Nominations Open for American Lamb Board and Sheep Center
The American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) is seeking nominees to fill four positions on the American Lamb Board, as current members’ terms will expire in early 2026.
ASI is encouraging sheep producers and lamb feeders to apply to be placed on a nominating slate for USDA Secretary Rollins to consider appointing a director on our lamb checkoff board. ASI is now gathering nominations for the following positions:
- One producer with 100 or fewer lambs
- One producer with more than 500 lambs
- One feeder at large
- One first handler
Either the small-scale (≤100 lambs) or large-scale (>500 lambs) producer must be from Region II (west of the Mississippi River). The feeder at large must be from Region I (east of the Mississippi River).
ASI encourages interested individuals to visit www.sheepusa.org or contact the ASI office for a nomination form. Completed forms must be submitted to ASI by August 22, 2025.
The current directors whose terms are ending include Jeff Ebert (KS), Gary Visintainer (CO), and Don Hawk (OH), all of whom are term limited. ASI must submit at least two nominees for each of these three seats.
In addition, ASI is seeking nominations for one producer director and a director with experience in finance and management to serve three-year terms on the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center (NSIIC) Board of Directors. Bob Buchholz (TX) and Faye Schalesky (SD) currently hold these seats. ASI is accepting NSIIC nominations through August 22, 2025, ahead of the USDA’s submission deadline of September 8, 2025.
For more information, contact Peter Orwick, ASI Executive Director, at (303) 771-3500, ext. 103, or [email protected].
ALB Application form
NSIIC Application Form
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.
White House nominates Dr. Julie Callahan as USTR Chief Agricultural Negotiator
On Thursday, the Trump Administration officially nominated Dr. Julie Callahan to be the new Chief Agricultural Negotiator within the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). Callahan is a veteran to USTR, having worked at the Agency since 2016, serving in a multitude of different roles in the Agricultural Affairs office. Since 2020, she has most recently been serving as the Assistant USTR for Agricultural Affairs and Commodity Policy. This announcement comes a week after agriculture industry groups sent a letter to President Trump urging the Administration to swiftly fill the vacant role for the sake of stability within the agricultural trade space, of which USRPA signed onto. Now, Callahan will join the queue of other Trump nominees to undergo the Senate confirmation process before stepping into her nominated role. The American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) recently corresponded with the White House encouraging this role be filled.
Congressional Action on H2-A program
On Monday, Rep Monica De La Cruz (R-TX) introduced the Bracero Program 2.0 Act. This legislation is meant to reform and create critical solutions for ag laborers and their employers. It aims to stabilize the ag workforce while also disincentivizing illegal immigration into the U.S. . For sheep producers, the main focal point of this bill includes a streamlined application process and portal platform to reduce administrative burdens on employers. It also expands contracts from 10 to 12 months, implements statewide permits and creates H-2A worker protections, and more.
Proposed Hauling Exemptions for Livestock
Recently, Representative Jeff Hurd (R-CO) announced their plan to introduction the Hauling Exemptions for Livestock Protection (HELP) Act. This legislation is aimed at initiating complete exemption from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration for Hours of Service and Electronic Loggin Device regulation hours for livestock, insect and aquaculture haulers. This legislation covers both individuals and commercial haulers from being subject to hour restrictions and electronic logging devices. The American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) is pleased to see the leadership that Rep. Hurd’s office has taken on such an important issue for the sheep industry.
U.S. Forest Service FY 2026 Budget Hearing
The Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources convened on July 10 to hear from the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Tom Schultz, regarding the President’s FY26 budget. Mr. Schultz, appointed by Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins on February 27, 2025, provided testimony on how the proposed funding aligns with the priorities of the Trump Administration. Republicans expressed support for fiscally responsible funding cuts while emphasizing the importance of proactive wildfire mitigation. Many Republican committee members praised Secretary Rollins for rescinding the Roadless Rule, citing improved fire management and increased use of American timber. Democrats voiced skepticism about USFS’s ability to protect against wildfires under a reduced budget and called for detailed reporting on how FY26 funds will be allocated.
Senate appropriators advance agriculture spending bill
On July 10, Senate appropriators unanimously advanced bipartisan legislation, providing 2026 funding levels at the Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and rural development agencies. The Senate version appropriates $27.1 billion, an increase from House-appropriated $25.5 billion. The largest increase in funding went to Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), as the program’s funding was increased by $500 million, to cover projected participation increases. The bill also maintains full Cash Value Benefit for fruits and vegetables. Under this bill, USDA would need to get approval from House and Senate appropriators before closing or reducing staff at various USDA field offices. The Senate also funded Food for Peace at $1.5 billion, compared to the House’s $900 million funding level. Their package also designates $1 million for USDA to work with the State Department and other federal agencies to review the processes needed to transfer Food for Peace to USDA. The summary of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies bill is here. The draft text of the bill is here.
Supreme Court approves executive order for federal workforce reductions
On July 8, the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) ruled in favor of the Trump Administration’s Executive Order, the “Workforce Optimization Initiative”, calling for mass reductions in the federal workforce. In this 8-1 ruling, the Supreme Court lifted a lower-court injunction that prohibited the Trump Administration from performing mass layoffs across 21 different agencies. This injunction argued that these layoffs violated federal law, illegally bypassing any Congressional approval. However, the Supreme Court granted an emergency appeal for the Trump Administration as they were seeking permission to enforce an Executive Order from February 11. While the most recent ruling was in favor of the Administration’s Executive Order, SCOTUS’ decision only weighed the injunction lifted by a lower court judge, not the underlying layoff authority or plans themselves. Now agencies await administrative action on what President Trump in February called “a critical transformation of the Federal bureaucracy.”
Summer Lambventures Grill-Off Returns for 2025
The American Lamb Board has officially announced the return of its popular campaign, the Summer Lambventures Grill-Off, for 2025. This year’s initiative aims to enhance consumer engagement by introducing a competitive twist that features both amateur and professional hosts. The campaign runs from May 19 to July 6, 2025, with a public voting period from July 15 to August 29, culminating in the announcement of the winner in early September.
Nine amateur hosts from three distinct lifestyle categories—Patio Party Planners, Fit Foodies, and Outdoor Adventurers—will organize grilling parties centered around American Lamb. This year’s twist features a “Pros vs. Amateurs” format, where three prominent influencers will compete alongside the amateur hosts. The public will have the opportunity to vote for both their favorite Pro and Amateur Host parties.
Each host is tasked with creating a complete, themed party, including menus and decorations, as well as producing high-quality content to showcase their events. Voters will not only choose their favorite hosts but will also be entered into a giveaway for prizes tailored to their lifestyle category from high-end brands like Yeti and Le Creuset.
With targeted advertising and engaging social media initiatives, the campaign aims to solidify American Lamb’s position as the go-to protein for summer gatherings, while also fostering a community of lamb enthusiasts and boosting brand visibility.
“Building on the success of last year, the Lambventures Grill-Off is set to be an epic event that will help ALB reach several strategic goals,” says ALB Chairman Jeff Ebert.
The summer Lambventures campaign aims to promote American Lamb as the top protein choice for summer gatherings while generating content and influencer collaborations, growing the email list and social media audience, increasing traffic to lamb recipes, and strengthening brand loyalty across different lifestyle areas to highlight lamb’s versatility.
North Dakota Sheep Starter Flock Opportunity Offered to Youth
North Dakota State University Extension and the North Dakota Lamb & Wool Producers Association are offering an interest‑free loan program for youth (ages 10–18 as of Aug 1) to kickstart their own sheep flock. Successful applicants will receive 10 yearling Rambouillet ewes—bred at NDSU’s Hettinger Research Extension Center—with repayment of only 70 % of the flock’s value over three years. Mentorship, record‑keeping support, and business management guidance are included. Over 150 young producers have already benefited. Applications are due August 1, and pickups are scheduled for September 20 in Hettinger.
Click Here to read the full article.
AWEX-EMI Reaches Highest Level in Three Months
It was another increase in the AWEX Eastern Market Indicator, continuing its unbeaten start to the 2025/26 wool selling season; all three sale weeks since July 1 have closed higher. The AWEX-EMI rose 10 cents to finish at 1221 cents, breaking above its previous trading range of 1190–1210 cents and reaching its highest level in three months. In US dollar terms the AWEX-EMI also rose (reaching an 18-month high) supported by a strengthening Australian dollar. This week’s offering was relatively modest at 23,623 bales due to a Sydney/Melbourne-only rostering (there are limited volumes in Fremantle at this time of the year). The strongest gains came on the first day, with the Merino Fleece sector rising 5 to 10 cents. Wednesday displayed more irregular activity, particularly in Sydney, where a few small pockets of weakness were recorded in the finer microns. In contrast, Melbourne continued to firm through to the close. Stylish superfine types with in-demand specifications attracted strong buyer support in both centers during the sale. Merino Skirtings remained firm. Best-style, good-length lots with low vegetable matter continued to attract good support and are trading at solid premiums over other types. Crossbreds also continued to find favor, adding 20 cents in Sydney this week to the 28-Micron Price Guide and pushing it close to the 500-cent level. Now at a four-year high, the MPG has risen 39% over the past nine months. Merino Cardings firmed a few cents for the sale. Volumes rise to 38,044 bales next week with Fremantle returning to the national roster as a one-day sale. The auctions will be final week of wool sales before the annual three-week August recess.
Click Here for the ASI Conversion Chart – AWEX Prices to USD Per Pound.
Source: AWEX