Scholarship Deadline Approaching
The deadline to apply for the Sheep Heritage Foundation Scholarship is just a week away. Applications must be submitted by May 31.
The $3,000 Sheep Heritage Foundation Scholarship is administered by the American Sheep Industry Association and is awarded to a graduate student pursuing a sheep-related study that will support the advancement of the American sheep industry, lamb and wool.
Graduate students who are United States citizens and enrolled in school in the United States are eligible. They should be researching sheep, lamb or wool topics while studying animal science, agriculture or veterinary medicine.
To apply, students should submit a completed application, two letters of reference and proof of graduate school acceptance/enrollment.
Click Here for more information.
ASGA Conducts Census
The American Solar Grazing Association recently published the results of its first-ever U.S. Solar Grazing Census.
There were 129,000 acres of solar grazed by more than 113,000 sheep in 2024 according to the survey. These numbers were reported from 500 sites and 33 states. There were clear regional variations, with the South region exceeding the Midwest, Northeast and West in both sheep numbers and acres engaged in solar grazing. Sheep grazing was commonly utilized on utility-scale solar sites and smaller community and distributed generation facilities, as well as fixed and tracking style solar arrays.
ASGA also learned valuable perspectives of solar grazers, including motivations, challenges and benefits in the industry. Within the report, readers will learn demographic information of solar grazers, and how they manage their sites.
The information gained from the Solar Grazing Census was collected from 127 respondents, with 65 of those reported as active solar grazers who answered as themselves, or on behalf of their business.
Click Here for the full report.
Source: ASGA
Small Quantities Spark Demand in Australian Wool Market
The Australian wool market recorded an overall positive result this week, pushing higher following four successive falls. A traditionally quiet time of year for shearing in many parts of the country, this too is traditionally a quiet time of year on the wool auction front.
This week, there were a total of 27,169 bales on offer nationally. This was the smallest national weekly total of the current season and the smallest since June of last year (Week 49). The smaller offering attracted good widespread competition, pushing prices higher from the outset. Although the strongest demand continued to be on the higher-yielding lots – particularly those possessing favorable additional measurement results – with such a limited selection of these types, the lesser-style types and wool with less favorable results also benefited from the rising market.
On the opening day, all of the published individual AWEX Micron Price Guides across all three centers posted upward results. The Merino fleece MPGs added between 5 and 54 cents. The crossbred and skirting markets both trended higher. The benchmark Eastern Market Indicator added 10 cents for the day. This was the largest daily rise in the EMI in nine selling days. The EMI also managed a 2-cent rise in USD terms. This was the first time the EMI rose in both Australian and U.S. currency terms since the March 19.
On the second day of selling, the market again trended higher. The EMI rose in both AUD and U.S. terms, adding 4 and 3 cents, respectively. The EMI finished the series 14 cents higher, closing at 1,203 Australian cents. Next week there are expected to be 28,346 bales on offer nationally.
Click Here for the ASI Conversion Chart – AWEX Prices to USD Per Pound.
Source: AWEX
Tickets Are Limited for Lamb Summit
Are you ready for the 2025 American Lamb Summit? Register today for engaging discussions, expert insights and networking opportunities with fellow lamb producers, ranchers and industry leaders. The summit is set for July 23-25 at the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho.
This year’s summit promises to be an enriching experience. It will feature presentations on the latest trends, management strategies and best practices in the lamb industry. You will have the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals who are passionate about promoting American lamb and enhancing the overall quality of our products.
“Whether you’re a seasoned producer or new to the industry, this event is designed for everyone involved in the lamb supply chain,” said ALB Chairman Jeff Ebert. “Don’t miss this opportunity to learn, share and grow together.”
Featured presentations:
- Effects of Maternal Nutrition on Lamb Production Efficiency and Quality presented by Dr. Min Du, Washington State University, and Dr. Melinda Ellison, University of Idaho.
- Selecting Sheep with Improved Immunity to Reduce Antibiotic Use presented by Dr. Scott Bowdridge, West Virginia University.
- Recapturing and Discovering Ewe Value in Western Range Systems presented by Dr. Bret Taylor and Dr. Carrie Wilson, U.S. Sheep Experiment Station.
- Profitable and Sustainable Grazing Systems presented by Woody Lane.
The summit will also include small group and panel discussions, a pasture walk and, of course, American lamb BBQ.
Click Here for more information.
Source: ALB
Wool Sheep Reap Benefits of Solar Grazing
In a groundbreaking study that combines renewable energy with traditional farming practices, researchers have observed remarkable changes in 1,700 sheep grazing amidst solar panels.
A comprehensive three-year study conducted at Wellington Solar Farm in New South Wales, Australia, revealed fascinating results about sheep and solar panel coexistence. The research team from Lightsource bp – in partnership with EMM Consulting and Elders Rural Services – monitored 1,700 Merino sheep divided into two groups: one grazing in traditional pastures and another among solar panels.
The findings challenge conventional assumptions about livestock welfare in modified environments. Sheep grazing between solar arrays showed no negative health impacts. Instead, researchers documented enhanced wool quality with increased fiber strength and growth rates. The solar infrastructure created microhabitats that benefited both the animals and the underlying vegetation.
“The promising results indicate we’re on the right track,” explained Brendan Clarke, acting environmental planning manager at Lightsource bp for Australia and New Zealand. “Close collaboration with farmers remains essential as we continue to expand our knowledge in this field.”
Click Here to read the full story.
Source: Farmingdale Observer
Shearing Championships Set for June
The Mike McWilliam Memorial Sheep Shearing Contest will be hosting the U.S. Sheep Shearing Championships on June 6-7 at the Douglas County (Ore.) Fairgrounds.
Information from the Douglas County Farm Bureau said the event is held in conjunction with the Douglas County Lamb Show and Sale. The Umpqua Weavers and Spinners Guild will have a wool showcase displaying wool processing and products. The Douglas County Livestock Association will host its lamb barbecue on Saturday. Memorial rugs spun from the wool shorn at the event will be pre-sold at the contest. All activities are free and open to the public.
Beginner and preliminary rounds of shearing start at 11 a.m. on June 6 with the semi-finals and final events beginning at 9 a.m. on June 7. There will be competitions for beginners, intermediates and open classes of machine shearing, as well as wool handling and blade shearing.
Click Here for more information.
Source: KQEN News Radio
Black Vulture Relief Act Moves Forward
U.S. Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), along with Sens. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) and Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.), introduced the Black Vulture Relief Act of 2025 this week. The act would allow farmers and ranchers the ability to protect their livestock when threatened by predatory animals without big government interference.
The Black Vultures Relief Act of 2025 removes the requirement for a depredation permit, allowing farmers and ranchers to take black vultures anytime the birds threaten their livestock. This bill also preserves the requirement for annual take reporting to the Fish and Wildlife Service, allowing FWS to continue monitoring black vulture population numbers, in addition to prohibiting the use of poison as a method of take.
“Oklahoma ranchers deserve the right to protect their livestock from threatening predators,” said Mullin. “Attacks from black vultures are all too common and our ranchers are suffering the consequences. As a rancher myself, I know firsthand the implications of the rapidly growing black vulture population and the negative effect this has on livestock production. Removing the requirement for a depredation permit will allow Oklahomans the ability to do what is necessary to protect their livestock and reduce economic hardship. It’s vital to the livelihood of ranchers across the country that we get this fixed.”
Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Bill Hagerty (R-Tenn.), Ted Budd (R-N.C.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (Miss.) and Lindsey Graham (S.C.) joined Mullin, Tuberville and Schmitt in cosponsoring this legislation.
The American Sheep Industry Association supports the legislation as sheep producers should have the right to protect their livestock from any and all predators.
Click Here for full text of the bill.
Source: Oklahoma Farm Report
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.
USDA Names Morris as AMS Administrator
On May 13, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced the appointment of Erin Morris as the new administrator for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service.
Morris – a Texas A&M University alum with more than 25 years of experience at AMS – will replace Bruce Summers, who is retiring from his 40-year USDA career toward the end of this month. Morris previously was serving as associate administrator of AMS and right hand to Summers. In the announcement, Rollins commended Morris for her dedicated service to AMS and the farms and ranchers that it serves. In this new role, Morris will continue to support AMS in its crucial role ensuring fair and effective marketing of U.S. agriculture products.
Sec. Rollins Wraps Trade Mission to the U.K.
On May 15, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins concluded her trade delegation travels across the United Kingdom advocating on behalf of the United States agriculture industry. While there, her mission was to expand market access for U.S. agricultural producers while strengthening essential bilateral trade relationships.
Rollins met with key U.K. officials including Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve Reed; Secretary of State for Business and Trade Jonathan Reynolds; and Varun Chandra, the prime minister’s special adviser on business and investment. She also met with U.S. Ambassador to the U.K. Warren Stephens and spoke with other industry leaders across the food, energy and retails sectors. She toured key points in the U.K.’s food supply chain, such as food processing facilities and retail markets. While interacting with these U.K. partners, she continually advocated for American agriculture by highlighting key trade barriers, promoting science-based regulations and seeking to enhance market access.
Additionally, Rollins met with U.S. farmers and representatives of U.S. agricultural products who also traveled to London to partake in the targeted trade mission, where they were able to share major successes and hurdles competing in the U.K. and global markets with the secretary.
Senate Ag Holds More Nomination Hearings
On Wednesday, the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry convened to hear the nominations of Dudley Hoskins to be under secretary of agriculture for marketing and regulatory programs and Dr. Scott Hutchins to be under secretary of agriculture for research, education and economics.
Republicans and Democrats agreed on the importance of strong leadership and effective programs at the U.S. Department of Agriculture to address current challenges facing American agriculture. Republicans focused on confirming the nominees in order to address timely issues facing the industry, such as high input costs, pest and disease threats, trade barriers, and to strengthen partnerships with land-grant universities and research facilities. Democrats emphasized the importance of protecting American agricultural products against animal diseases, maintaining adequate staffing and funding for research and regulatory programs, and supporting fair markets and local food systems. Other topics discussed included the relocation of USDA agencies, facility improvements, support for organic producers, and the resilience of rural communities and agriculture to climate challenges.
House Passes Reconciliation Package
Early Thursday morning, the U.S. House of Representatives managed to pass its budget reconciliation bill by a vote of 215-214-1, after surviving a contentious 21-hour House Rules Committee markup to advance it to the floor.
The bill passed with majority support from House Republicans. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) and Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) voted no along with all present Democrats. Rep. Andy Harris (R-Md.) voted present, while Reps. Andrew Garbarino (R-N.Y.) and David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) abstained from voting altogether. The bill H.R.1 – the One Big Beautfiul Bill Act – largely reflects President Donald Trump’s fiscal policy agenda and includes tax reforms, spending adjustments and policy changes across various sectors. Specifically, the bill extends the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, introduces new tax breaks and exemptions, such as lower individual tax rates and increased standard deductions.
From the lens of the agricultural sector, the package expands and permanently extends 199A deductions, restores bonus depreciation, increases Section 179 expensing and raises the estate tax exemption level. Acting as offsets, the bill also enacts cuts to social programs, including Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Within the Agriculture Committee’s jurisdiction and over a 10-year period, the bill cuts $294.6 billion mainly from the nutrition title, while also reinvesting $58.792 billion into vital farm bill programs and titles.
Of note, it supports orphan programs, funding for marketing loan rates and other promotional programs important to the sheep industry. The bill provides doubled funding for trade promotion programs such as Foreign Market Development and Market Access Program – both of which are vital to the American Sheep Industry Association in its promotion of American wool to overseas markets.
Now, the House reconciliation package heads to the Senate for consideration, where Republicans hold a narrow 53-47 majority.