Dear Members,
The Maine Sheep Breeders Association is back and active in 2026. We’ve had a productive 9 months rebuilding the foundation of our organization and have lots of ideas for the future. With fall now in full color, it’s time to start thinking about some important end-of-year dates plus implementing some of the changes that the board has been working on. And with elections right around the corner, membership support will be needed in both leadership positions and serving on committees. Here are some highlights of what’s been happening and where we need your help:
Membership votes to approve changes to the bylaws – The MSBA Board of Directors spent much time during late spring and early summer redrafting the bylaws for the organization. The previous document was last updated in 1995! It sorely needed refreshing. The board fully recognizes that with such a major rewrite, we may need to revisit the bylaws annually for minor tweaks or additions until we reach a level of comfort that the document works as intended. Any updates to the bylaws must be approved by membership, so your vote counts. Around December 1st, you will receive a copy of the final draft of our working bylaws for your review. Beginning in mid-December, voting will begin for new board members, and at that time, we will ask for your approval of the revised bylaws as well.
Membership fees established for 2027 – Part of revising the bylaws was to consider how much to charge to be a member of MSBA. The board spent more time on this one topic than any other. In the end, we arrived at a fee structure that we thought would balance the needs of our operating expenses while maximizing retention of our existing members. Here’s the breakdown:
Individual Membership – annual payment of $40 (allows 1 vote)
Farm/Family Membership – annual payment of $60 (i.e., 1.5X indiv member fee) (2 votes)
Lifetime Membership – one-time fee of $400 (i.e., 10X indiv member fee) (1 vote)
Youth or Student Membership – no charge – youth <18 years old or any student enrolled at a Maine College or University (no voting privileges)
Fees will be effective for 2027 starting November 1, 2026. For more details on membership levels reach out to a board member or visit our website in early November. While you’re there, please check out the benefits of being a member of MSBA.
Coming soon – Please look for additional outreach from MSBA over the next 2 months including:
An appeal for volunteers to help on committees
Nominations for 2027 board of directors
Improved communications via a quarterly or bimonthly newsletter
Open board meetings for improved engagement and broader participation from membership
Educational programming at our annual meeting during the Maine Ag Trade Show in January
Thanks for your support as we continue to rebuild our organization.
Tom
Thomas P. Hodgman
President, Maine Sheep Breeders Association