April 2, 2026

American Sheep Industry Names Mike Michener as Executive Director

The American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) has appointed Mike Michener as its new Executive Director. Michener brings 35+ years of executive leadership across complex private, government, and nonprofit organizations, experience that will help ASI advance producer priorities in a diverse national industry. He spent a combined seven years working with leading global agribusinesses through the U.S. Council for International Business (USCIB) and CropLife International, focused on sustainability, supply chains, and market development, expertise that aligns closely with the market realities and customer expectations shaping agriculture today.

Michener also served as Administrator of USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service, strengthening U.S. agricultural trade and global market engagement, and has policy experience across administrations. His track record includes leading organizations through complex stakeholder environments, aligning partners around shared goals, and translating big-picture strategy into practical outcomes, skills that support ASI’s work across wool, lamb, public lands, animal health, and trade.



“Mike brings a rare mix of market-building, policy navigation, and proven leadership,” said ASI President Ben Lehfeldt. “That combination will help ASI expand opportunities and deliver for producers.”

Grazing Action Plan Moves Forward

ASI joined partner organizations in Washington, D.C. this week for a major federal lands grazing announcement led by USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum focused on expanding grazing opportunities on federal lands. ASI participated alongside Public Lands Council (PLC) leaders and producers at a grazing roundtable and MOU signing that launched the Grazing Action Plan, elevating producer stewardship and the role grazing plays in land management. The MOU outlines coordination between the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management to assess vacant allotments, align permitting frameworks, expand targeted grazing for wildfire prevention, and establish a rancher liaison program for wildfire response. ASI and partners also worked to line up additional policy conversations with Senate and appropriations staff to keep grazing priorities moving forward.

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 And DOI Announce Updates To Livestock Grazing And USFS

On Monday, March 31, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Department of the Interior announced new actions to strengthen support for livestock producers who rely on federal lands grazing permits. Through a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management, USDA is moving to streamline grazing permits, improve coordination across agencies, and reduce bureaucratic delays that can disrupt seasonal grazing and flock management. The MOU builds out specifics initiatives which include cutting red tape, creating ranch immersion programs for federal employees, enhancing transparency and data access, expanding land management tools, wildfire coordination, and maintaining grazing permit capacity. Building on USDA’s Grazing Action Plan, the agreement recognizes permittees as essential partners and aims to provide more predictable, responsive grazing management on federal lands.

USDA Announces It Will Relocate The Forest Service Headquarters To Salt Lake City 

This move comes as part of a broader restructuring initiative that is intended to bring leadership closer to the lands and communities they manage. With most National Forest Service lands located in the West, the shift is intended to support on‑the‑ground decision‑making around forest health, wildfire mitigation, and multiple‑use management, including livestock grazing. For livestock producers, USDA has framed the reorganization as a “common‑sense” approach that could improve responsiveness to local grazing needs and strengthen coordination with producers who steward public lands. The agency plans to shift many functions that are housed in regional offices to a network of service centers in Albuquerque, NM; Athens, GA; Fort Collins, CO; Madison, WI; Missoula, MT; and Placerville, CA.

Your weekly snapshot of key market rates and reports (U.S. and global) to help you stay ahead of pricing and demand shifts.

Wool Prices Rebound

Most wool types saw prices rebound this week, with the benchmark Eastern Market Indicator (EMI) finishing 31 U.S. cents stronger. Lower micron, higher yielding, low vegetable matter wools were the most sought after, according to the Australian Wool Exchange, which serves as the global market indicator.

Note: there will be no AWEX market report next week due to the Easter recess.

Source: AWEX

USDA Reports Domestic Wool Prices

U.S. wool prices were also reported this week by USDA, with 18-micron ewe fleeces bringing $5.65/lb, 20-micron bringing $4.89/lb, and 21-micron fleeces garnering $4.88/lb. Compared to U.S. prices reported on May 9 of last year, 20-micron wool is now bringing $1.61/lb more, and 21-micron wool is bringing $1.80/lb more.

LDP Payments Available This Week

Graded Wool, Clean Prices in $ Per Pound

Ungraded Wool, Grease Prices in $ Per Pound

Unshorn Pelts, Prices in $ Per Pelt

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). 

USDA Weekly Sheep, Lamb, & Wool Market Summary

The report is generally updated on Friday afternoon.

ASI Wool Calculator

Adjust micron, yield and quality of wool percentage with ASI's Wool Calculator to estimate the value of your wool today, or the potential value of wool if genetics or management practices were changed.

Apr. 9 -11 - Shepherds Cross Sheep Shearing School - Click here for more information.

Apr. 10-11 - 34th Annual Greencastle Wool Show. Click here for more information. 

Apr 11 - 106th Annual California Ram Sale. For more information email Susan, susan@woolgrowers.org.

Apr. 13 - 15 - Shepherds Cross Sheep Shearing School - Click here for more information.

Apr. 13 -15 - 2026 Virginia Solar Summit, Click here for more information. 

Apr. 20 - 24 - Washington State Shearing School, email for more information: smithms@wsu.edu

Apr 23 - 25 - 76th. Annual West Virginia Sheep and Goat Show & Sale, click here for more info. 

Apr 24 - 26 - Washington State Advanced Shearing School, click here for more information.

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.