Sheep Industry News May 2023

President’s Notes BRAD BONER ASI PRESIDENT Making Our Voices Heard in D.C.

T he ASI Executive Board, staff and other ASI members from many states were in Washington, D.C., on March 27-30 for the annual fly-in to help educate and communicate with federal agencies and congressional delegations that impact the American sheep industry. I would personally like to thank all the ASI members who took time out of their busy lives to inform and educate members of the congressional delegations from their states as to the issues that are most important to ASI and our industry for 2023. As many of you are aware, the Farm Bill will expire on Sept. 30. This year will require a fair amount of legislative effort on ASI’s part to ensure the new Farm Bill includes: • Reauthorization of the Wool Apparel Manufacturers Trust Fund, U.S. Wool Research and U.S. Pima Cotton. Specifically, sec tions 12602, 12603 and 12604 of the 2018 Farm Bill. • Wool Marketing Assistance Loan and Loan Deficiency Payment. The Wool LDP base price has not been updated for 20 years. ASI has completed an economic analysis that definitively shows an increase in the LDP base price is warranted. • Sheep Production and Marketing Grant Program. SPMGP is intimately connected to the National Sheep Industry Improve ment Center. • Minor Uses, Minor Species Animal Pharmaceuticals. ASI is requesting a study by the General Accountability Office to evaluate the effectiveness of the MUMS Act of 2004 for the American sheep industry. • Export Programs of the USDA/Foreign Agriculture Service. With more than half of all American wool exported, access to foreign markets is critical for the sheep industry. • Climate Change and Sustainability. Agriculture is part of the solution where greenhouse gases are concerned. ASI supports addressing climate change/smart strategies in the Farm Bill through voluntary, incentive-based programs. • H-2A Temporary Agricultural Workers. New fee increases are unacceptable. Any guest worker program MUST maintain special procedures for sheep producers and give our members a fighting chance to compete in an increasingly difficult financial environment, while protecting both domestic and foreign ag workers. • Reauthorization of Mandatory Price Reporting. The 3/70/20 guideline for confidentiality has negatively impacted robust price reporting in the sheep industry. • Black Vulture Relief. ASI strongly supports approval of H. R. 1437. • Bighorn Sheep in Domestic Sheep Grazing Allotments. • Scrapie Eradication. • U. S. Sheep Experiment Station funding and support. • Wildlife Services funding and support. In addition, meetings were held with government agency personnel including the Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Forest Service, Farm Service Agency, Wildlife Services and the Risk Management Agency. As you can see, we had a busy schedule and as always there is plenty to do on the policy side of the equation. ASI’s structure as a group of member states plays a positive role in its ability to have access to congressional delegations all across the United States, which allows the association to be efficient and effective in its policy efforts. A BIG thank you to all the great ASI staff and Jim Richards from Cornerstone Government Affairs for all your efforts in set ting up the meetings and getting agency people to come visit with us. I would also again like to sincerely thank all our members who took valuable time away from home and made a great effort to help this industry remain viable. We could not be as successful as we have been without these sacrifices from each of you. Other issues that were discussed with our D.C. policymakers included: • Electronic Logging Mandate and Hours of Service regulations for truckers.

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