Texas A&M Offers NWS Webinar

In response to growing concern about New World screwworm, the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service will host a webinar on Monday to provide more information to agricultural producers and the public. The webinar will run from 2 to 4:30 p.m. central time.

AgriLife Extension experts will be joined by veterinarians from the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory and Texas Animal Health Commission to discuss the importance of New World Screwworm awareness and prevention.

This fly poses a serious threat to livestock and wildlife because it deposits eggs into the wounds of living animals. These larval infestations can infest any living mammal, including pets and humans.

AgriLife Extension is furthering its educational outreach with the public webinar, after releasing a new fact sheet.

Outlined during the webinar will be the updated status of the New World Screwworm, biology of the pest and prevention and treatment strategies in the U.S. public health perspectives – including pets – will also be addressed during the event, followed by a question-and-answer session.

Click Here to register.

Source: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

 

Summer Classes, Recipes Showcase American Lamb’s Versatility

This summer, the American Lamb Board is emphasizing cut variety and seasonal versatility by teaming up with Homemade and leading Lambassadors to offer trendy and accessible recipes that showcase American lamb as the ideal summer protein. The recipes span from elegant dinner party main courses to casual grilling favorites – all aimed at inspiring home cooks and increasing lamb demand during the peak of grilling season.

The ongoing collaboration with the largest online cooking school – Homemade – continues with classes spotlighting American lamb throughout the summer. Homemade’s Fan of Lamb Cooking Club kicks off the summer season next week – Tuesday at 5 p.m. mountain time – with a Father’s Day meal inspiration class featuring a grilled Hot Honey Leg of Lamb.

Additionally, four exciting new Homemade developed recipes will be showcased on the American lamb website and social media channels during June, encouraging followers to experiment with delicious flavors.

The enticing summer dishes include:

• Chipotle Lamb & Charred Corn Tostadas: Bold, smoky flavors with a street food vibe.
• Grilled Miso Lamb Chops with Sesame Broccoli: Fusion-forward and easy to plate; elevates the lamb chop with a trendy umami twist.
• Lamb & Zucchini Skewers with Herb Gremolata: Light, fresh, and fit foodie-friendly – ideal for bowls or party platters.
• Loaded BBQ Baked Potatoes with Ground Lamb: Comfort food meets backyard BBQ – a budget-friendly, approachable option.

Two long-time, fan favorite Lambasasadors will be showcasing new summer lamb recipes in June through their blogs and social media channels. Two Purple Figs will feature a Grilled Lamb Areyas recipe and the Curious Plate has developed a Harissa BBQ leg of lamb recipe. This content will showcase American lamb as a versatile grilling option, infused with unique global flavors, perfect for summer celebrations.

“Achieving ALB’s strategic goals is always a priority when organizing these culinary promotions,” said ALB Chairman Jeff Ebert. “These summer partnerships showcase a variety of cuts, blend gourmet ideas with family-friendly cooking, and cater to summer holidays and events.”

Click Here to discover more about ALB programs and objectives.

Source: ALB

 

Vote Now for Agrivoltaics Awards

It’s time to cast your votes for the 2025 North American Agrivoltaics Awards. Profiles for each person and project in the various categories are available to read on the NAAA website, including those of a handful of American sheep producers that you might recognize.

The contest is co-hosted in collaboration with the American Solar Grazing Association, the Solar Farm Summit, the American Farmland Trust and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

Click Here for more information and to vote.

Source: NAAA

 

Australian Wool Market

The Australian wool market recorded a small overall loss in this selling series with the result heavily influenced by weakness in the Merino fleece market, particularly in the 18 to 19.5-micron range. Fremantle did not sell in this series. With only Sydney and Melbourne in operation, the national offering was just 22,806 bales. This was the smallest national offering since September 2020, which was during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On the opening day, buyer sentiment was best described as cautious, although the smaller offering was well supported and the market opened solidly. The prices achieved were generally within 10 cents of those on offer at the close of the previous series. By the end of the day, the movements in the individual AWEX Micron Price Guides for Merino fleece ranged between positive 18 cents and negative 8 cents. A strong crossbred market helped push the benchmark Eastern Market Indicator up by 2 cents for the day.

On the second day, buyer sentiment weakened. This weakening was quickly felt in the sale room and prices began to fall. By the end of the second day, the MPG movements ranged between unchanged and negative 31 cents. The crossbred sector held up well compared to the Merinos, recording a generally unchanged market which helped soften the downward impact on the EMI, which fell by 7 cents for the day.

The EMI finished the series at 1,199 Australian cents, down 5 cents on the previous close. A marginal increase – 0.16 cents – in the Australian dollar compared to the USD, meant that in USD terms, the EMI movement was slightly more positive. The EMI dropped just 1 cent, closing at 775 U.S. cents.

Fremantle returns to the selling program next week, bolstering the offering. There are currently expected to be 30,187 bales on offer nationally.

Click Here for the ASI Conversion Chart – AWEX Prices to USD Per Pound.

Source: AWEX

 

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.

Trump Shares Additional Budget Requests

President Donald Trump has released a 1,224-page appendix with more details and agency instructions regarding the administration’s initial Fiscal Year 2026 ‘skinny’ budget request that was released in the beginning of May. In addition to the White House’s published materials, several individual agencies also posted their own budget in brief resources.

In the released budget, Trump seeks non-dense funding cuts of more than 22 percent in the upcoming fiscal year alongside a flat military budget. From the lens of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the administration is requesting $23 billion for USDA – which amounts to a $7 billon cut from the current year’s budget. While the appendix provides additional details surrounding targeted cuts across the federal government, the White House still owes Congress several other pieces of its budget. Despite this, White House Office of Management Director Russ Vought has indicated that a completed proposal is not expected to be released until Congress passes the GOP-led reconciliation package.

All this comes as the House Appropriations Committee commences a handful of subcommittee markups regarding FY26 appropriations bills this week.

Click Here for more information.

USDA Announces Release of ELRP Payments

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins recently announced that the agency plans to begin the rollout of Congressionally mandated Emergency Livestock Relief Program payments to cover grazing losses due to eligible drought or wildfire events in 2023 and 2024.

USDA’s Farm Service Agency plans to utilize the existing Livestock Forage Disaster Program data to streamline calculations in order to expedite the program’s processes. FDA’s initial payments will be calculated at 35 percent of eligible losses with potential for additional payments if funds remain.

The ELRP program – authorized under the American Relief Act 2025 – also includes flooding, which is likely to be initiated later this summer.

Click Here to learn more.