Sheep Industry News March 2022

A m erican Sheep Inventory Down 2 Percent for 2021

I ncreased slaughter of mature sheep in 2021 – thanks to drought and high mature ewe slaughter prices – played a role in a 2 percent decrease in the American sheep inventory as reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service in January. As of Jan. 1, the American sheep and lamb inventory totaled 5.07 million head. Breeding sheep inventory was 3.71 million head, down 2 percent from 3.78 million head on Jan. 1, 2021. Ewes 1-year-old and older were at 2.91 million head, also 2 percent below last year. Market sheep and lambs totaled 1.36 million head, down 3 percent from a year ago. Market lambs comprised 94 percent of the total market inventory. Market sheep comprised the remaining 6 percent of total market inventory. The 2021 lamb crop of 3.16 million head was down 2 percent from 2020. The 2021 lambing rate was 107 lambs per 100 ewes 1-year-old and older on Jan. 1, 2021, down 1 percent from 2020. Shorn wool production in the United States during 2021 was 22.5 million pounds, down 3 percent from 2020. Sheep and lambs shorn totaled 3.2 million head, down 2 percent from 2020. The average price paid for wool sold in 2021 was $1.70 per pound for a total value of $38.2 million, down 1 percent from $38.4 million in 2020. Sheep death loss during 2021 totaled 200,000 head, down 5 per cent from 2020. Lamb death loss decreased 1 percent from 370,000 head to 365,000 head in 2021. While the sheep inventory was down nationally, several states showed increases. With a bump from 555,000 to 575,000, Califor nia posted the largest inventory increase in the nation and remains second only to Texas – 700,000 sheep, down from 730,000 a year ago – in total sheep and lamb numbers. Additional states that showed increases in the latest report included: West Virginia, New Mexico, North Carolina, Nevada, Oklahoma, New York and Ohio. Sheep numbers in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont are grouped into a New England region, which posted a 5 percent increase. A second region labeled Other States consists of 17 states – mostly in the Southeast, Alaska and Hawaii – which posted a 3 percent increase in total sheep numbers. Read the report at Release.nass.usda.gov/reports/shep0122.pdf. TAMMI, PFLIGER APPOINTED TO NSIIC BOARD The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently announced the ap pointment of one producer and an expert in finance and manage

ment to each serve as members on the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center Board of Directors. The newly appointed members will serve three-year terms from January 2022 to January 2025. Newly appointed members are: • Producer – Leo Tammi, Mount Sidney, Va. • Finance & Management – Burton Pfliger, Bismarck, N.D. The board is composed of seven voting members and two non-voting members. Both appointees were nominated by the American Sheep Industry Association, the trade association that sponsored legislative approval of the center. The National Sheep Industry Improvement Center was es tablished as part of the 2008 Farm Bill and administers a grant program designed to improve the infrastructure of the American sheep industry by strengthening and enhancing the production and marketing of sheep and sheep products. The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service provides oversight of the center. USDA INTRODUCES NEWMARKET APP The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced recently a new USDA Market News mobile application providing producers and everyone else in the supply chain with instant access to current and historical market information. The initial version of the free app includes nearly 800 livestock, poultry and grain market reports, with additional commodities added throughout the coming year. “USDA is focused on building more resilient and transparent markets and is taking steps to promote competition and fairer prices from farmers to consumers,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “This new Market News app helps create a more level play ing field for small and medium producers by delivering critical market information to them where they are, when they need it.” Producers and other users can search for markets based on their location, by state or by commodity. They also can add market reports to their favorites for easier access, share reports via text or email, subscribe to reports, and receive real-time notifications when a new report is published. For additional data analysis, the app lets you share the source data behind the reports via email, as well. There are both iOS and Android versions available to down load through the Apple and Google Play stores. Search for “USDA Market News Mobile Application” to download the app and begin exploring its potential.

10 • Sheep Industry News • sheepusa.org