Sheep Industry News November 2024

Hurricanes Wash Out Military Wool Tour

A n especially busy fall hurricane season forced ASI to cancel the 2024 Wool Education Tour that would have taken military decisionmakers to several sites that play a key role in the American wool manufacturing supply chain. The tour was scheduled for Oct. 7-10 – falling just between the arrival of Hur ricanes Helene and Milton in the southeastern part of the United States. “Some of the locations we planned to visit are close to the hardest-hit areas (from Hurricane Helene), and there is too much uncertainty about what conditions we might encounter with a group of 30 people traveling on a bus,” wrote ASI Director of Wool Market ing Rita Samuelson in cancelling the tour on Oct. 3. “Our primary concern is the safety of our travelers, as well as the well-being of those in North Carolina facing the devastating effects of the hurri cane. We do not want to interfere with ongoing rescue efforts or risk potential travel disruptions for mill participants, both ground and air. We appreciate your understanding and support as we prioritize safety and consideration for those in the area during this difficult period. We will follow-up with military participants regarding pos sible future events.” The cancellation came after nearly a year of planning by ASI’s wool department and consultants. Tours such as this one play a vital role in introducing military leaders to American wool, and the pos sibilities it presents for clothing and protecting U.S. troops. A similar tour in the Southeast was previously conducted in the fall of 2017. “Education is the name of the game,” said ASI Military Consul tant Mitch Driggers, who assisted in planning the tour. “Rita and I have been doing these things for about 20 years now. The first one was a ranch tour that included the Montana State University Wool Lab and the Helle Ranch. We followed it up with a mill tour a couple of years later.” As planned, the tour would

carded and combed to make wool top suitable for worsted spinning. They would have also seen the wool top shrink treated to make it machine washable for applications that require that characteristic.” • Elevate Textiles in Raeford, N.C. – “The supply chain contin ues in this plant with top dyeing, spinning, weaving and finishing of more than 90 percent of the woven wool and wool blend fabrics used by the United States military.” • Clover Knits in Clover, S.C. – “Clover is a circular knitter that manufactures a wide range of knitted fabrics suitable for cold weather use. Clover is one of the biggest wool knitters in the United States with a long history of innovative wool fabrics.” • Meridian Specialty Yarn Group in Ranlo, N.C. – “MSYG has a long history of preparing wool for high-end specialty markets. The Ranlo mill is its newest facility and is noteworthy in that it is the first new commercial worsted spinning facility in the United States in many years.” Participants in the tour would have included contracting rep resentatives from the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Clothing and Textiles. They are responsible for all contracts that procure fabrics and garments containing wool. Members of the U.S. Army’s Cold Weather Team were also planning to attend along with representatives from the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force. The tour would have given each of them their first opportunity to see the entire manufacturing supply chain in operation. “ASI is the only organization that periodically organizes tours like this for military textile personnel,” Driggers said. “And that makes the American Wool Council Wool Education Tour a unique and important event.” Organizers are already looking at options for conducting another tour for military personal from all services to educate them about American wool and the manufacturing supply chain.

have begun with a seminar to provide important information on American wool produc tion from the sheep forward, including the amount produced and characteristics of Ameri can wool. The tour would then have taken military leaders and members of ASI’s Wool Council to four facilities that play a role in developing wool clothing for the military. Stops included: • Chargeurs in Jamestown, S.C. – “They would have seen grease wool blended, scoured,

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