Our mission is to promote alpacas as an economically viable and environmentally sustainable livestock to own in the USA.
Participation is by Application (with a one-time $30 Application fee in 2010) and/or via “sponsorship” by a Licensed A/USA Family member in good standing. Simply purchase products and/or services from a Participant named on this site, inquire about membership, and/or obtain their recommendation and sponsorship. Some participating farms even pay for the Application fee, so be sure to ask them about that! An A/USA Family member will then contact you for an interview and will provide answers to any questions you may have. Next, the simple, getting-to-know-you Application Form will be sent to you. Once you’ve submitted the Application Form with $30 fee, and are approved to come on board for the Premier movie and website, this document will be sent to you to be signed. Finally, the new Participant sends in their one time Admin/Set-up/Enrollment fee to be added to all databases, set up online as a Licensee of A/USA, and sent all start-up materials; new Participants then submit their Participation fee if they haven’t already.
Becoming an active part of this “Close-Knit Family” of alpaca businesses, farms and breeders enables you to promote your alpaca business optimally, and at a manageable cost. Note that we do not have a “busy” site with a varied and bright mix of outside advertisers on the site, taking focus away from our Participants’ farms and animals, products and services… You will be able to post events, upload pictures and other information, be featured on at least four to five places on the overall website (for no additional charges) in rotation with your fellow A/USA Family folks, sell anything you have to offer in your very own online store with PayPal capabilities, have an elegant home page with a link to any other site you may have, AND you’ll have your own URL you can print on your business cards and other materials.
Participation provides you with use of the impact movie under the terms of the Limited Use License Agreement. You will have the right to purchase high quality CD copies of the impact movie from A/USA – with a full-color label that has room on it for you to put your own contact information sticker, or you may design and order an approved label to be made with your own logo, farm colors and images (it should include our A/USA logo somewhere on it, even if small). As a participant in A/USA, you will be able to freely distribute your copies of the impact movie to potential customers. You will be able to put the movie right into your email signatures and directly onto your own web site. You’ll have the right to show the movie in your farm store, show booth and farm displays, in your barn during farm tours, and at any festivals and street fairs you may attend. Only about 1 percent of the available U.S. alpaca market presently has access to this site and the impact movies, so you will have unique, high-quality and extremely affordable marketing materials to help your business stand out “among the growing mass of alpaca enthusiasts.”
As a member of the Alpacas in the USA! Family you may enjoy “Family Favors,” as they may be offered by various A/USA participating farms and breeders (i.e. offer for participation in Close-Knit Alpacas’ new “One Stop Close-Knit Shop!” program, or discounts off products like The Alpaca Rosa’s “Tooth-A-Matic”), exclusive only to fellow Licensees, referrals from other family members, extra support and resources, and access to other unique marketing tools and opportunities offered “ala carte,” including the opportunity to purchase other Licenses for other impact movies with varying topics of focus; these will remain exclusive to this united group and their customers.
Alpacas in the USA! can help you with graphic design services (CD package customization for the Impact Movies(s) with your farm info), print ads, brochures, logos, brochures, etc.; in-house audio arts services (verbal announcements, radio air-ready commercials, etc.); a spiffy web presence; and a host of ever-changing marketing tools (banners for shows and farm visits, posters, and planned for the not too distant future CD/electronic and other book publications).
Family members are further authorized and encouraged to utilize the Alpacas in the USA! logo and slogan to add prestige to their businesses and to augment their existing marketing programs, while helping to share the important messages of Alpacas in the USA! with people everywhere interested in learning more about the wonderful realities associated with having alpacas in this country. We have web banners available for usage on your website, emails and other applications.
The Initial Join-Up costs for new members in 2010 includes Application, Set-Up/Admin fees and the Licensing fee, renewable annually. ONLY A/USA Family have marketing use of the impact movie and website, and a subscription to the accompanying website – www.AlpacasInTheUSA.com – is included during the licensed year at no additional charge. After payment in full is made for the year, and the Licensing Agreement signed, you will receive the Files you’ll need of the impact movie on a CD for your business’ use. Licensing of the Premier impact movie, combined with Web site subscription and Application fees for 2010 are a total of just $250 per year, not including the Set-Up/Admin. fee of an additional $45.00. NOTE: THIS SET-UP/ADMIN FEE IS BEING WAIVED FOR THE SPRING 2010 SPECIAL DRIVE FOR NEW PARTICIPANTS! A/USA Family members enjoy the ability to put up an unlimited number of listings and images on their pages at no additional fees, plus other features unique to our site. Please take time to thoroughly surf the site!
Contact our founder, Wren Owens, or any participating alpaca business owner named on the Alpacas in the USA! web site for more details, and to start your way on into the hearts of our Family. You may also visit the Home Page for Close-Knit Alpacas on this site to pick up an Application and peruse the store, because there are PayPal Buy Now Buttons there to make the submission of your fees quick and easy!
To submit your application online, visit our Membership Application page!
Filed under: by BWD&G
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“What do you DO with alpacas?”
Many Americans are allergic to sheep wool. The itch that many experience when wearing sheep wool is largely due to the high degree of guard hair in that fiber. The guard hairs stick out from the fabric and itch or prick the wearer. It is this prickliness that irritates so many people. Another significant reason why most sheep wool products irritate is that of the harsh chemicals used to clean the lanolin out of the fiber of sheep wool.
While alpaca fiber can be sold raw, “as is” and practically right off the animal’s back, it will bring greater income to the alpaca farmer if more value is added prior to sale. Many alpaca owners skirt, clean, card and spin their own yarn; or use commercial mini-mills to process it. Next, some alpaca farmers knit or weave fine finished products for sale direct from the farm. Many buyers pay a premium for hand crafted clothing items.
Alpaca fiber is sold to a wide variety of end-users. Hand-spinners and fiber artists buy raw fleece, roving (cleaned and combed, or “carded,” ready-to-spin or felt fiber), and finished yarn. Knitters often purchase various weights and plies of alpaca yarn. Fiber Cooperatives and mini-mills found all across America collect alpaca fiber and process it on behalf of the alpaca producer/farmer.
In its raw state, an ounce of alpaca varies from $2.00-$5.00. Each stage of the process (cleaning, carding, spinning, knitting, finishing, etc) adds more value to the fiber. As a finished garment, it can sell for as much as $10.00 per oz. Hand knit goods are more desirable and have been known to sell for as much as $1000. Don’t we all wish we could knit items worth $1000?
