Hawks Announces Ewe-Lamb Program at ASI Convention

Jan. 30, 2004 -- U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Bill Hawks thrilled participants at the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) annual convention by announcing a one-year extension of the retained ewe-lamb program. Secretary Hawks delivered the USDA decision to fund the $18.85 million ewe-lamb retention program for fiscal year 2004 while addressing the 300 participants in the sheep industry meeting.

Guy Flora, ASI president, acknowledged the enormous value of this announcement. ?This initiative has been a priority for ASI. We believe we have stabilized the U.S. sheep breeding herd, and now have an opportunity to expand it with the ewe-lamb program as a key component,? said Flora. ?The ewe-lamb extension will go a long way in assisting producers with the task of flock recovery as well as adapt to the considerable structural changes in domestic markets over the last few years. We applaud the Administration?s efforts to extend this program, which benefits the entire industry from farm to processor.?

The industry also thanks the many U.S. senators and representatives who strongly endorsed the ewe-lamb extension.

Producers will be notified about the particulars of the program by local Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices when details are finalized and offices are prepared to accept and process applications.

The complete press release can be found at: sheepusa.org.

Staff contact: Peter Orwick, ext. 33

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