201 TRADE CASE MILESTONES | |
NEXT STEPS
The October 16th injury hearing was a major milestone in the 201 Trade Case. ASI and its legal and economic teams submitted additional information to ITC on October 23 and post-hearing briefs were filed this week.
The next milestone is ITC's tentatively scheduled injury determination on November 13. An affirmative determination would advance the case to the next phase – remedy, in which the Commissioners would consider suggested remedies to help restore the competitiveness of American lamb production.
ASI remains committed to rebuilding the domestic sheep industry, strengthening its processing infrastructure and ensuring that American producers have a viable future. Read ASI's press release regarding the hearing here.
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ASI FUNDRAISING
ASI continues to raise funds through the ASI Guard Dog Fund to support the legal and economic work necessary to pursue the Section 201 case. Producers and industry supporters who want to help strengthen this effort can contribute specifically to the Section 201 Trade Case.
To stay informed of developing information, follow ASI on social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn) and on our website.
| | USDA Confirms New World Screwworm in Arizona | |
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) confirmed a case of New World screwworm (NWS) in a dog in Cochise County, Arizona. This is the first detection of NWS in Arizona.
Samples from the dog were tested and confirmed at the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa. APHIS is working closely with the Arizona Department of Agriculture on a joint response.
This announcement comes a week after The USDA-APHIS confirmed the first detection of New World screwworm (NWS) in wildlife in the United States - in an elk in Pecos County, TX. The elk was located on a game ranch and was reported after being harvested by a hunter.
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ASI continues to be in regular communications with federal leaders at USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) regarding issues that have arisen since the first detection.
ASI developed a NWS sheep producer guide and treatment info resource that you may access here. The guide is also available in Spanish.
All of ASI’s resources and links to additional information at USDA and FDA can be found on our website here.
Current Status (as of October 28):
- 18 active cases
- 53 inactive cases
- Most recent detection: October 28, 2026
Find more information at screwworm.gov.
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Jonathan Grinham’s Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) research group has turned wool into petrochemical-free insulation and cladding for retrofitting buildings. ASI staff have been working closely with the Harvard team on their research into new opportunities for coarse wool.
The team also plans to attend ASI's Annual Convention to showcase the insulation and cladding prototype and share more about the project during the Wool Council meetings.
Sheep have been field-testing their insulation for millennia. In this interview, Grinham traces wool’s journey from sheep to shingle, by way of a wool mill and a pulp plant, and makes the case that building the industries around a material matters as much as the material itself.
| | Early Bird Registration Deadline - One Month Away | | |
Registration is open for the 2027 ASI Annual Convention! Early bird rates will expire at 11:59 p.m. MT on December 1.
Join us January 13-16, 2027, at the Charleston Marriott Hotel in Charleston, South Carolina.
ASI’s Annual Convention is the one time each year when all facets of the American sheep industry convene to discuss important topics for lamb and wool producers.
| | In 2019, Cornell Began Testing Sheep Grazing Beneath New York Solar Panels | As solar farms expand across the United States, communities face a dilemma: how to generate more renewable energy without sacrificing productive farmland. In New York, researchers at Cornell found an interesting solution to this problem, using sheep to graze under the solar panels. According to Cornell’s Solar Grazing Project, researchers began testing this approach in 2019 at the Cascadilla Community Solar Farm in Dryden, New York, to understand how sheep could support both renewable energy production and agricultural activities. | Ranchers Support DOI Secretarial Order to Streamline Grazing | | Interior Secretary Burgum signed a Secretarial Order (SO) directing the Department of the Interior (DOI) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to increase grazing access, promote healthy rangelands, and help reduce catastrophic wildfires on public lands. The Public Lands Council (PLC) supports streamlining grazing access to improve range and pastureland health and fully utilize vacant land that will also help strengthen rancher efforts to rebuild the U.S. cattle herd. Today’s announcement is in line with PLC’s support for the October 2025 Grazing Action Plan and DOI-U.S. Department of Agriculture Memorandum of Understanding signed earlier this year that improves coordination between the two departments to more effectively operate the federal lands grazing programs. “PLC has long led industry efforts to improve grazing flexibility to empower livestock producers to quickly make decisions that fully incorporate the needs of the land, livestock production, and multiple-use requirements. Today’s Secretarial Order makes clear that Secretary Burgum views ranchers as partners in important land management decisions,” said PLC President Ron Cerri. “We look forward to seeing the components of the SO come to life in regulatory improvements, like the much-anticipated revision of BLM grazing regulations.” | |
Lempriere to Close Bulgarian Wool Processing Plant | |
Lempriere is to close its wool processing plant in Sliven, Bulgaria, in December, with the loss of 130 jobs. The facility, which opened in 2016, is shutting down after years of financial losses driven by rising operating costs.
Rising energy and labor costs have been key factors in its declining competitiveness. When the plant began operating in Bulgaria, processing one kilogram of wool cost €0.83–€0.84. Today, the cost exceeds €2.20.
The closure reflects wider challenges facing Bulgaria’s textile and garment industry, which attracted significant foreign investment during the country’s transition to a market economy and developed a strong export-oriented manufacturing base.
| | ASI is working year-round to advance producer priorities across the country.
Here’s what’s happening, what it means, and what’s next. | | USDA announces $5 billion SPUR guaranteed loan program for American ranchers | |
On Friday, October 23, President Donald Trump announced $5 billion would be made available through loans through the Strengthening Processing for U.S. Ranchers (SPUR) Guaranteed Loan Program to help expand, improve and diversify domestic meat, poultry, and seafood processing capacity.
This loan program is available to lamb processors.
The SPUR program will provide a 90% loan guarantee to commercial lenders, up to $175 million with a max two-year deferral of principal and interest payments. It aims to support small and independent processing plants in alignment with the Rancher First Initiative U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced last month.
For more information, see the official press release here.
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Know a Future Lamb Industry Leader?
NextGen Applications Are Open!
Honoring Our Heritage. Shaping Our Future.
The future of the American Lamb industry depends on the next generation of leaders—and the American Lamb Board (ALB) is looking for individuals ready to help shape it!
This is an exciting opportunity for individuals committed to the sheep and lamb industry to expand their knowledge, strengthen their leadership skills and build connections that will help shape the industry's future.
Who Should Apply?
ALB welcomes applications from individuals actively involved in all segments of the U.S. sheep and lamb industry. You don't need a large sheep operation or previous leadership experience to apply. What matters most is your commitment to the industry, willingness to learn, openness to new ideas and desire to make a difference.
Whether you're a sheep producer or industry professional, NextGen offers an opportunity to grow personally and professionally while gaining a broader understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing the industry.
The program seeks motivated individuals from diverse backgrounds, regions and production systems who are ready to invest in their own development and contribute to a stronger future for American Lamb.
View program details here. Apply by December 31, 2026.
| | | | Your weekly snapshot of key market rates and reports (U.S. and global) to help you stay ahead of pricing and demand shifts. | | |
Wool Markets Stumble
The EMI fell $0.18 this week with losses felt across all microns. According to an AWEX report, "The broader microns have recorded larger falls again recently, widening the gap between the finer and broader microns."
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.
| | LDP Payments Available This Week | | Ungraded Wool, Grease Prices in $ Per Pound | | | Ungraded Wool | $0.2701 LDP Available | | | Unshorn Pelts, Prices in $ Per Pelt | | | Unshorn Pelt | $1.854 LDP Available | | | Note: Producers must visit their Farm Service Agency office and fill out the appropriate paperwork before the wool or unshorn lambs are sold to claim the Wool LDP (when available). | |
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USDA Weekly Sheep, Lamb, & Wool Market Summary
The report is generally updated on Friday afternoon.
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ASI is so thankful for our industry partners and magazine advertisers! Their support not only strengthens our work in Washington, D.C. but also supports a number of programs that are important to the sheep industry.
Want to support ASI and reach American wool and lamb producers? Contact our Director of Communications, Morgan Young at Morgan@sheepusa.org.
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Experience Wool is ASI’s consumer hub: wool education, product inspiration, and American wool stories in one place.
Explore at americanwool.org and follow @experiencewool.
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Get educational info, industry contacts, policy updates, breeder information, and more at sheepusa.org
| | | ASI operates in accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture civil rights regulations and policies, and complies with all equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action measures applicable to it under these. ASI is an equal opportunity employer and provider. |
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