ASI Photo Contest Makes Changes in 2025
It’s once again time to enter your great photos in the ASI Photo Contest. But pay attention when entering, as the categories have changed for 2025. Farmers, ranchers and photographers have five categories available this year: Scenic, White Wool Sheep, Naturally Colored Sheep, Hair Sheep and Open.
The deadline to enter is 5 p.m. mountain time on Aug. 1.
“We’re shaking things up a bit this year,” said Sheep Industry News Editor Kyle Partain, who oversees the contest. “We wanted to find a way to show off the diversity of the industry, and we believe the changes we’ve made will do that. In addition, entries in the photo contest have been down the past couple of years, so we felt like it was time to try something different.
“While hair sheep continue to grow among the overall American sheep population, they’ve been underrepresented in the ASI Photo Contest through the years. So, we’re giving them their own category this year. Running Katahdins on the farm or Dorpers in a solar field? Send us your photos.”
The categories for this year’s contest are:
- Scenic: Photos entered in this category must include sheep, but no people. We’re looking for just sheep and the scenic places where they hang out. This category is open to all sheep.
- White Wool Sheep: Photos in this category should include white-faced sheep. They can be hanging out with their shepherds, lambing, getting sheared, etc. Maybe they’re relaxing with their favorite guard dog (or donkey), or being herded by their least favorite Border Collie.
- Naturally Colored Sheep: Same as the White Wool Sheep category, except we want to see your true colors in all their natural glory.
- Hair Sheep: Got Katahdins, Dorpers, St. Croix, Barbados Blackbelly or other hair sheep breeds? This is your category.
- Open: Anything that doesn’t quite fit into the first four categories can be entered here.
In addition, ASI will offer online voting for a People’s Choice winner.
“There’s no monetary award for the People’s Choice category, but the bragging rights will be huge,” said Partain. “ASI staff will select 10 to 15 of the top photos – some of which will be winners in the individual categories – to post online in late August to be voted on by its social media followers. Stay tuned for more details after all the 2025 entries have been received.”
Only the categories have changed. Otherwise, the rules of the contest remain the same as in past years. The winner in each category will receive $125. Second-place finishers will take home $75 and the third-place award is $50.
Entries should be emailed to [email protected] with the subject line of ASI Photo Contest.
Click Here for complete rules and more information.
Currency, Quality Concerns Send Australian Wool Prices Lower
The Australian wool market was heavily influenced by currency fluctuations once again this week with a strengthening Australian dollar making purchases more expensive for exporters when converted to U.S. dollars. This shift in exchange rates was quickly reflected in market behavior and buyer sentiment.
Typically, a quieter time of year, the national offering dropped to 28,508 bales – the second-smallest sale of the current season. Difficult seasonal conditions continue to affect large areas across the country. Ongoing dry weather and a lack of rainfall have contributed to dusty growing environments, which in turn are reducing fleece yields and negatively impacting wool style and quality.
AWEX classifies wool into seven style categories, ranging from 1 (choice) to 7 (inferior). Most Australian wool is usually graded within style categories 3 and 5. However, during the past four to six weeks, there has been a clear increase in the number of sale lots assessed as styles 6 and 7. This decline in style quality has been particularly noticeable in the Southern and Western selling centers. In the Southern region, only 1 percent of fleece offerings were classified as style 6 or 7 in the final sale of 2024. That figure has now grown to 15 percent. In the Western region, the proportion has risen sharply from 2 percent in December to 23 percent this week.
Traders are finding it increasingly difficult to integrate these lower-style wools into existing orders, which is placing further downward pressure on the market. AWEX Micron Price Guides – which are calculated using only wool of style 5 and above – showed mixed results. Movements ranged from a 43-cent fall for 17.5-micron MPG in the South to a 15-cent gain for 18-micron MPG in the West. The Western market also saw firm demand for 19-micron and finer wools, offering some much-needed stability. Overall, the AWEX Eastern Market Indicator was down 19 cents to 1,191 Australian cents this week.
Click Here for the ASI Conversion Chart – AWEX Prices to USD Per Pound.
Source: AWEX
Discount Offered on Solar Grazing Workshops
The Center for Agricultural Resilience is offering members of the American Sheep Industry Association a 25-percent discount on registration for its upcoming Solar Grazing Workshops in Bluffton, Ga. The workshops are scheduled for May 19-21 and Oct. 20-22.
“These solar grazing workshops are an innovative approach to sustainable land use that combines renewable energy production with responsible livestock grazing,” according to the workshop website. “These unique experiences offer a deep dive into the intricacies of solar grazing, led by experts from White Oak Pastures and solar site owners/managers. During the course of three days, students will explore various aspects of solar grazing – from site tours to contract negotiations – and gain insights into how this practice can be integrated into diverse farm operations.”
Workshop tickets include all farm-to-table meals from the White Oak Pastures Farmer’s Table Restaurant throughout the session timeframe.
Click Here for more information, and use code ASI25 when registering to receive the 25-percent discount.
Source: Center for Agricultural Resilience
ALB Partnerships Empower Home Cooks
While many consumers are intimidated by preparing lamb and lack the confidence to cook at home, a new Power of Meat Study showed that 87 percent of consumers are interested in recipes and tips about indulgent, involved cuts to make premium, restaurant-quality meals at home confidently.
The American Lamb Board continues to host virtual cooking classes to educate consumers about the versatility of lamb cuts and cooking techniques. This is part of ALB’s broader strategy to make lamb more approachable and increase utilization year-round. These classes – led by culinary experts who are passionate about American lamb – showcase the ease of preparation of American lamb in fresh and inspiring ways.
Here’s a look at a couple of classes that are being held to inspire American lamb dishes in consumers’ kitchens.
In celebration of Mother’s Day, ALB partnered again with food influencer and home chef, Nicolle Laviolette of Convino Board, for a Spring Skewer Board virtual class. Nicolle’s unique appetizer ideas are visually stunning, seasonally relevant and highly shareable, making her an ideal advocate for lamb as a party-friendly protein.
With more than 600,000 social followers and a proven track record for showcasing American lamb recipes during the past year, Nicolle remains a key partner in ALB’s influencer strategy.
On Thursday, ALB teamed up with Homemade for another interactive virtual cooking class led by Chef Joel Gammoran. The class featured a Pistachio-Crusted Rack of Lamb. This delicious dish is a modern twist on a classic cut designed to impress without intimidating home cooks.
“Joining Homemade’s Fan of Lamb Cooking Club is an excellent way for industry members to view all upcoming American lamb cooking classes,” said ALB Chairman Jeff Ebert. “The classes are designed to be fun and high-energy, while providing education on cooking lamb. It’s a great resource for producers to share with consumers in their local markets.”
The Fan of Lamb Cooking Club on the Homemade site is a community-driven initiative to foster loyalty and encourage consumers to continue using American lamb recipes at home. The club comes with access to perks, recipes and exclusive events.
Click Here to join.
The club has more than 1,600 members, and more than 5,600 users have visited the club, creating more exposure for American lamb among users looking to prepare meals at home.
Source: ALB
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.
Administration Releases Budget Framework
A week ago, President Donald Trump released his budgetary framework, calling on Congress to cut non-defense programs by more than $163 billion while leaving defense programs relatively untouched. This Fiscal Year 2026 spending framework furthers the administration’s goal to prioritize government efficiency and cut wasteful spending by making major cuts to many agency funds.
In particular, this budget would lead to $4.5 billion in cuts to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Additionally, it proposes $500 million in support of the Make America Healthy Again Movement, which plans to operate in place of the current Commodity Supplemental Food Program. While the president does weigh in on budget related decisions, Congress still holds the power of the purse. This means that while the administration has made its initiatives known, members of Congress still have ultimate decision-making power in any coming budget decisions.
Thousands of USDA Employees Resign
At least 15,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture employees have resigned as a part of the Trump Administration’s Deferred Resignation Program. Roughly 800 USDA employees signed up for the program during the first DRP in January, while the recent program push received 11,305 resignations. The program allows employees to quit and be paid through September, which has helped the administration cut USDA’s workforce by 15 percent.
Of these publicly known resignations, so far 555 are employees at the Food Safety and Inspection Service, more than 1,000 are from Farm Service Agency county offices, 4,000 came from the U.S. Forest Service, 1,300 from the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, 1,255 at the Agricultural Research Service, 78 from the Economic Research Service, 54 from the National Institute for Food and Agriculture and 243 from the National Agricultural Statistics Service. This is part of a larger initiative by the Trump Administration that aims to eliminate 30,000 jobs within the agency.
Trump Makes Trade Deal with U.K.
On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced a trade agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom to strengthen relationships and support market access for American agriculture.
Trump and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer held talks on Thursday and reached an agreement on the new deal, which is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks. This deal will allow for the export of 13,000 metric tons of U.S. beef to the United Kingdom and eliminate a 19-percent U.K. tariff on U.S. ethanol. It also aims to streamline the customs process for U.S. agriculture, eliminating many of the non-tariff trade barriers that restrict American agriculture’s access to the U.K. market.
In addition, the agreement also reduces tariffs on U.K.-made cars from 27.5 percent to 10 percent, up to 100,000 vehicles annually and eliminates the tariffs on U.K. steel and aluminum. These negotiations do not impact the overall 10-percent tariff on British imports, which remains the baseline like many other countries following the April 2 announcement. Overall, this trade deal is a significant win for American agriculture, enhancing market access and profitability.