SOJAA Benefits of Membership

Volume Discounts

Recent bulk buys include alpaca socks, Norm Evans Field Manual (2nd edition), microchips and chip readers, feed supplements, shearing, hay and hay testing equipment, cria resuscitation kits and custom embroidered clothing.

Meetings

Regular meetings are organised throughout the year with relevant and interesting guest speakers. Either at special member only low rates or often at no additional cost. Topics such as: Inserting microchips, testing hay, showing fleeces, BVDV in alpacas, farm and ranch insurance have all been featured.

Show Time

AlpacaMania our annual AOBA Certified Alpaca Show. Is your chance to be involved in staging the friendliest alpaca show in the world.

Internet Activity

The SOJAA web site includes details of members’ farms, access to alpaca discussion forums, library of articles, and member mass mailing facility - all of which combine to ensure you stay informed of industry issues and other relevant topics. Members are also able to use the SOJAA "Alpaca Marketplace" to promote animals that they have for sale or hire.

Advertising

From time to time SOJAA place advertisements in suitable publications. These ads are designed to attract internet traffic to the SOJAA web site and then to your farm…the rest is up to you!

Fellowship

The opportunity to meet and get to know like minded alpaca breeders who value integrity and friendship but often have differing views on alpaca topics such as say breed standards. All views are welcome.

Knowledge Pool

Within the SOJAA membership, we have a wealth of talented people. People who will share their knowledge and experience on just about any subject you can think of: processing fibre, spinning yarn, alpaca husbandry, marketing, web design, barn construction, pasture maintenance, hay analysis and many more.

Industry Support

Each year SOJAA make a substantial donation to organisations associated with alpaca welfare. In 2005 for example SOJAA donated an endoscope to the Camelid Facility at Oregon State University. In 2006 SOJAA donated equipment to combat hypothermia in alpaca cria.

Veterinary Scholarships

New in 2006 were a number of scholarships. These scholarships are offered to enable young vets to attend specialist camelid courses at OSU. This initiative helps build the expertise and enthusiasm for alpacas among vets in the areas where we live.

Grants

Each year SOJAA makes available a limited number of grants to support activities that promote the alpaca industry such as Fibre on the Foot.

Charities

SOJAA supported two charities in 2005: ACCESS and Southern Oregon Humane Society.

The Bottom Line

As with many things in life, what you get out of your membership will depend to a large extent on what you put in.

"The powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?"