Sheep Industry News January 2024

President’s Notes BRAD BONER ASI PRESIDENT

ASI Opposes OFF Act T he Opportunities for Fairness in Farming Act has been introduced in both chambers of Congress, and currently there is a push to have it included in the 2024 Farm Bill. As written, the OFF Act would have major detrimental consequences to the American Lamb Board’s ability to do meaningful and needed industry research going forward. It is important to point out that America’s sheep producers have twice voted to support the American lamb checkoff since its creation in 2002. Both national referendums were approved by a super majority of votes, which had to be counted two ways to be approved: by individual producers and by share of sheep production. The U.S. Department of Agriculture currently provides stringent oversight of the lamb checkoff. A USDA representative attends each meeting of the American Lamb Board via telephone or in person. Transparency is also evident on the American Lamb Board’s website at AmericanLamb.com. There, you will find annual reports and audited financials. I believe it to be an extremely bad idea to change federal statutes after our industry has invested its own dollars to build and approve an industry-specific promotion program. Sheep producers designed a promotion program with ranchers, lamb feed ers and lamb packing companies each paying a share, and with all three sectors having representation on the American Lamb Board and therefore a say in how promotion efforts are carried out.

Sheep ranchers, lamb feeders and lamb meat companies continue to see the benefit of promoting American lamb. Many of us can remember and witnessed first-hand the negative impacts on our markets when American lamb promotion was absent from the marketplace. For years, the major food expos, trade shows, advertisements and culi nary events were solely represented by imported lamb. It was an important step when we decided as an industry that we couldn’t complain if we weren’t fighting for our own business with our own dollars. ASI stands opposed to the OFF Act and its unwarranted attempt to re write a program that the American sheep industry has spent two decades growing and developing.

I hope to see all of you at this month’s ASI Annual Convention in Denver.

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