September 2016
It has been a busy month. Sept 1st started with a booth at the South Dakota State Fair and an opportunity to talk with Governor Dennis Daugaard about the project ant the impact it could have for South Dakotans, not only those with neurologic disease but also those in rural areas. Sept. 16 brought the new SD Secretary of Agriculture, Mike Jaspers, to the farm for a tour and meeting. Interest continues to grow as we continue to make contacts and bring awareness to the project about the humanitarian, as well as the economic impact, it could have on the state. Sheep producers continue to inquire about joining the project. Sheep producers from Ohio, with careers in the medical field, as well as an Oregon sheep producer whose sons have HD have contacted us. We have shifted gears for grant opportunities to Small Business Innovation Research and Technology Transfer. We are working with the Graduate Education and Applied Research Center at the South Dakota Public University and Research Center (University Center) to develop necessary protocols for Current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) of GM1, to comply with the regulations enforced by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). They will also be able to help with genetic testing. Additionally, we have been busy with sheep, marketing, and processing lambs, adding fall lambs to the flock, and putting up corn silage for winter feed.
We continue to push forward for the families we have gotten to know, as they deal with the cruelest disease known to man. GM1 deserves its chance to be tested!