Sheep Industry News May 2025

SheepIndustry Volume 29, Issue 5 May 2025

News

May 2025 Volume 29 , Issue 5

Contents

4

President’s Notes

6

Market Report

9

ASI Member Listing

27

Breeders’ Directory

29

Industry Calendar

The Last Word 30

ON THE COVER: Utah producers Bret and Michelle Selman, Chance Earl, Ann Okelberry and Casey Earl visit the Washington Monument during ASI’s Spring Trip to Washington, D.C. Sierra Nelson Photo

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2 • Sheep Industry News • sheepusa.org

Taking Action For American Wool Based on an industry analysis

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by Market Solutions LLC that was conducted in 2024 and presented at the 2025 ASI Annual Convention, the Wool Council asked ASI staff to develop a plan to spur growth and development within the American wool industry.

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14 Scrapie Forum Looks to the Future

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10

West Virginia Awarded Fiber Grant

Vet Has Big Plans For Small Ruminants Anyone who’s needed a

Producers Flock to Washington, D.C.

Wool is a highly functional fiber, but most of the wool and textile industry has left the country. With the help of a USDA grant, West Virginia University researchers are exploring new ways to support sheep farmers and fiber producers in the region.

As the United States closes in on a scrapie-free designation, the time has come to begin conversations about where the American sheep industry goes once it crosses the seven-year finish line established by the World Organization for Animal Health.

veterinarian to work on their sheep flock will tell you vets are almost as hard to find as a good shearer. But the sheep industry is one veterinarian richer thanks to Maryland’s Aislinn Latham, DVM.

Sheep producers flocked to Washington, D.C., in March for ASI’s Spring Trip. The annual legislative fly-in gave producers an opportunity to share the industry’s needs in the next Farm Bill with legislators.

October 2024 • Sheep Industry News • 3 May 2025 • Sheep Industry News • 3

President’s Notes BEN LEHFELDT ASI PRESIDENT

Moving Forward I t has been another few months of uncertainty within the federal government and subsequent adjustments for all of those di rectly or indirectly affected. Thanks to all the states and individuals who have reached out to express the importance of different federally supported sheep related operations. It is crucial to highlight the local importance of individual sheep programs and communicate that directly to local officials – especially your federal representatives and senators. ASI is happy to follow up on those local issues, but the greatest effect seems to take place when the constituents that are directly affected have their say on the issues. Speaking of constituents, we were excited to see the large contingent of sheep producers that were able to join us for the ASI fly-in to Washington, D.C. It was a telltale sign of the passion of our sheep producers and the urgency of change that is needed for opera tions to continue. I think that our time for the fly-in was ideal, since not only were appropriations asks from offices still active, but President Donald Trump’s announcement of retaliatory tariffs was only one week away from being public. Thanks to our producers, we visited with a multitude of congressional offices and came away with numerous contacts that we could follow up on after our visits. We were also able to meet with the United States Trade Representative’s office to communicate the impact of imported lamb prod uct on our American producers. Other individuals made progress on some short-term fixes for H-2A labor, discussed issues with Wildlife Services, and met with all the congressional staffs associated with writing the Farm Bill. There is no doubt that producers and constituents can have the greatest impact of change through their local congressional offices. The only problem is that the pressure on the offices needs to be constant and in-person. Overall, I felt like we came together more as a united industry and delivered messages that were heard on the hill. Thank you to everyone who gave their time to communicate our message and thanks to our lobbyist for hosting our lamb reception once again. Cornerstone Government Affairs did a great job in setting up our meetings for all four segments of the agriculture committees and preparing those ag staffers for sheep priorities in the Farm Bill. We look forward to Cornerstone continuing to follow up on our lamb priorities and communicating the needs of our industry. Our import competitors are great at manipulating their currency advantage and have a much lower cost of production to replace our domestic lamb’s market share. The most recent large year-over-year increases in imported lamb tonnage indicated the extent of the issue. If any other domestic industry sector faced what the lamb industry is facing from our import competitors, the call for repairing the situation would be huge. The United States has saddled our producers with unfunded federal mandates – labor, regulatory, endangered species restrictions, etc. Not to mention the normal predation that we as producers face daily only serves to accentuate the advantage of our competitors. As we continue to lose sheep producers, we also lose American wool. Lose American wool and we lose the lambs. Lose both and the small amount of ag-supported rural communities might be impacted drastically. These impacts not only break American pro ducers, but the communities that are reliant on their existence. This does not even consider the loss of feedyards, harvesting facili ties, spinners and millers that are reliant on domestic production. The rest of the world would love to have our domestic market be a captive market that is reliant on them as importers. We as American producers just want the ability to compete through fair trade and to continue to build and maintain our local communities and the U.S. economy.

4 • Sheep Industry News • sheepusa.org

SheepIndustry NEWS May 2025: Volume 29, Issue 5

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AMERICAN SHEEP INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION INC. 9785 Maroon Circle, Suite 360 Englewood, CO 80112-2692 Phone: 303-771-3500 • Fax: 303-771-8200 info@sheepusa.org • Sheepusa.org

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ASI Office Staff: Peter Orwick, Executive Director Rita Kourlis Samuelson, Deputy Director/Wool Marketing Larry Kincaid, Chief Financial Officer Zahrah Khan, Operations Manager Erica Sanko, Director of Analytics & Production Programs Christa Rochford, Wool Marketing Programs Manager Heather Pearce, Wool Production Programs Manager Chris Jones, Administrative Assistant The Sheep Industry News is published monthly as the official publication of the American Sheep Industry Association Inc. SUBSCRIPTIONS: Payment of member dues in an ASI affiliated state organization entitles a member to a subscription. For non-members, the subscription rate is $50 per year. ADVERTISING INFORMATION: Rates available at Sheepusa.org. Deadline is the fifth of the month preceding the cover date. All advertising is subject to publisher’s approval. Advertisers must assume all liability for their advertising content. Publisher maintains the right to cancel advertising for nonpayment or reader complaint about service or product. Publisher assumes no liability for products or services advertised in Sheep Industry News.

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May 2025 • Sheep Industry News • 5

Market Report

DAVID ANDERSON, PH.D. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service

Spring is Here

A t the time of this writing – early April – there has certainly been a lot of turbulence in the broader economy, stock and bond prices, and the value of the dollar as tariffs have been announced and changed. It looks like that volatility is going to continue. But even through this volatility, there are some market fundamentals at work that are worth our focus. If you’ll indulge a short story, every day on my way from home to work and back at Texas A&M University, I pass a house on a lot of several acres in town, in the city limits. They have a small flock of sheep. They move between each small pasture and the barn. They are there every day throughout the year. One day it’s the same sheep but, the next day the yard is full of new lambs. The lambs appeared at the end of March, sort of an official start of Spring and a great addition to my drive home. As an economist, I think it’s worth remembering some fundamentals like seasons, production and holiday demand before getting too wrapped up in the headlines and market volatility. SUPPLIES Sheep and lamb slaughter normally peaks for the year about now. This year appears to be no exception with slaughter for the first week of April about 10 percent larger than last year. Dressed weights have climbed seasonally up 1 to 2 pounds compared to last year during the last few weeks. The combination of head and weights has lamb production in the last three weeks 16.4 percent greater than the

same period last year. In this case, it matters when Easter occurs be cause Easter 2024 was on March 31 compared to April 20 this year, and that caused an earlier peak in production. For the year through April 5, lamb production is 3.3 percent greater than last year. Imports of lamb dropped dramatically in February – the latest available data – totaling 17.9 million pounds from January’s 27.4 million pounds. February’s imports were the smallest since May 2023. But for the year, imports are up 2.9 percent compared to last year. For the first two months of the year, imports from Australia are up 6.4 percent while imports from New Zealand are down 7.5 percent. The combination of a little more domestic production and im ports yields an estimated small increase in total first quarter supplies of lamb compared to last year. The effect of any import tariffs on total lamb supplies in the marketplace should materialize later in the year, but we will see in the March trade data whether any shipments were made in advance of potential tariff announcements. PRICES Sheep and lamb prices have been a mixed bag this Spring, depending on the market. Lightweight, 60- to 90-pound slaughter lambs surged higher, seasonally. The average price of San Angelo (Texas), Colorado and South Dakota lambs in this weight class climbed to $274 per cwt. in early April compared to $260 last year at this time. Those prices have been higher than last year since Febru ary. In the San Angelo market, those lambs have been over $300 per cwt. through March. Prices at New Holland, Penn., averaged $324 per cwt. the first week of April. Heavier, 100- to 150-pound lambs in Sioux Falls, S.D., have been more than $210 per cwt. for almost two months, up from about $190 at the beginning of the year. But in contrast to the lighter weight slaughter lambs, the heavier lamb prices have been lower than last year. For the first week of April, prices averaged $216 compared to $226 a year ago. The national negotiated live price has been well below last year throughout 2025. On the meat side, most cuts and the cutout have been lower than last year. The exceptions have been shoulders and light racks. Boxed lamb shoulders were $415 per cwt. at the time of this writing compared to $409 last year. The light racks have really jumped in price from $11.20 per pound early in the year to $12.12 per pound in early April.

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WOOL Prices across the range of microns have generally been increasing over the last few weeks. For example, 20-micron wools began the year at U.S. $4.14 per pound clean weight, climbed as high $4.51 by mid-March, and averaged $4.47 per pound by the first week of April. The $4.47 per pound price in early April was 38 cents per pound higher than the year before for that week. Only the 17-micron cat egory had prices in early April below those of the prior year, 14 cents per pound lower. While some sources have indicated increased demand helping move prices higher, there are fewer bales of wool offered for sale in Australia versus last year. Over the last four weeks, an average of 38,967 bales were offered compared to 41,454 per week last year for a decline of 6 percent. The market is likely headed into a lot more uncertainty during the next weeks and months given tariffs – heavily tariffed China is the top export market for American Wool – volatile currency values and interest rates. MARKET UNCERTAINTY We are headed into a lot of market uncertainty and volatility in coming weeks and months. Tariffs should have the effect of reducing imports and increasing prices, if nothing else changes. That would mean – broadly speaking – higher prices for producers and consum ers.

There are likely to be a lot of other changes. One to watch is a weakening dollar versus other currencies. A weaker dollar will also make imports more expensive and work to reduce imports, but also boost exports. Tariffs and currencies will change relative prices between countries further impacting trade. Another to watch – and one that could be a lot more important – is the effect of this volatility on bond prices and interest rates. The market is seeing higher interest rates due to expectations of higher inflation and pricing in more risk. The uncertainty is causing more fears of a recession, which would not be good for demand. On balance, there are plenty of worries in the market. I think it helps to remember some fundamental market conditions of supply and demand to help sort out the noise.

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May 2025 • Sheep Industry News • 7

Deadline Approaching for SHF Scholarship A pplications are open for ASI’s annual Sheep Heritage Founda tion Scholarship. The deadline to apply is May 31, and the recipient will be announced in June or July. West Virginia University students have won the past two years,

Previous Scholarship Winners 2024...............Hannah Teddleton.......................West Virginia University 2023...............Kelsey Bentley...............................West Virginia University 2022...............Courtney Newman........................University of Wyoming 2021...............Brian Arisman.................University of Nebraska-Lincoln 2020...............Jake Thorne.............................................University of Idaho 2019...............Jaelyn Whaley.................................University of Wyoming 2018...............Chade Page......................................University of Wyoming 2017...............Jennifer Kopanke.......................Colorado State University 2016 ..............Christian Posbergh.................................Cornell University 2015...............Alisha Massa..........................Washington State University 2014...............Whit Stewart.........................New Mexico State University 2013...............Thomas Murphy.........University of Wisconsin-Madison 2012...............Michael Gonzalez.................Washington State University 2011...............Megan Van Emon.............North Dakota State University 2010...............Erin Snyder...................................Montana State University 2009-2004 No Scholarships awarded 2003...............Raluca Mateescu.....................................Cornell University 2002...............Brian Faris..............................New Mexico State University 2001...............Londa Sue Vander Wal.................Kansas State University 2000...............Jo Alison Brown...........................West Virginia University 1999...............Beth Costine..................................West Virginia University 1998...............Cathy King...............................................University of Idaho 1997...............Jodie Vierk.......................................University of Wyoming 1996...............Todd Taylor......................................Texas A&M University 1995...............Carol Lorenzen................................Texas A&M University 1994...............Eric Berg.....................................................Purdue University 1993...............Brad Freking........................South Dakota State University 1992...............William Cushwa.................University of California-Davis 1991...............Richard Ehrhardt....................................Cornell University 1990...............Lew Hunnicutt......................New Mexico State University 1989...............Robert Padula..............................Montana State University ........................Stephen Beam........................University of Nevada - Reno 1988...............Randal Garrett.................................Texas A&M University 1987...............Roberta Baird..............................Colorado State University 1986...............Carl Kim Chapman...........................Utah State University 1985...............Sandra Kay Barraza.............New Mexico State University 1984...............Dr. Curtis Youngs..........................University of Minnesota

marking the second time in the scholarship’s history that the university has won back-to-back scholarships. It also happened in 1999-2000, when Beth Costine and Jo Alison Brown grabbed the award. The $3,000 scholarship will be awarded to one graduate level (MS or Ph.D.) student who is attending school in the United States. The scholarship was developed to drive advancement in the Ameri can sheep industry, through either wool or lamb research. Applicants must be graduate students involved in sheep and/or wool research in such areas as animal science, agriculture economics or veterinary medi cine with proof of graduate school acceptance. Applicants must also be United States citizens, present two letters of reference and complete the application. To apply, visit SheepUSA.org/researcheducation-scholarship. In addition, the Sheep Heritage Foundation accepts donations throughout the year to provide funding for the scholarship. Memorial contributions in the name of loved ones who have passed away are a common way of supporting the foundation. Visit Sheep USA.org/about-donate learn more about donating.

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ASI Member Listing WWW.SHEEPUSA.ORG l INFO@SHEEPUSA.ORG

Alabama Meat Goat & Sheep Producers 205-315-6811 • cprevatt@alfafarmers.org ASI Women 509-760-9496 • lovetaboyce@gmail.com Arizona Wool Producers Association 520-560-4202 • caauza@peoplepc.com Arkansas State Sheep Council 870-853-7404 • wjcalloway@gmail.com California Wool Growers Association 916-444-8122 • susan@woolgrowers.org Colorado Wool Growers Association 303-638-0596 • cwgawool@aol.com Connecticut Sheep Breeders Association 860-933-0212 • gschultz@baypath.edu Meat Sheep Alliance of Florida 352-502-2564 • ruthtaber@embarqmail.com Georgia Sheep & Wool Growers Association 706-614-2417 • joannemaki22@gmail.com Hawaii Sheep and Goat Association 808-775-8075 • alohadjam@yahoo.com Idaho Wool Growers Association 208-344-2271 • director@idahowoolgrowers.org Illinois Lamb & Wool Producers Inc. 618-367-2364 • fulton9504@gmail.com Indiana Sheep Association 317-607-5664 • executive@indianasheep.com Iowa Sheep Industry Association 641-780-2795 • info@iowasheep.com Kansas Sheep Association 620-393-5204 • kssheep@ruraltel.net Kentucky Sheep & Wool Producers Association 502-682-7780 • kyates@kysheepandgoat.org Maine Sheep Breeders Association 240-357-1437 • donna.flint@maine.gov Maryland Sheep Breeders Association 240-357-1437 • patriciasanville@gmail.com Massachusetts Federation of Sheep Associations 508-829-4556 • brmacphee@aol.com Michigan Sheep Producers Association 616-610-5628 • elainem.bristol@gmail.com Minnesota Lamb & Wool Producers Association 320-760-5727 • kinneylamb@gmail.com Missouri Sheep Producers Inc. 573-578-0497 • mosheepproducers@gmail.com

National Lamb Feeders Association 970-629-5067 • lambfeeders1@outlook.com Nebraska Sheep & Goat Producers Association 308-386-8378 • Ne.sheep.goat@gmail.com Nevada Wool Growers Association 775-744-4388 • pr_paris@yahoo.com New Hampshire Sheep & Wool Growers 603-502-0800 • rickatcoveland@aol.com Garden State Sheep Breeders Inc. (N.J.) 609-947-2260 • kmelvinnjsheep@gmail.com New Mexico Wool Growers Inc. 505-247-0584 • nmwgi@nmagriculture.org Empire Sheep Producers Cooperative (N.Y.) 585-367-2775 • sheepkath@aol.com North Carolina Sheep Producers Assoc. Inc. 919-808-5285 • bphillips@carolinasolar.services North Dakota Lamb & Wool Producers Assoc. Oregon Sheep Growers Association 503-364-5462 • info@sheeporegon.com Pennsylvania Sheep & Wool Growers Association 717-512-8127 • danlturner44@gmail.com South Carolina Sheep Industries Association 864-360-3222 • dairysheepdeb@gmail.com South Dakota Sheep Growers Association 406-581-7772 • lisa@sdsheepgrowers.org Tennessee Sheep Producers Association 931-698-8293 • twolters@bellsouth.net Texas Sheep & Goat Raisers’ Association 325-655-7388 • office@tsgra.com Utah Wool Growers Association 435-915-6116 • sierra@utahwoolgrowers.com Vermont Sheep & Goat Association 802-899-2104 • settlementfarm@comcast.net Virginia Sheep Producers Association 540-231-9159 • sgreiner@vt.edu Washington State Sheep Producers 360-999-8118 • washingtonsheep@gmail.com Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Cooperative 608-743-9080 • wisconsinsheepbreeders@gmail.com 701-207-0010 • rick.schmidt@ndsu.edu Ohio Sheep Improvement Association 614-499-2931 • rhigh@ofbf.org

Ben Lehfeldt Montana President

Joe Pozzi California Vice President

Tammy Fisher Texas

Secretary/ Treasurer

Peter Orwick Colorado Executive Director

Wyoming Wool Growers Association 307-265-5250 • alison@wyowool.com

Montana Wool Growers Association 406-581-8226 • stefanie@mtsheep.org

May 2025 • Sheep Industry News • 9

Producers Flock to Washington, D.C. S heep producers flocked to Washington, D.C., and Capitol Hill on March 25-27 for ASI’s Spring Trip. The annual legislative fly-in gave producers an opportunity to share

dustry’s previously mentioned priority issues. “Our discussions on imports were certainly timely with the administration’s focus on tariffs,” said ASI Legislative Action Council Chair Larry Hopkins of Indiana. “The timing of our trip to Washington, D.C., was perfect as all of the legislators we talked to were focused on tariffs since we were just a week away from President Trump’s announcement. It was good that we were able to share our support for tariffs with the legislators because we have a different view on this topic than some of the other ag commodities.” ASI leaders had hoped to meet with newly-confirmed Sec retary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer, but she was away from Washington, D.C., during the trip. Instead, members of her staff met with ASI’s H-2A Task Force. “They really focused on solutions that we can look at for the states that are now requiring overtime pay for herders,” Hopkins said. “So, I think those were very productive conver sations.” The ASI Executive Board also met with staff from the House Agriculture Committee. While budget discussions are the priority for Congress, staffers left sheep producers optimistic

the industry’s needs in the next Farm Bill with legislators. Fifty sheep producers from all around the United States took part in the trip. Attendees met with key officials from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Labor and the Office of the Trade Representative to discuss critical issues fac ing American sheep producers. Conversations centered around tariff and trade announcements from the Trump Administra tion (this was a week before the administration announced sweeping tariffs), the importance of risk management for sheep producers in passing a new Farm Bill and the sheep specific requests for changes to the H-2A program. Following the agency meetings, attendees visited individu ally with members of their respective state congressional del egations, focusing conversations on many of those same issues, as well as animal health, the important role Wildlife Services plays for producers, and the U.S. Sheep Experiment Station. Producers were provided with packets of information to share with their congressional delegations on each of the in

South Dakota producers Cody Chambliss and Steve Clements met with Senate Majority Leader John Thune.

10 • Sheep Industry News • sheepusa.org

Baylor Walker, Rick Powers, Sharon Holman, Reid Redden, Rodney Kott and Darci Luensmann met with Rep. Henry Cuellar.

about progress on the new Farm Bill. “They gave us some hope that we might see something by this summer,” Hopkins said. “I feel encouraged not only by the trip, but also by the testimonies that (ASI President) Ben (Lehfeldt) and I gave earlier this year to the Senate and House ag committees. I believe that ASI funds and programs will be included and approved in the next Farm Bill.” Sheep producers from 16 states took part in this year’s Spring Trip, representing all facets of the American sheep industry from traditional Western ranching operations to

targeted grazers. “We had a large group with a good mix of people,” said Hopkins. “I felt really good about the group we had and how it represented our industry.” ASI hosted its esteemed lamb BBQ on the roof of Corner stone Government Affair’s office one night during the Spring Trip. This event was highly attended by ASI members and con gressional staff. It was a great opportunity to make connections and further the industry’s priorities while showing off the great taste of American lamb.

Colorado’s Julie Hansmire, Bonnie Eddy and Renee Deal meet with Rep. Jeff Hurd

Rep. David Taylor met with Ohio’s Roger High and Tom Connor.

May 2025 • Sheep Industry News • 11

West Virginia Awarded Fiber Grant

SOPHIA DARMELIO West Virginia Extension W ool is a highly functional fiber, but despite this, most of the wool and textile industry has left the country due to lack of infrastructure, limiting farmers’ profits from wool production. With the help of a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant, West Virginia University researchers are exploring new ways to support sheep farmers and fiber producers in the region. A partnership between WVU Extension, the Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the College of Cre ative Arts and Media has been awarded a three-year, $200,000 grant to explore new market opportunities for agricultural products and create a profitable wool market. “Many breeds of wool sheep have short staple length fiber in their fleece. Once the sheep is sheared, we have a wool fleece as the raw product that is sold, typically in bulk quanti ties. Unfortunately, right now, the wool has a low monetary value, for a variety of reasons,” said WVU Extension Small Farm Center Program Coordinator Lisa Jones. “Wool is being discarded as ‘waste wool’ due to the necessary infrastructure not being available and low national wholesale market value. By focusing on waste wool and value creation, this grant seeks to find value for the wool, so it is not thrown away or an expense for a farmer.” Due to the lack of local options, some farmers send their wool out of state to be processed, which can take several months, and farmers receive very little compensation in return, making it not worth the time or effort to ship it. This grant will identify infrastructure needed for processing and distribution, allowing farmers to profit from their wool pro duction in West Virginia by turning the processed wool into a retail item. The first phase of the grant will be to conduct a feasibility analysis and research the wool supply chain and its complexity. “We are researching and taking a systems approach to understand the wool production system to integrate envi ronmental, economic and social aspects to drive sustainable practices to enhance product quality and maximize effi ciency,” said Jordon Masters, research assistant with the Davis College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. “Research is being done to determine an appropriate price point for farm ers’ return on investment, create new wool products and more

to add value to the wool.” During the outreach phase of the grant, WVU Extension agents will be heavily involved in training farmers, given their existing connections to the community. Other extension and Davis College faculty and staff also will train local farmers. An analysis will be conducted to discover new and existing opportunities for wool products that could affect the lives of farmers who produce wool. Due to the variety in fiber prod uct types, it is expected that a minimum of 50 new products will be created or enhanced through this grant, which will be sold at the Davis College Store. By the end of this grant, it is anticipated that 60 businesses will gain knowledge about product processing, 30 new markets will increase sales and processing opportunities and 30 new collaborations between producers, processors and market access will be established. WVU students will play an integral role in this initiative. A collaborative effort between students and faculty in Davis College and the College of Creative Arts and Media will work together to help research, design and build 10 point of pur chase displays that will be in 10 state parks throughout West Virginia. “These displays will have the wool products for sale that are created from West Virginia wool,” Masters said. “Selling these wool products at state parks is a way to get products into communities, promote the products made in the state and help tourism.” As part of the feasibility analysis, Creative Arts and Media assistant professor Debanjan Das’s classes will help with this research, while students taking assistant professor Nicole Kreidler’s interior architecture class will work to design the point of purchase displays. Students in Davis College associ ate professor Jessica Blythe’s class will build the displays that will be featured in state parks. Another phase of this grant is hosting a fiber festival, an event to promote and connect farmers, producers and con sumers through a variety of fiber products. “The fiber festival will highlight each part of the fiber sup ply chain and explore the fiber industry as a whole,” Jones said. “It will be an opportunity for farmers and artisans to buy and sell products from yarn to sheep, as well as provide education and connect producers together.” Ultimately, the goal of this project is to develop a sustain able fiber production system that economically benefits farm ers in the region.

12 • Sheep Industry News • sheepusa.org

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Scrapie Forum Looks to the Future

A s the United States closes in on a scrapie-free designa tion, the time has come to begin conversations about where the American sheep industry goes once it crosses the seven-year finish line established by the World Organiza tion for Animal Health. That conversation started in earnest on April 9 at the ASI-hosted Scrapie Free in the U.S.: Moving from an Eradication to a Surveillance Program forum during the National Institute for Animal Agriculture’s Annual Conference in Kansas City, Mo. Attended by a variety of state and national animal health of ficials, extension personnel and sheep industry representatives, the forum took a closer look at the American sheep industry’s journey toward finally being declared scrapie free. Only three states have yet to surpass the seven-year window required for a disease-free designation: Arkansas, Indiana and Pennsylvania. Barring any further cases, that window will close in 2028, but doesn’t mean scrapie and the programs created to eradicate it will disappear completely. As the forum title suggests, surveillance programs will most likely still be in place moving forward. Sheep producer Matt Benz remembers the start of scrapie eradication efforts in the United States more than 20 years ago, so he made the 100-mile drive to Kansas City in hopes the forum would mark the beginning of the end for a disease that drasti cally changed the American sheep industry and the way it tracks sheep movement around the country. “The reason I came is I was on the board of animal health in North Dakota about 25 years ago and the state vet said there was a U.S. Animal Health Association meeting in Little Rock,” Benz recalled after recent forum wrapped up at the Kauffman Founda tion Conference Center. “They were going to be talking about scrapie, so he asked if I wanted to go. I went down and we were talking about scrapie, and the cattle guys wanted to get rid of all of the sheep in the country. Only a few of them were totally seri ous, but some of them were. We were talking about all of these things we needed to do with scrapie and the question was asked, ‘How prevalent is it?’ And nobody knew the answer. So, slaughter surveillance came out of that meeting.” And slaughter surveillance won’t be eradicated anytime soon. At least that was the prevailing thought in Kansas City. “It’s a beginning,” Benz said of the forum. “There’s a lot of confusion, but I think everyone here is on the same page that we need to continue doing slaughter surveillance for scrapie after we’re determined to be disease free. We’re a ways away from agreeing about how it’s going to happen and who’s going to pay for it.” ASI Animal Health Co-Chair and small flock producer Cindy

Wolf, DVM, was on hand for the forum and participated in a panel discussion that included: former ASI President Cindy Sid doway of Idaho as a large flock producer; Cindy Tews of the Fres no (Calif.) Livestock Commission representing sale barns; Rosie Busch, DVM, of the University of California-Davis Veterinary Medicine Extension team; and UC-Davis Professor Emeritus Joan Dean Rowe as a representative of the goat industry. One realization of the day’s forum is that after all of these years of fighting scrapie, there are still sheep and goat producers who aren’t aware of the National Scrapie Eradication Program and the scrapie tag requirements. “I’m excited that we had so many different representatives and stakeholders here. I thought everyone is really looking forward to what this can mean for them, even though it’s hard to visual ize,” said Wolf. “I’m excited because some of it is real tangible. We can do more education, we can do more surveillance, and we can learn what other pieces that need to be put together in the next two years so we can be ready for 2028.” Wolf has been a part of the scrapie discussions from the beginning, and said during the panel discussion that the industry was fortunate the genetic aspects of the disease are so straightfor ward. “I think there are a lot of people and organizations that need to take credit for the fact that we’ve come this far in our battle with scrapie,” Wolf said. “I’m thrilled. But I’m also concerned if we’ll have the leadership and commitment at the U.S. Depart ment of Agriculture and in the industry three years from now. We’re all getting older, those of who have been involved in this from the beginning. I’m hopeful that the knowledge and the tools are still available through funding and staff.” One of the unintended benefits of the program is the power of scrapie tags. While no producer enjoys having to tag animals, the tags became a powerful tool for producers – a tool that was enhanced exponentially with the development of electronic tags. “I think when we started all of this, we didn’t realize how well received the scrapie tag could become as an ID component within a flock,” Wolf said. “We had producers show us that they are using this tag for management purposes. And it still served its other purpose, which is to provide traceability. There were hidden benefits that none of us realized. And it works for the industry. Producers who have applied themselves through these tags have become more efficient and their sheep have become more productive because they can keep better records. Now, they know who the star performers are in the flock.” Therein lies the battle as scrapie efforts move forward. The tags were never designed for identification purposes. They were de

14 • Sheep Industry News • sheepusa.org

signed to increase traceability in the event of a disease outbreak. Whether they’re required or not after 2028, many producers will continue to use them as a means for improving their flocks. Regardless of where the scrapie journey goes in the years to come, the forum showed the importance of involving livestock markets in the process. In addition to Tews, Mandy Geistweidt of Gillespie Livestock in Texas and Justin Tupper of St. Onge Livestock in South Dakota were on the agenda to talk about the role their industry plays in traceability. And it was apparent from comments by all three that many sheep producers show up at sale barns unprepared to meet the current tagging requirements. “We are the gatekeepers to a lot of information,” Tews said during her panel discussion. Most markets can help producers meet tagging requirements but charge extra for a service that can be a real strain on their limited labor force. “I’m constantly reminded of how much we need to have good information available to producers, and we have to get more cre ative about how we put that information out to them,” said Wolf. While scrapie materials have been made available to sale barns in the past, the program ran into issues with keeping information current and assuring that it was distributed to producers. “We need to reach all of the industry, and not just the people who are coming to our association meetings.”

Discussions on the future of the scrapie program and where it heads from here will continue in the months – and years – to come. But with estimates that scrapie costs American sheep producers between $10 and $20 million a year in lost exports and increased production costs, there’s no doubt the industry can’t afford to take a wrong turn this close to the final destination.

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May 2025 • Sheep Industry News • 15

Taking Action for American Wool B ased on an industry analysis by Market Solutions LLC that was conducted in 2024 and presented at the 2025 ASI Annual Convention, the Wool Council asked association staff to develop a plan to spur growth and development within the American wool industry. • Exploring a Traceability Program. Improving wool quality takes the top spot because the way to increase domestic use of American wool is to produce high-quality wool that companies want to buy. This includes reducing the aver

age micron, reducing vegetable matter and increasing yield. There’s quite a bit of variety in the American wool clip, so we’ll establish a baseline, and then work with the ASI Production, Edu cation and Research Council and it’s Genetic Stakeholders Com mittee to collaborate efforts. ASI will also develop educational tools, such as webinars, brochures and social media posts. We’ll revitalize the quality improvement program and ensure testing innovations are available that allow producers to truly understand the quality of the wool they are growing. As previously mentioned, first-stage processing is a key compo nent in these efforts. Many producers remember when Superwash was introduced to the American wool industry in 2011 like it was yesterday. In fact, it spurred the development of several American made wool sock lines. But Superwash is more than a decade old now, and technology has evolved. The Wool Action Plan calls for continued investment in our first-stage processors. We’ll help them explore funding sources and grant opportunities while bringing in professionals from around the world to provide technical assistance as we look to expand their capacity and efficiency. The third point in the Wool Action Plan calls for increasing demand through promotion and education. Can you believe after all of these years that there are still consumers who only think of grandma’s itchy wool sweaters when asked about American wool? We need to educate them about the wonderful qualities of fine American wool. And we need to convince them that the added cost of buying American wool products – from underwear to outerwear and everything in between – is worth the price of admission. There’s a reason that people who often spend time in extreme conditions – whether it’s cold or hot – have come to realize the value of wool products. There’s a reason the United States military uses American wool in everything from cold weather gear to com bat and dress uniforms. We’ll continue consumer outreach – be sure to follow Experience Wool on social media and visit www.AmericanWool.org – as well as develop additional resources to market American wool domesti cally while drawing on our experience in marketing this all-natural fiber to overseas manufacturers. There’s been a resurgence of small- and medium-size mills in the United States in recent years as customers gravitate toward locally sourced and locally made products. The fourth point of the Wool Action Plan calls for ASI to provide additional support to these See WOOL ACTION PLAN on Page 18

The new Wool Action Plan identifies five key areas that need to be addressed, as well as ways in which ASI and the industry can go about implementing changes and improvements in these areas. WHERE WE ARE To get to your final destination, you need to know two things: where you are and where you are going. So, let’s take a look at where we are. Of the average annual American wool clip, 60 percent is exported internationally – with China continuing to serve as our largest market. Another 15 percent is used in clothing, blankets and other items for the United States military, while 19 percent is used by domestic, commercial mills and 6 percent is processed by domestic, small mills. U.S. textile manufacturing has changed dramatically since the 1990s, when much of the commercial textile industry moved to in ternational destinations. Domestic manufacturing has always been important to the American wool industry, which has struggled dramatically with the loss of manufacturing capacity. But with 40 percent of American wool staying in the United States, opportunity exists to grow the domestic side of our industry. And that’s where the Wool Action Plan will focus its energy. While we have plenty of producers growing American wool around the country, we have only two first-stage processors in Chargeurs and Bollman Industries. As the wool moves through the supply chain, there are more options for spinning and eventually manufacturing. It’s critical that first-stage processors – which are the gateway into manufacturing – are efficient and produce high quality products while also having plenty of raw wool to keep their facilities and their staffs busy. The analysis identified several areas of opportunity for American wool in the domestic market. These include the athleisure and out door apparel markets, taking advantage of the demand for locally sourced, natural fibers, developing yarns for export and more. ACTION PLAN ASI staff identified five key areas to focus on in the Wool Action Plan. Those areas are: • Improving Wool Quality. • Assisting First-Stage Processors. • Increasing Demand Through Promotion and Education. • Supporting Small- and Mid-Size Mills.

16 • Sheep Industry News • sheepusa.org

Demand for wool centers around finer, higher-quality wool.

Produce more fine wool.

Decrease vegetable matter and increase yield.

One of the American wool industry’s biggest challenges.

Identify additional funding for facility upgrades.

Bring in professionals from around the world to provide technical assistance.

Use consumer promotion program to dispel misconceptions about wool. Provide education on demand and marketing materials for domestic manufacturers.

Communicate within the supply chain.

Develop additional resources to market American wool.

May 2025 • Sheep Industry News • 17

Small and mid-size mills play an important role in American processing. We need to expand that role by helping them to increase efficiency and capacity. Provide educational resources for mill owners, as well as marketing resources.

Traceability has become increasingly important to consumers. They want to know where the products they buy are coming from, and how they are produced. Using American wool is important to the U.S. military.

“To successfully integrate additional programs, we will need to carefully evaluate our current priorities,” ASI Wool Marketing Di rector Rita Samuelson wrote in a letter to Wool Council members. “This may involve strategically changing programs and – in some cases – reassessing or scaling back lower-priority initiatives to make room for the new ones. Our goal is to optimize our efforts without compromising the quality and success of new and ongoing projects. “Although this is a transitional year – with the complexities of a Farm Bill year, uncertain funding and unforeseen challenges – it also presents opportunities for growth and innovation. By staying realistic about our capacity and leveraging our strengths, we are confident in our ability to drive meaningful progress. This plan positions us to move forward with intention. “We’re doing all of this with the end goal of creating a strong, re silient American sheep and wool industry now and into the future,” said Samuelson.

WOOL ACTION PLAN Continued from Page 16

mills. As is the case with the first-stage processors, many of them need access to additional funding so they can increase efficiency and capacity. These mills provide an avenue for American wool producers with smaller flocks to get their wool through the manufacturing process, whether they just want to develop a farm-specific yarn line or have their wool processed into consumer products. And finally, the Wool Action Plan calls for exploring traceabil ity options within the industry. Consumers who are willing to pay higher costs for natural fibers over synthetics often want to know where those fibers are coming from, how they were produced and that they are supporting local economies with their purchase. Providing American wool to the military is also important for the military and for wool usage.

18 • Sheep Industry News • sheepusa.org

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