President Lehfeldt Testifies to Senate Ag Committee
American Sheep Industry Association President Ben Lehfeldt testified before the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry on Wednesday as part of the Perspectives from the Field: Farmer and Rancher Views on the Agricultural Economy hearing. The hearing included two panels, one of which focused on the livestock industry.
“Sheep producers are dealing with record-high input costs and depressed or flat markets for lamb and wool. The wholesale lamb market has been stagnant for the past year and any uptick is quickly dampened by a surge of imports of Australia and New Zealand lamb,” Lehfeldt said after being introduced by Ranking Member Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.). ASI has conducted two investigations and is considering a third into international lamb trade.
“A large share of our 2024 wool clip did not receive a bid, and yet we are now shearing the 2025 clip. The 2018 trade war with China blew up our single largest market for American wool. This loss was followed by a pandemic that wiped out demand for most wool garments.
“One-third of our American sheep herd is under the watch of an H-2A sheepherder. Our labor costs have skyrocketed over the last eight years. Salary alone in California – the second-largest sheep producing state – is nearly $58,000 annually per herder. This, combined with a mandate that we provide the herders with food, board and clothing while also covering their application and visa fees has driven our costs to an untenable level. Our survival is literally reliant on a modernized sheepherder guest worker program.
“I pledge ASI’s full support for your efforts to secure our priority requests in the 2025 Farm Bill. Enactment of a Farm Bill is crucially important to the thousands of sheep operations across the country.”
During his testimony, Lehfeldt also touched on the need to update the wool marketing loan rates, and direct the U.S. Department of Agriculture to develop a sheep-specific risk management tool. A 2024 USDA report on risk management did not suggest the department would craft a product, so direction is required.
After prepared testimonies from representatives of the sheep, cattle, milk, pork, turkey and egg industries, much of the hearing’s discussion centered on the effects of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza. However, Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith of Mississippi questioned Lehfeldt about how imports have harmed the American sheep industry.
“There are so many opportunities with sheep, we just need that little pressure to make sure that we can be competitive,” Lehfeldt said.
Click Here to watch the full video of the hearing.
Click Here to read the full written testimony submitted to the committee.
ASI Releases Targeted Grazing 101
If you’re looking to get into the sheep industry – or expand an existing sheep operation – targeted grazing offers an avenue of opportunity that continues to grow in the United States. The American Sheep Industry Association’s new book – Targeted Grazing 101: Starting and Sustaining a Grazing Service Enterprise – offers those new to the industry a great resource for getting started.
Interviews with more than three dozen experienced targeted grazers led to the creation of a 300-page manual that will help aspiring grazers understand what it takes to thrive in the industry.
“I think this book will really help people who want to get into targeted grazing,” said John Walker, Ph.D., who worked on ASI’s original targeted grazing handbook in the early 2000s and oversaw the review process of the new book, as well. “While the first handbook relied a lot on the academic world, the new book draws more on input from people who are out there actually doing targeted grazing on a daily basis.”
Experienced sheep producers who are looking to make the transition into targeted grazing will benefit from the book’s chapters on Getting Started and Keys to Success, Logistics and Business Basics. Those who are new to livestock will find the chapters on Animal Husbandry and Animal Welfare and PR helpful in learning to handle their grazing animals. Additional chapters on plants and developing plans to graze plants at the right time and season will prove beneficial to those who lack a background in that area.
“The first book was more Western-oriented, but this book covers grazers from all over the country,” Walker said. “We really wanted to help people who want to get into targeted grazing and give them some basics to consider. It’s really a great resource for people to consult on all phases of the industry. But if you look at all of the grazers who contributed information, stories and photos for the book, they are also a great resource that newer targeted grazers can reach out to for assistance.”
Funding for the book was provided by ASI, the American Lamb Board, the Public Lands Council and the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center.
The book is available in two formats: a hard copy book for $39.95, or as a PDF on a USB flash drive – which includes the 2006 handbook, as well – for $14.95. Both formats are available for purchase at SheepUSA.org/shop.
Research Update Talks AI & Embryo Transfer
This month’s American Sheep Industry Association Research Update podcast talks with Tad Thompson, DVM, of Reproduction Specialty Group about artificial insemination and embryo transfer, and how it can allow sheep producers to improve their flocks.
Thompson said one of the main uses of his services is producers trying to improve some specific genetic trait, adding that his primary customers are flocks that are more aggressive in genetic progression.
Click Here to listen to the podcast.
Guy Flora Passes Away in Ohio
Former American Sheep Industry Association President Guy Flora, 89, of Cardington, Ohio, died Feb. 25, 2025, peacefully at home.
He was born on Nov. 9, 1935, to the late Delbert and Romayne (Keyes) Flora in Muncie, Indiana. On Sept. 14, 1956, Guy married the love of his life, Pat (Long) Flora, in Cardington.
Following graduation from Ashland High School and Ashland College, Guy embarked on a 30-year career as an English and history teacher. He taught and coached track and cross country at Plymouth High School, Mansfield-Madison High School, and Cardington-Lincoln High School. He retired from teaching to begin a new career in the sheep industry.
From humble beginnings raising a 4-H market lamb with his oldest son in 1968, Guy rose to become a state and national leader in the American sheep industry. In 1980, together with friends Ken and Kathy Kark, Guy and Pat created Sheep and Farm Life, a magazine to support families in the sheep industry. Eventually, they owned and operated The Shepherd magazine for 22 years.
Guy was an active member of the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association, president of ASI in 2003-2004 (the first sheep producer from Ohio to attain that office), received distinguished service awards from the Wisconsin Sheep Breeders Cooperative and the Indiana Sheep Association, the Ohio Sheep Improvement Association’s Friend of the Industry award, the ASI McClure Silver Ram Award, and in 2010 was inducted into the Ohio Agricultural Council Hall of Fame.
Those wishing to make a memorial contribution are asked to consider Guy’s favorite charities: the American Sheep Industry Association Guard Dog Fund or St. Jude’s Research Hospital. If you wish to contribute close to home, consider a donation to your local library.
Australian Wool Market Records Increases
After two successive weeks of falls, the Australian wool market recorded an overall increase in this series. The positive tone that was evident on the final selling day in the previous series – particularly in the West (which sold later in the day) – carried into this week and resulted in widespread spirited competition from buyers. That resulted in price increases across all Merino fleece types and descriptions.
The national quantity reduced slightly from last week as there were 39,972 bales available to the trade. Sydney held a designated Superfine sale.
Minimal currency movement meant that the EMI also rose in U.S. dollar terms. It finished the series 2 U.S. cents higher, closing at 756 U.S. cents. The EMI has recorded three consecutive rises in both AUD and USD terms. The last time this occurred was in October of last year.
Next week the national offering is expected to fall. There are currently 34,697 bales on offer.
Click Here for the ASI Conversion Chart – AWEX Prices to USD Per Pound.
Source: AWEX
Apply for ALB’s Cooperative Funding Program
Every year, the American Lamb Board allocates funds through the Cooperative Funding Program for local sheep producer groups, lamb suppliers and direct marketers to share marketing costs for promoting American lamb. ALB is currently accepting applications until April 30.
Funds will be allocated to applicants for marketing initiatives that focus on non-industry audiences and align with ALB’s mission to increase awareness and demand for American lamb.
“ALB’s Cooperative Funding Program is an excellent way to enhance marketing initiatives in your local community,” said ALB Chairman Jeff Ebert. “It presents a valuable opportunity to broaden your marketing efforts and simultaneously raise awareness for American lamb.”
Examples of local programs that could be funded include:
- Share recipes at local farmers’ markets and other consumer food events.
- Work with an American lamb supplier to get American lamb into a supermarket.
- Development of promotional materials, including packaging, flyers, websites, social media content, videos and similar for needs not met by ALB resources.
- Other promotional activities, including consumer advertising.
ALB will allocate funds through this program to support efforts by state and local industry groups, American lamb suppliers and direct marketers as the budget permits. The program will continue to support projects where applicants are willing to share costs and contribute additional resources to the funded project.
While ALB previously accepted and reviewed applications year-round, beginning in 2024, the program now reviews applications twice a year, which makes the selection process more efficient. The deadline for current applications is April 30, and once the application process closes, no additional applications will be reviewed until Oct. 1.
Visit LambBoard.com to download an application.
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.
House, Senate Advance Budget Resolutions
On Tuesday, the U.S. House of Representatives took to the floor and passed its budget resolution by a vote of 217-215, with all Democrats and just one Republican voting against it. This legislative package establishes $230 billion in cuts within the Agriculture Committee’s jurisdiction.
Last week, the U.S. Senate brought its Fiscal Year 2025 budget resolution (S.Con.Res.7) to the floor for debate during what it called “Vote-A-Rama.” The resolution passed by a vote of 52-48. In the Senate’s version, the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry was directed to cut no less than $1 billion in mandatory spending during the next 10 fiscal years (FY 2026-2035).
First Funding Tranche Under Review
On Thursday, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will release funding that had recently been paused under the Inflation Reduction Act.
Specifically, USDA will release $20 million in contracts for the Environmental Quality Incentive Program, the Conservation Stewardship Program and the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program. Rollins and USDA plan to make additional funding releases as IRA funding continues to be reviewed.
Layoffs Hit USDA Employees Across the Country
Recently, it was reported that the Trump Administration had fired thousands of USDA employees across the country as part of the administration’s efforts to reduce the federal workforce.
Layoffs have been spread across multiple agencies, including but not limited to the U.S. Forest Service, the Agricultural Research Service, the Foreign Agricultural Service, etc., and mostly were targeted toward new hires.
Additionally, some senior executive staff across USDA were also given notice that they would be demoted or put on administrative leave.