Not a New Year Resolution: A New Industry Resolution

written by Ciaba co-founders Val Newell and Robin Alpert

Hello everyone,

“To everything there is a season.”

In life, things are always changing…. It is much the same with our industry.  We have all seen alpaca prices drop all over the country, and drop dramatically.  We can look at this reality in two ways: we can grumble and get disheartened as some may have done, or we can use this opportunity to create something that really should have been created 20 years ago.  Simply put, we are farmers of fiber animals.  Our alpacas are capable, (with good care and nutrition), of supplying valuable and useful “green” fiber to us for many, many years.  They are a sustainable source of fiber for us now and in the future.

What is Currently Happening ?

Since the dramatic decline in prices for alpacas, many may not yet be aware but there are beautiful alpacas being sent to some auctions for slaughter. Yes, this is not a “fun” subject to bring to the fore, but it is true, and you personally can do something about it.

Rationale

How, you may ask?  Well think about it.  Why are we repeatedly breeding a fiber animal without first creating a fiber industry?  Have we not built a house without a foundation?  Folks, now is the time, this is the season to change our thinking.
We may have bags and bags of fiber in our barns.  Why?  First, we may not know what to do with it.  Second, because the cost to process it can be nearly $40.00 per pound and then we all have to become our own sales managers with stores or websites to sell our products.  What we need to do: create a demand for our fiber. How do we do this?  By finding out what the best use for our fiber is. We need to grade and sort our fiber or have it done by someone who can.  We need to know HOW to produce fiber for production, and how to put that fiber into production.  We need to make a profit on our fiber, thus making it more profitable to harvest fiber from alpacas instead of meat.

Creating a Fiber Industry and BRANDING

In order to create a fiber industry we need some type of system.  We need some kind of “sameness” across the country.  We need to look at those who are creating products and those who are sorting / grading and see the results.
There are co-ops right now one can join and pool together grades of fiber thus getting standardized systems across country.  We cannot “brand” alpaca if some type of standardization system is not adopted across the board.
This measured predictability is what drives demand.

If a company that produces fabric wants a certain grade fiber, certain color, etc… we pool together, they BUY our fiber.  Presently, we have companies who would love to purchase fiber from the US farms if we could get ourselves together and give them what they need. Some people still say we don’t have enough fiber to supply the demand.  Well, isn’t that an interesting theory since many alpacas right now are being slaughtered?   Why on earth would we put more energy into destroying this national herd than in honorably creating a fiber demand? 

  Green for the Future

Never before has our country been so motivated to be “green”. Just Google the word “green” and see what comes up!  With all the support and innovations of the future right at our finger tips, we implore you to reach out and support the fiber industry

How?

Will AOBA’s “Build a Tent”* initiative help get the country together and on tract? It just may be the vehicle to inspire groups to work together.Will CIABA be the driving force helping to educate and connect the farmers to the processors and purchasers? It just might, especially if the groups mentioned above work together and with others.  

Will the Certified Sorting System be the way of the future for grading and sorting in this country? The Certified Sorting System is a consistent grading and sorting system presently in place in the U.S. with unparalleled quality control standards, and they maintain a precise and accurate data base with the most comprehensive fiber statistics ever compiled in the nation.  AFCNA and The Blanket Project also use a grading system, but there are differences in the systems.  Will there be a way that all will be able to come together and create a standardized grading system?  These are all questions that must be answered.  Someone has to lead the way.

There is an old saying, “If you do what you always did, you get what you always got,” and another, “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results is the definition of insanity.”  It is time to change not only what we are doing, but how we are thinking… and the hardest thing to change is ourselves.

In closing, we ask that you please consider how you think we, as a nation of farmers, can pull together to strengthen our fiber industry.  Lend a hand, an idea, think of the greater good.  If our motives and ideas are far reaching, they will indeed be the arms that will reach back to every one of us!  Pay it forward.  We have a fabulous opportunity in this momentous time as we are on the horizon of a new industry in this country.  It is exciting!  Where will it take us?  Pack your bags and let’s just see!
 

*Some have asked, what is Build a Tent all about?  No tent ever stands by itself or gets erected without man power.  In order for a tent to be constructed, it needs a support system that comes together.  If the supports are scattered, the tent cannot be stretched to enclose and protect and you end up with nothing constructed.  All the supports do not have to be the same size, but they do need to work together and cooperate to build a tent.

**CIABA respects and honors everyone's right to make an individual decision.

Let us all continue to demonstrate our passion for supporting our fiber industry by supporting
 the Cottage Industry Alpaca Breeders Association.