From the Executive Director
Dear ASI Members,
Next week, I’ll be in Washington, D.C. representing the American Sheep Industry and advocating directly on your behalf.
Throughout the week, I’ll be meeting with members and staff of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees, leadership from the American Farm Bureau Federation and the Public Lands Council, and senior officials across several key USDA agencies. I’ll also be engaging with trade and export partners who help shape the policy environment for our industry.
These meetings are not just routine – they are an opportunity to ensure that sheep producers have a strong, credible voice in the decisions being made in Washington.
A major focus of this trip will be our efforts to secure a Section 201 trade case investigation. I’ll be engaging directly with key decision-makers to reinforce the need for meaningful relief for American lamb producers and make sure our perspective is understood at the highest levels.
The Farm Bill is equally critical. As the process moves forward, I’ll be meeting directly with committee staff and decision-makers to ensure provisions affecting risk management, market development, conservation, and support for wool and lamb producers are clearly communicated and actively considered.
More broadly, this visit is about strengthening relationships and making sure policymakers understand the challenges you face and the opportunities ahead.
I look forward to reporting back on real outcomes for producers across the country. Thank you, as always, for the work you do every day.
Mike Michener
Executive Director
FDA Approves First Generic Moxidectin Drench
FDA approved Moxidectin Oral Drench for Sheep, the first generic version of moxidectin oral drench to treat and control internal parasites in sheep. The product is bioequivalent to the brand-name Cydectin Oral Drench for Sheep (approved in 2005) and will be sold over the counter in 1- and 4-liter bottles. The labeled dose is 1 mL per 11 lbs. of body weight. Slaughter withdrawal is 7 days, and it should not be used in ewes producing milk for human consumption (no milk withholding time established).
Michigan State University is seeking a Small Ruminant Academic Specialist.
The Department of Animal Science at MSU is seeking a Small Ruminant Academic Specialist with responsibilities in Extension, applied research, and teaching. This position offers the opportunity to develop an integrated program supporting Michigan’s sheep and goat industries through statewide outreach, stakeholder-driven research, and undergraduate instruction in sheep and goat production. The successful candidate will work closely with producers, industry partners, MSU Extension educators, and faculty colleagues to make a meaningful impact across the state.
Strategic Plan Survey Reminder
ASI is building a new 5-year strategic plan under Executive Director Mike Michener and producer input is a key part of getting it right. If you haven’t yet, please take the short survey and share your top priorities, biggest challenges, and one action ASI can take to make the most impact. Quick bullet-point answers are welcome. Submit by May 15, 2026.
Europe’s Textile Capacity Keeps Shrinking
Europe’s textile and apparel sector is continuing to lose manufacturing capacity, with factories closing week after week. EURATEX reports a third consecutive year of decline across production, turnover, and employment driven by high energy costs, weak demand, rising import pressure from Asia, unfair online competition, and growing regulatory burden. For U.S. producers, this underscores a broader global reality: capacity is not just under pressure in the United States, but across Europe as well. As manufacturing continues to concentrate in China and Southeast Asia, supply chains become more centralized, reinforcing long-term questions around resilience and dependency
USDA Issues 2026 Wildfire Readiness Memorandum
On April 29, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins issued the 2026 Wildfire Readiness Memorandum and a letter directing the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to increase national wildfire readiness, enhance community-focused risk reduction, and support firefighter health and safety. The memo directs all USDA Mission Areas to maintain full qualification readiness, surge staffing capacity, and contracting support to combat wildfires. USFS is instructed to update performance measures for hazardous fuels and to engage in interagency cooperation to reduce barriers to prescribed fires and improve firefighter health and safety. The effort builds on President Trump’s Executive Order Empowering Commonsense Wildfire Prevention and Response, which aims to streamline wildfire prevention and response.
2026 Secretarial Memorandum Here
Letter to USFS Here
Wool Markets Remain High and Steady
Continuing on a run of strong prices, the EMI held its ground this week with slight increases in nearly all microns. According to AWEX reports, “Main buyer attention continued to focus on the good/best style types, carrying less than 1.0% vm.” In Australia, volumes continue to be constrained.
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.
Global Market Watch: Production Outlook in Australia
Australia’s wool supply is forecast to tighten again next season. The Australian Wool Production Forecasting Committee projects 2026/27 production at 243.9M kg greasy (down 4.5%), with 2025/26 now forecast at 255.4M kg (down 8.8% vs. 2024/25). Sheep shorn are expected to sit at a historically low 59.3M head, with average cut also down.