Sheep Industry News July 2024

A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center. “While the goal of these trips is to drive sales of Ameri can wool, providing buyers with a look at the American wool industry as a whole has benefits, as well,” said Samu elson. “It’s important that they see the infrastructure that is in place to support American wool growers. That builds additional confidence in our product.” Hengtai cards wool, and was looking for fine, shorter staple length wool with lower vegetable matter – which isn’t significantly removed during the carding process. Golden Sun combs wool, so the company’s buyer was looking for good staple length – 3.5 inches or better – fine and coarse wools. Both buyers said there is little market for medium type wools in their country. INTERNATIONAL MARKETING As mentioned, ASI partners with USDA/FAS to market American wool in a variety of ways. FAS has a handful of programs that are designed to market American agricul tural products overseas. In the case of wool, this has been especially important since the 1990s when companies began moving manufacturing to China and other countries where labor and production costs are lower. “We’re very thankful to the Foreign Ag Service for pro viding these valuable programs that assist ASI to market American wool to overseas wool companies,” said Samu elson. “There was a time when American wool producers could sell all of their wool clip to United States-based textile companies, but the loss of domestic wool mills in the 1990s required our industry to pivot. Prior to that time, we didn’t export much wool, but now we export approximately 60 percent of all domestic wool that we produce.”

the trip by ASI Wool Consultant Kitty Gu and Pearce. The buyers flew into San Francisco and met there with Guy and Christian Groenewold of Groenewold Fur and Wool Com pany. After purchasing several containers – approximately 220,000 lbs. of greasy wool – they flew to San Angelo, Texas, to meet with many of the major players in the American wool industry. In San Angelo, they were greeted by Darrell Keese of Keese International, as well as Powers, Bannowsky and Martin at their respective offices. Each stop along the way included the sale of additional American wools. The buyers also got a look at Bollman Industries’ scour ing and warehouse operation in San Angelo and made a stop at the Bill Sims Wool and Mohair Lab at the Texas

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