ASI Continues Monitoring New World Screwworm Response
Sheep industry representatives continue to closely monitor the New World screwworm (NWS) situation, particularly the response to detections in Texas and New Mexico. ASI has been in regular communication with federal leaders at USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) regarding issues that have arisen since the first detection.
For details on how USDA APHIS is coordinating the NWS response, as well as information on control and prevention measures, view the USDA NWS Response Playbook. The publicly available document was developed with input from stakeholders across animal agriculture, including ASI.
As with any disease threat, states may implement additional movement restrictions for animals originating from areas where infestations have occurred. Many states have already enacted restrictions on livestock movements from affected zones.
For details on current restrictions, visit www.interstatelivestock.com.
Some states now require animals from infested zones to be tagged prior to movement. If tagging, producers should be sure to spray the tag site with an approved product that contains 0.5% permethrin to kill and repel screwworm flies.
Current Status (as of June 18):
- 9 active cases
- 3 inactive cases
- Most recent detection: June 12, 2026
USDA Commits $105 Million to Fight New World Screwworm
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced last week it is funding 40 new research and response projects aimed at strengthening the nation’s defenses against New World screwworm (NWS) — a significant federal investment with direct implications for U.S. sheep and livestock producers.
The projects, selected through USDA’s NWS Grand Challenge launched in January 2026, will share approximately $105 million in funding. USDA received 226 applications requesting a combined $664 million, making the selection process highly competitive. Projects were evaluated on scientific merit, innovation, and their potential impact on detection, control, and eradication readiness.
Funding priorities include improving sterile fly production capacity, developing modern traps and lures for early detection, advancing animal therapeutics and treatments, and building broader preparedness tools such as repellents, ecological modeling, and wildlife surveillance.
Two projects are already underway: Texas A&M AgriLife Research is testing electron beam technology as an alternative to traditional irradiation methods for sterilizing NWS pupae, and the University of Florida is evaluating X-ray irradiators for the same purpose — both focused on improving the sterile insect technique that has long been central to NWS control efforts.
ASI Responds to Media Coverage Opposing M-44 Predator Management Tools
Ted Williams is an opinion columnist for The Denver Post and recently shared commentary about the use of M-44s and his call for their removal. That article can be found here. ASI’s Executive Director, Mike Michener, submitted a reply citing the importance of preserving the existing tools for sheep and livestock producers to protect their animals from predators.
Williams’ article zoned in on negative effects and accidents that can be caused by M-44s and cited animal activists and predator experts with a one-sided narrative. However, he failed to interview any sheep producers about the need for predation management tools or practices. No one disputes that M-44s should be used carefully with regulation. Public safety matters, and predator management programs should continuously seek safer and more effective methods. The reality is that no single method works everywhere and experienced producers rely on multiple layers of protection and management tools.
The path forward is not to eliminate the available tools and hope alternatives emerge later. It is to involve sheep producers in the discussion and invest in innovation while ensuring producers retain the ability to protect their animals.
Read Mike’s full response at the button below.
Supreme Court Upholds China Section 301 Tariffs
On June 15, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal challenging the Section 301 tariffs on goods imported from China, effectively ending the legal challenge and leaving the tariffs in place. For the wool industry, there is a key product category that remain subject to additional duties:
- Nylon woolsacks (HTS 6305.39.0000) — subject to the standard 8.4% duty rate plus an additional 7.5% Section 301 tariff
The ruling leaves intact lower court decisions upholding USTR’s authority to implement the List 3 and List 4 Section 301 tariffs. The additional duties will remain unless modified through future administrative or legislative action.
ASI will continue to monitor trade developments affecting sheep producers and the broader sheep industry.
USDA Issues Directive to Restore Grazing on National Forest Lands and Strengthen Support for America’s Ranchers
On June 12, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced a comprehensive directive to all U.S. Forest Service employees aimed at restoring and expanding grazing access on National Forest System lands — a move with direct implications for sheep producers who hold or seek grazing permits on federal lands.
The directive advances implementation of a March 2026 Memorandum of Understanding between USDA and the Department of the Interior to expand grazing on both Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands. Key elements include:
- Prioritizing permitting for vacant and closed allotments
- Streamlining permit and allotment authorizations to eliminate delays
- Maximizing grazing flexibilities to keep working lands in production
- Improving engagement between agency staff and ranchers
Roughly 23,000 permittees and lessees rely on public rangelands, and this directive signals a shift toward treating grazing as an administration priority rather than an obstacle to manage.
ASI is working year-round to advance producer priorities across the country. Here’s what’s happening, what it means, and what’s next.
USDA Opens FY27 Trade Promotion Program Applications
On June 10, Agriculture Secretary Rollins announced that USDA is now accepting applications for Fiscal Year 2027 trade promotion programs, being administered through the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS). These programs are designed to help agricultural producers expand access to international markets and attempt to limit trade barriers to current export opportunities. The funding opportunity includes the Quality Samples Program, Foreign Market Development Program, and the Market Access Program, all of which ASI has used to promote American Wool. Other programs include the Emerging Markets Program, and Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops program. FAS expects award selections to be announced later this year before FY27 implementation.
USDA Announces Further Details on Its Reorganization
This week USDA rolled out additional details on its planned reorganization, outlining relocation and restructuring plans across several mission areas. The Department announced it will move significant Washington-based staff to regional hubs, including Kansas City, Fort Collins, Indianapolis, Raleigh, and Salt Lake City, as part of a push to consolidate facilities and bring operations closer to agricultural stakeholders. Of note, the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) will move to Kansas City and Beltsville as part of a broader modernization effort aimed at strengthening market access and improving global engagement. Further, the Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP) mission area is implementing targeted organizational improvements within the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) while remaining headquartered in Washington, focusing on streamlining operations and enhancing program delivery. Additional actions across Research, Education, and Economics and other mission areas continue to shift personnel and functions out of the National Capital Region to align resources with USDA’s core mission.
ALB Releases Latest Quarterly Circana Retail
Lamb Report
The American Lamb Board has released its latest quarterly Circana retail analysis, providing an updated look at U.S. lamb sales performance, consumer purchasing trends, and market dynamics. Read the full report for detailed insights into category and regional performance.
Read the full report from American Lamb Board here.
Your weekly snapshot of key market rates and reports (U.S. and global) to help you stay ahead of pricing and demand shifts.
Wool Markets Push Closer to All-Time Highs
The EMI posted solid gains across all microns this week ($0.06 to $0.15 per clean pound), pushing the overall EMI closer to all-time highs. When compared to a year ago, the EMI has gained $7.84, an increase of 79.3%.
About the EMI: The AWEX Eastern Market Indicator (EMI) is the key benchmark index of Australian wool auction prices and is widely used as a global wool market indicator.
LDP Payments Available This Week
USDA Weekly Sheep, Lamb, & Wool Market Summary
The report is generally updated on Friday afternoon.