Legislative Update from Washington, D.C.
The American Sheep Industry Association’s lobbying firm – Cornerstone Government Affairs – offered an update this week on legislative issues in our nation’s capital.
ASI meets with USDA FPAC Under Secretary Fordyce in Washington, DC on Farmer Bridge Assistance
On Wednesday, January 14, ASI producer leadership and staff met in Washinton, D.C. with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Production and Conservation (FPAC) Under Secretary Richard Fordyce advocating for the inclusion of wool under the Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program. In December, USDA announced $12 billion would be directed towards the newly created FBA program, with $11 billion allocated for one-time payments targeting traditional row crop commodities and the remaining $1 billion set aside in reserves for uncovered commodities (such as specialty crops and sugar but excludes livestock and meat products).
During the meeting, ASI provided industry testimony, and the discussion helped USDA better understand the market disruption and high harvesting costs facing the U.S. wool industry as well as the persistently low prices sheep producers have experienced since 2019. USDA indicated that wool will be considered within the competitive reserve for uncovered commodities; however, no decisions have been made at this time. USDA also noted that timelines for payments to producers not currently eligible for FBA are still under development, with additional information expected in the coming weeks. More information on the FBA program can be found here.
USDA, HHS Releases Updated Set of Dietary Guidelines for Americans
U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins unveiled the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs). Every five years, HHS and USDA jointly publish a new set of DGAs that informs a broad range of federal nutrition policies and programs using recommendations provided by the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee. The new guidance emphasizes reducing highly processed foods and added sugars while encouraging higher protein intake and reintroducing foods previously discouraged—such as whole milk, butter, and red meat—into recommended diets. Artificial sweeteners are downplayed, and traditional fats like beef tallow receive a nod. Another key takeaway from the new DGAs was an updated dietary visual, which replaces the MyPlate framework with an inverted food pyramid. Administration officials state that the revised visual is intended to emphasize whole foods and dietary patterns designed to improve population health while supporting American farmers, ranchers, and food producers. You can find more information at realfood.gov.
USDA Announces New Slate of Political Appointees
On Tuesday, January 6, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced a new slate of political appointments to service in several different roles within the agency. These include:
- The Honorable Doug Hoelscher was appointed as Minister-Counselor at the International Food and Agriculture Organizations in Rome, Italy
- Tate Bennett was appointed as Principal Deputy Chief of Staff
- Hailey Ghee was appointed as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations
- Mireya Brogan was appointed as Chief of Staff for Risk Management Agency
- Troy Romero was appointed as State Director for Rural Development in Louisiana
- Chris Lyons was appointed as State Director for Rural Development in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island
- Dominic Restuccia was appointed as State Director for Rural Development in Michigan
- Richard Stern was appointed as State Director for Rural Development in New Jersey
- Travis Day was appointed as State Director for Rural Development in New Mexico
- Cory Atkins was appointed as State Executive Director for Farm Service Agency in Delaware
- Starlyn Perdue was appointed as State Executive Director for Farm Service Agency in Iowa
- Philip Cowee was appointed as State Executive Director for Farm Service Agency in Nevada
- Wilmer Stoneman III was appointed as State Executive Director for Farm Service Agency in Virginia
- Patrick Bell was appointed as State Executive Director for Farm Service Agency in Washington
- Kennon White was appointed to Assistant Chief South Region for Natural Resources Conservation Service
- Kayleigh Hurley was appointed as White House Liaison
USDA Announces New Board Appointments for Sheep Industry Programs
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has appointed new members to key boards supporting the U.S. sheep and lamb sectors.
National Sheep Industry Improvement Center Board of Directors
USDA named two new board members who will serve three-year terms beginning January 2026:
• Michelle D. Wilfong, Producer (Dunmore, West Virginia)
• Robert R. Buchholz, Expert in Finance and Management (Eldorado, Texas)
The board helps guide the Center’s work to fund projects that improve U.S. sheep industry infrastructure and market opportunities.
American Lamb Board
Four individuals were appointed to the American Lamb Board, with terms beginning January 2026:
• Lee Bruner, Producer – Whitehall, Montana
• Garrett Julian, Producer – Kemmerer, Wyoming
• Tucker West, At-Large Feeder – Crawfordville, Georgia
• Karissa A. Isaacs, First Handler – Carr, Colorado
More information about the board is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and American Lamb Board webpage.
Convention App is Now Live
You don’t have to wait until you arrive in Reno to get the 2026 American Sheep Industry Association Annual Convention fun started. Grab your smartphone, download the Whova app and you can get the party started.
The app allows attendees to view event agendas and plan their personal schedules for the week, while also offering a map of the facility to help guide you to those meetings. With more than 400 attendees, the app will help you see who else is attending and reach out now and next week to arrange networking opportunities. If needed, ASI can also use the app to offer news and last-minute schedule changes.
The app is the perfect place to share convention photos from local sites and food to meetups with old friends and also offers a message board that can be used for everything from setting up airport ride shares to finding lost items.
Convention attendees should have received an invitation to join the ASI Annual Convention 2026 site on the app. If you didn’t, check in with the ASI registration desk at Atlantis Casino Resort Spa and ASI staff will assist you in getting online.
Click Here for more information.
Click Here to download for Iphones.
Click Here to download for Android phones.
Make Plans for ASI’s Spring Trip
The American Sheep Industry Association Spring Trip to Washington, D.C., is scheduled for March 2-4.
Sheep producers from state and national associations across the United States will visit our nation’s capital to meet with their congressional delegations on issues of interest to the industry.
The trip will also include meetings with government agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, including the Agricultural Marketing Service, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, U.S. Forest Service and Wildlife Services. Past trips have also included visits with representatives from the U.S. Department of the Interior and U.S. Department of Labor, as well as other agencies as necessary to address industry issues.
Producers interested in attending the ASI Spring Trip should contact their state sheep association executive, who will coordinate with ASI to plan the annual legislative fly-in.
2025 Wool Eligible For LDP Payments Until January 31
USDA Wool Marketing Assistance Loans (MALs) and Loan Deficiency Payments (LDPs) are currently available for wool shorn in 2025 and in 2026. MALs and LDPs are available until January 31 for wool shorn in 2025. Producers must have beneficial interest of the wool, among other eligibility requirements when receiving an MAL or LDP.
Producers are also encouraged to begin working with their local USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) office before their wool is shorn this year. 2026 rates increased for graded wool to $1.60 per pound and for ungraded wool to $0.55 per pound. Unshorn pelts can currently receive an LDP for $3.25 per pelt.
For more information, visit your local USDA-FSA Office or visit https://www.sheepusa.org/market-info/wool-ldp.
Australian Wool Market
The Australian wool market has resumed after the annual three-week Christmas recess in stunning fashion, recording sharp rises across the merino fleece sector of the market and solid gains in the others. Many industry observers were predicting a dearer market, based on overseas sales made during the break, however the strength in the market surprised many. The Eastern markets opened proceedings and from the start bidding was extremely spirited, with a large
spread of buyers fighting hard for market share. By the end of the first day, the Micron Price Guides (MPG) in the Eastern centres had risen by between 47 and 119 cents. With all
sectors in the market recording gains, the Eastern Market Indicator (EMI) rose by 69 cents. This was the best opening day start to a calendar year since 1979. The Western MPGs rose by between 99 and 118 cents, with a noticeable strengthening late in the day. The Western Indicator rose by an impressive 99 cents. On the second day the Eastern centers took the lead shown late on day two in the West. Main buyer focus was on the higher yielding wool, particularly lots
possessing favorable additional measurement results and these lots recorded the largest improvements. However, all types and descriptions recorded gains as buyers fought hard to accumulate quantity in the rapidly rising market. The MPGs added another 23 to 58 cents. The EMI rose by a further 38 cents for the day, resulting in a 107-cent increase for the week, or 6.9%. Only seven weeks have recorded a larger increase since 1988. This was the best weekly start to a calendar year since 2011. The EMI is now 460 cents higher than the corresponding sale of the previous season, an increase of 38.7%. The EMI is now at its highest point since January 2020, when it reached 1,643 cents.
American Lamb Takes Center Stage in New U.S. Dietary Guidelines
American Lamb is poised to play a starring role in how Americans eat over the next five years. The newly released 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) shift the nation’s focus toward whole, nutrient-dense foods—with a strong emphasis on prioritizing nutrient dense protein including red meat.
That’s exactly where American Lamb shines.
The new guidelines, presented in an inverted pyramid model, prioritize “real food”—naturally occurring, nutrient-dense foods—and call for more protein, fruits, and vegetables, while sharply limiting highly processed foods.
Prioritize Protein & Healthy Fats: A Natural Fit for American Lamb
The government’s website, realfood.gov, makes it clear: protein is back at the center of the plate. “We are ending the war on protein. Every meal must prioritize high-quality, nutrient-dense protein from both animal and plant sources, paired with healthy fats from whole foods such as eggs, seafood, meats, full-fat dairy, nuts, seeds, olives, and avocados.”
For millions of Americans, American Lamb is an ideal way to meet these new targets. The site recommends a daily protein intake of 0.54–0.73 grams per pound of body weight. For a 175-pound individual, that’s about 95–128 grams of protein per day. Just one 3-oz serving of American Lamb delivers 23 grams of high-quality protein, along with essential nutrients, making it a powerful “real food” choice for anyone looking to boost protein intake.
A 3 oz. serving of American Lamb also contains 40% heart-healthy fat. This monounsaturated fat is the same “good fat” found in olive oil and avocados.
American Lamb: A Big Opportunity in the New Guidelines
“The new guidelines reinforce what we’ve known all along: high-quality protein from locally raised American Lamb is a powerful part of a healthy diet—nourishing our bodies while supporting our farmers, our land, and our communities,” says ALB Chairman Jeff Ebert.
For sheep producers, this is a pivotal moment. As consumers look to add more protein to their diets, American Lamb offers exactly what the guidelines call for: nutrient-dense, minimally processed, flavorful protein, heart-healthy fats raised here at home. American Lamb helps Americans meet their protein goals while bringing variety and a fresh flavor profile to weekly menus.
Last week’s announcement also highlighted a renewed commitment to aligning the food system with American farmers and ranchers and to incorporating more “real,” unprocessed foods into the American diet. (https://cdn.realfood.gov/DGA.pdf) American Lamb—raised on U.S. soil by U.S. producers—embodies this vision.
Be a Voice for American Lamb
As a producer of American Lamb, you are uniquely positioned to demonstrate how our product aligns with the new recommendations. When talking about the guidelines and the benefits of including American Lamb in diets, emphasize that:
- The guidelines prioritize high-quality, nutrient-dense protein foods as part of a healthy dietary pattern. American Lamb is a protein-packed nutrition powerhouse that delivers both taste and nourishment.
- The guidelines recommend consuming a variety of protein foods. Adding American Lamb can enhance nutritional intake while bringing diversity and exciting flavor to the menu.
- The guidelines encourage choosing meats with no or limited added sugars, refined carbohydrates or starches, or chemical additives. Fresh American Lamb naturally meets these expectations, and the American Lamb website offers easy-to-follow recipes that help consumers turn ground lamb and lamb cuts into flavorful, wholesome, real-food meals.
Now is the time to elevate American Lamb’s story. By talking with customers, retailers, chefs, and your communities about American Lamb’s nutrition, quality, versatility, and ease of preparation—and by directing people to recipes and resources—you can help Americans see how American Lamb belongs at the center of a healthy, real-food diet.
Your voice can inspire more Americans to choose American Lamb regularly, supporting their health while strengthening U.S. farmers and ranchers.
Source: ALB