Sheep Industry News August 2025

The expansion of the Bill Simms Lab has been years in the making. Several years prior to the Yocom-McColl Lab closing in 2020, ASI was already holding discussions with testing and wool industry leadership, as well as conducting studies to determine the best course of action for continu ing commercial wool testing. A formal commitment to keep and support the testing lab in the U.S. was supported by the largest users of wool testing—wool warehouses and buyers/exporters during an industry stakeholder meeting in July 2019. With the wool industry’s formal support for the lab, the National Sheep Improvement Center and ASI’s for-profit arm – the Sheep Venture Company - took action by helping purchase new, expensive testing equipment. The equipment arrived in August of 2021. Leaders at the lab spent months installing, learning how to use, calibrat ing, and testing the equipment. In the meantime, U.S. core tests were sent to the New Zealand Wool Testing Authority (NZWTA), whose assis tance and guidance is greatly appreciated by the U.S. wool industry. The Bill Simms Lab purchased its equipment from NZWTA and benefited greatly from the technical guidance of Duane Knowles, Chief Executive NZWTA, whose expertise was instrumental in getting the lab up and running to international standards. Progress and Performance The Bill Simms Lab has continued to improve and is dedicated to fulfilling the mission of large-scale, commer cial wool testing. The Texas lab has successfully com pleted renowned Interwoollabs round trials to ensure its equipment is properly calibrated and aligned with other international standardized labs. Experts from internation al labs have also examined the lab to determine ways they can operate more efficiently while maintaining accuracy. Recently, the lab has worked to decrease turnaround times and is investigating vegetable matter measurement. “Our turnaround time was seven to ten days,” said Wool Lab Manager Sarah Linton, who took over the operation back in January. “We’ve got it down to four to five days now. Additionally, “We’re really focusing on vegetable mat ter right now because there was a complaint that we were higher than the samples tested in New Zealand. We’ve started a trial with New Zealand where the process will start here and then go to New Zealand so that we have a comparison.” In March, Russell Jessup, Ph.D., was named the new director of the research center that oversees the lab and

wants to see the lab live up to its potential. He took over in his new role on May 1. “He’s been very encouraging already,” said Linton. “He definitely wants us to open up a larger customer base.”

How YOU Can Help While industry leaders, ASI’s Sheep Venture Company, and the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center have made significant investments in the Bill Simms lab, continued success depends on broader usage and support. Most U.S. wool core tests are still being sent overseas for testing, which puts the lab’s long-term viability at risk. To ensure this valuable resource remains available, we encourage growers, buyers, and warehouses to consider using the Bill Simms lab. Here’s how you can help: 1. Encourage those submitting commercial core tests to utilize the Bill Simms Lab. Growers, warehouses and buyers utilize core tests for wool sales. Ask your marketing representative or buyer to use the Bill Simms lab. 2. Encourage those using individual fleece testing (for wool, mohair, cashmere, alpaca and more) to use a U.S. lab. Individual fleece testing labs are located throughout the U.S.- find the full list at www.sheepusa.org/contacts/ wool-pelt/research-testing. ASI will also be with the industry every step of the way. ASI continues to lease wool testing equipment to universi ties across the country. And ASI will continue providing communication, resources, and support to ensure com mercial core testing and individual fleece testing are avail able to U.S. producers. To learn more about the Bill Simms Wool & Mohair Re search Laboratory, visit SanAngelo.TAMU.edu/bsl/, email woollab@ag.tamu.edu or call 325-657-7348.

18 • Sheep Industry News • sheepusa.org