ASI Releases Scrapie Educational Materials
The American Sheep Industry Association recently developed new scrapie education materials. The industry has spent nearly 80 years trying to eradicate scrapie from the United States, and we are almost there.
To be declared scrapie free, no cases of scrapie can be reported for seven years. In 2021, the last case of scrapie in the United States was identified, which means the country could be declared scrapie free in 2028 if no new cases are reported.
The new educational materials include:
- a booklet entitled A Quick Guide to Identifying Sheep.
- a poster highlighting scrapie identification requirements.
- a one-page Frequently Asked Questions on the National Scrapie Eradication Program requirements.
- two sets of rack cards on the NSEP requirements that are targeted for farm flock and youth communities.
These resources are available online in both English and Spanish at SheepUSA.org and were made possible, in part, by a cooperative agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Click Here to access these resources online.
ASI released a new video on identification requirements for sheep earlier this month, which was also made possible, in part, with funding from a USDA/APHIS cooperative agreement.
Click Here to watch Official ID Requirements for Interstate Commerce.
Australian Wool Market Rises in USD Terms
The Australian wool market recorded another overall loss in this series, influenced by falls in the Merino fleece sector. The national quantity was again relatively small, with 31,062 bales available to the trade.
In the Merino fleece, the reductions in the individual Micron Price Guides ranged between 4 and 40 cents. The benchmark AWEX Eastern Market Indicator dropped by just 2 cents on the first selling day and then 9 cents on the second. These small movements marked nine consecutive selling days where the EMI has had only a single-digit movement.
The EMI closed the week 11 cents lower at 1,087 Australian cents. The EMI now sits just 1 cent above the season low. In an all too familiar pattern – again due to currency fluctuations – when viewed in U.S. dollar terms, the market rose. The EMI added 6 U.S. cents for the series, closing at 749 U.S. cents.
The stagnant nature of the market can best be shown by looking at the movements in the EMI since the beginning of the calendar year. The EMI started 2024 at 1,212 cents – 125 cents higher than its current level for a drop of 10.3 percent. Calendar year to date there have been 74 selling days and across these sales the EMI has posted 59 single-digit movements and of those 59 days, 48 times the movement in the EMI has been 5 cents or less. The average daily movement of the EMI – both positive and negative results – for the calendar year is just 5.9 cents.
Despite the flat market, clearance rates have continued to be relatively high. This series the passed-in rate was 8.9 percent. The season-to-date passed-in rate is currently 8.8 percent.
Next week’s offering is expected to increase. There are currently 33,949 bales on offer in Sydney, Melbourne and Fremantle.
Source: AWEX
ALB Sponsors Young Leaders at Global Sheep Forum
Young leaders of the American sheep industry – selected through a competitive application process sponsored by the American Lamb Board – participated in the 2024 Global Sheep Forums NexGen Program in Australia in August.
The NexGen Forum was held in conjunction with the annual LambEx educational conference. The program is designed to create a global forum of young producers and leaders to share ideas, network and to broaden the understanding of new innovations and technology in sheep production practices around the world.
Jake Benson, 33, of Utah, Isaac Matchett, 36, of Michigan and Kyle Hurley, 31, of Iowa, were the young leaders that represented the United States at the forum. The three American representatives joined young sheep producers from Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and Canada to explore sheep and wool production in Australia. ALB Chairman Jeff Ebert and American Sheep Industry Association Vice President Ben Lehfeldt chaperoned the three young leaders.
“Participating in the Global Forum was important because the U.S. sheep industry must stay innovative and progressive to increase our production efficiencies and improve our competitiveness,” said Ebert. “Educating our producers about the newest technologies and global opportunities is critical.”
The program included tours of farms focused on genetics, sustainability, traceability and innovation. The group learned about the use of genetics in feeding efficiencies, new designs in shearing facilities, and efforts to enhance land stewardship, such as eliminating erosion from animal traffic and overgrazing, fencing protected areas, and planting trees for shelter and shade.
Following the tours, the group attended LambEx, where the young leaders learned about the amount of work and analysis that has been done to try to understand both the production process for the sheep industry in Australia and how that relates to lamb and wool customers worldwide.
Some observations from the American young leaders:
“Australian producers have been, and continue to make, genetic progress within their flock a top priority,” observed Matchett, who has used his life-long passion for agriculture and innovation to help grow his family’s sheep operation from 100 acres and 140 ewes to 1,400 acres and 2,000 ewes. “Eating quality, taste and tenderness was another key takeaway. Carcass traits are a high priority to producers and are part of the genetic selection process for many. Meat processors, industry professionals and producers alike are all focused on improving the quality of the eating experience for the end consumer in an effort to be highly competitive in the global market.”
“What stood out to me the most was how much Sheep Producers Australia is educating all producers about consumer trends,” said Hurley. “Whether that be improving or changing genetics or starting to pay attention to their farms’ carbon footprint.” Hurley is part of the Pipestone Lamb and Wool Program. He has grown his ewe flock from 250 head to 600 head and started Pro-Ewe Genetics, a small flock of 100 purebred Polypays and enrolled them into the National Sheep Improvement Program.“I had the great opportunity to meet some of the brightest minds in the sheep world and discuss everything that involves the sheep industry,” said Benson. “I look forward to sharing what knowledge I have gained to help promote and support the sheep industry in the U.S.” Benson is a direct marketer, supplying several restaurants with locally raised lamb and frequently giving samples to people who believe they don’t like it. He is chairman of the Utah Wool Growers Association Young Entrepreneurs board, where he focuses on continuing education.
The trio summarized their experience by focusing on the relationships they built while learning new innovations and practices. They also expressed their appreciation for ALB’s support and investment in the future.
Source: ALB
Festival to Honor John Peavey
The Trailing of the Sheep Festival will join the Peavey Family to honor festival co-founder and visionary leader John Peavey with a Celebration of Life Reception and Storytelling Event on Oct. 5 at 6 p.m. at The Argyros Performing Arts Center in Ketchum, Idaho, as part of the events of the 28th annual Trailing of the Sheep Festival. The Peavey Family and the festival welcome all to this free community event.
The Trailing of the Sheep Festival would not exist without the efforts and advocacy of John Peavey, a third-generation Blaine County sheep rancher, who, along with his wife, Diane Josephy Peavey, created, actively supported and fostered the festival into what is now an internationally recognized event celebrating the history and culture of sheep ranching in Idaho and the West.
Peavey, who recently served as president of the festival’s board of directors, actively kept up his work and passions until his passing in June 2024 at the age of 90. While he had many impressive achievements throughout his life – as a family man, rancher, national agricultural advocate and Idaho state senator – the festival was very special to him as it allowed him to share his love of the sheep, the land, and his many stories which helped educate and inspire both local residents and visitors from around the world.
The festival is a key part of the impressive legacy Peavey left in the Wood River Valley community that he loved and called home. The public is welcome to join the Peavey Family in helping to celebrate this remarkable man and share stories of their own.
Click Here for more information.
Source: Trailing of the Sheep Festival
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.
Congress Passes Bipartisan Continuing Resolution
On Wednesday evening, the Senate cleared H.R. 9749 and presented President Joe Biden a bipartisan continuing resolution that will fund the federal government until Dec. 20. The bill also includes an additional $321 million in funding for the Secret Service.
Having avoided a government shutdown ahead of the Monday fiscal year deadline, Congress has now recessed and members are returning to their districts ahead of November’s election. When Congress returns for the lame duck session on Nov. 12, it will have a number of items to work through, including FY 2025 appropriations and either passing a new Farm Bill or an extension to the existing law.
ASI Signs onto Letter Regarding Port Strike
This past week, the American Sheep Industry Association signed onto letter led by the Agricultural Transportation Working Group addressed to the Biden Administration asking to keep port operations continuing if a new labor agreement is not reached by Monday. The other 55 signatories of the letter represent a broad collection of the agricultural and food supply chains.
Currently, there is an impasse in negotiations over an expiring contract that has dockworkers ready to strike, jeopardizing port operations along the East and Gulf Coast. Members of the International Longshoremen’s Union are poised to strike as early as Tuesday amid a halt in discussions with the United States Maritime Alliance, the group representing container carriers, marine terminal operators and port associations stretching from Boston to Houston.
Should a strike take place, there would be negative impacts that would quickly reverberate down the entire ag supply change at a critical time for producers. It would be the first East Coast dock strike since 1977.
Click Here for a copy of the letter.