The American Sheep Industry Association has worked hard to shepherd the oldest sheep producer’s group in the United States for nearly 30 years now.

Originally known as National Wool Grow-ers – established in 1865 – it merged in 1989 with the American Sheep Producers Council – formed in 1955 – to form ASI and has prospered through many accomplishments, both financial-ly and in the structuring of staff and volunteers.

The association has had many challenges from the West Coast to the Far East through the years, and believe me that will not change.

ASI’s continued legislative work has proven rewarding. For example, in the new Farm Bill most of our requests were answered. In fact, the ver-sion produced by the House of Representatives was the strongest in three decades for sheep. In a continuing effort to advocate for the American sheep industry and coordinate with our federal partners on sheep health, protection and trade promotion, ASI holds its annual Spring Trip to Washington, D.C.

The association works with Cornerstone Government Affairs to lobby on its behalf. Volunteer leaders from the state associations meet with their senators and representatives while ASI officers and staff bring producers together with officials of the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of the Interior – who have a direct role in sheep production in this country.

Key in 2019 is the implementation of new pharmaceutical products for sheep with permanent funding provided in the Farm Bill for the first time for minor use drugs. This provision – sought by ASI – was the top ask of USDA and has the potential to impact every sheep operation in America.

ASI officers and staff are here to promote the sheep industry and assist with issues producers face throughout the year. Volunteer leaders and sev-eral staff members are knowledgeable sheep producers. I would encour-age you to reach out with any questions you might have.

ASI also offers a selection of grants to the state associations in the areas of mentorship, wool outreach and scrapie. State leaders are encouraged to guide their states into these programs and share the educational benefits with fellow sheep producers.

Benny Cox, ASI President

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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT

Association Adopts Fake Meat PolicyThe ASI Lamb Council has crafted grassroots policy on the

industry’s response to current and emerging alternative sources of protein, including laboratory-cultured proteins.

Having closely monitored the development of these products and the evolving regulatory framework, members of ASI weighed in supporting the administration’s approach of joint oversight between the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety Inspec-tion Service and the Food and Drug Administration.

The policy clearly states that the association opposes any ef-

forts to mislead consumers or disparage traditionally produced natural lamb in product promotion, advertising or labeling. ASI will remain at the forefront of this conversation as the develop-ment, regulation and marketing of these products moves for-ward.

America’s sheep producers are proud of the healthy lamb they raise and only aim for a level playing field to ensure consumers have the information needed to make decisions that are in their families’ best interest.

Benny Cox

ASI CONVENTION: JAN. 22-25, 2020 ~ SCOTTSDALE, ARIZ .

Wildlife Services protects more than just livestock. Wildlife causes more than $12.8 billion in damage each year to natural resources, public infrastructure, private property and agriculture. Wildlife Services works to prevent, minimize and manage this damage and to protect human health and safety from conflicts with wildlife.

The American sheep industry is by and large Wildlife Services’ big-gest supporter. The services provided by the agency serve to protect the American sheep flock through both lethal and non-lethal means on a daily basis.

Coyotes, mountain lions, wolves and bears kill thousands of lambs and calves each year. Livestock losses attributed to these predators cost ranchers and producers more than $178 million annually, ac-cording to the most recent survey by the U.S. Department of Agri-culture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. Sheep are the most frequent victims: A 2010 NASS survey recorded 247,000 sheep and lamb losses due to predators. These losses occurred despite the use of multiple management tools and techniques to safeguard livestock. Without these protection measures, livestock losses would be as

much as two to three times higher.ASI worked with Wildlife Services in 2018 to preserve use of the

M-44 in nearly two dozen states around the country. Debate on the device became heated after an incident in Idaho that was covered by media outlets nationwide.

Recently, ASI filed comments with the Environmental Protection Agency on the use of Sodium Cyanide (in the M-44) and Sodium Fluoroacetate (in the Livestock Protection Collar) for predator control. Registration for these predator control tools is supported by Wildlife Services.

These tools are utilized for control of coyotes, foxes and feral dogs that prey upon livestock and poultry, threatened or endangered spe-cies or vectors of communicable disease. The use is highly targeted, animal specific, and used only in limited applications in compliance with the regulations of the EPA and local jurisdictions.

Without the LPC and M-44 sodium cyanide device, many sheep producers would no longer continue to raise sheep.That is why the preservation of these tools is so critical to the industry.

Wildlife Services Enjoys Industry Support

If Foot and Mouth Disease is found in United States livestock, regulatory officials will limit the movement of animals and animal products to try and control the spread of this very contagious animal disease. To better prepare before an outbreak, the American Sheep Industry Association is voluntarily developing a Secure Sheep and Wool Supply Plan for continuity of business.

The SSWS Plan will better position sheep operations that have no evidence of FMD infection to move animals and wool to processing or other premises under a movement permit issued by regulatory officials, and maintain business continuity for the sheep and wool industry, including producers, haulers and packers during an FMD outbreak.

Having a SSWS Plan in place will enhance coordination and com-munication between all parties, improve animal welfare, enhance a successful FMD response, and support continuity of operations for sheep and wool producers, processors, and the communities that they support.

The poultry, beef, milk and pork industries have worked col-laboratively with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, state animal officials and academia to develop business continuity plans for their industries. ASI is working with the Center for Food Security and Public Health at Iowa State University, industry stakeholders, USDA’s Animal Plant Health and Inspection Service, and state animal health officials to develop the SSWS Plan.

Secure Sheep & Wool Plan In Development

APHIS Proposes Plan ToProvide Plastic Scrapie Tags

Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Administrator Kevin Shea said in February that the agency will commit to pro-viding some plastic scrapie tags in Fiscal Years 2019 and 2020.

“We support the proposal outlined during our discussions with industry leadership at the annual United States Animal Health As-sociation meeting. Through the rest of Fiscal Year 2019, our agency will provide, free of charge, up to 80 plastic tags, printed with flock identification numbers, to goat and sheep producers requesting tags for sheep or goats for the first time.” Shea wrote. “Based on industry estimates, we expect to spend about $300,000 in FY 2019 for these plastic tags and will also provide metal serial tags to mar-kets and dealers at a cost not to exceed $100,000. In FY 2020, we will provide both plastic and metal tags at an estimated total cost of $300,000, using the same distribution policy as in FY 2019.”

Shea went on to write that the agency wants to see the industry embrace technology in this area.

“Our agency looks forward to working with you to help the sheep and goat industry move toward electronic identification, which is critical for modernizing our current ADI system and ensuring we can quickly trace exposed and diseased animals in the event of an outbreak. Also, we will appreciate your efforts to research the requirements for an electronic tag that can best meet your producers’ needs.”

ASI is encouraged by APHIS’ response on this issue and looks forward to continuing to work with the agency to eradicate scrapie.

You don’t just wear wool, you experience wool. That’s because the all-natural fiber is luxurious, high-performance and sustain-able. These are the points ASI’s American Wool Council is look-ing to get across to consumers, fashion designers and influencers through a recent social media push.

John Bellina, strategic creative director at BrandJuice – a Den-ver branding agency – told the American Wool Council during the ASI Annual Convention that the push is an effort to reach out to a younger demographic about the benefits of American wool.

“We’ve got to break some myths: that it’s hard to care for, that it’s expensive,” he said. “We want people to realize that they expe-rience wool. People feel confident in wool. They trust wool. But they don’t always know why. Especially with young people, we’ve got to let them know about the benefits of American wool.”

The newest way to experience wool is through the creation of a YouTube page (pictured above). The page began with three videos produced in the past year to market American wool.

In The Luxurious Fiber, a narrator explains that the “Fabric designers choose first to achieve pure elegance, absolute luxury and unmatched style” is American wool. The High Performance Fiber is aimed at more demanding users and offers, “There’s one time-

tested, expedition-proven material you can count on. One fabric for four seasons. Experience the confidence of American wool.” Natural and Sustainable promotes what might be the fiber’s great-est trait. “What this miracle becomes is infinitely remarkable, versatile, beautiful and in the end, sustainable.”

If you haven’t seen them yet, check out the videos. Share them with friends, family and clients, and help promote this natural, renewable, sustainable fiber. The videos also intentionally show wool being worn in warm climates, to bring home the point that the fiber is versatile enough to be worn in all four seasons.

AmericanWool.org (pictured at left) is another great resource from the American Wool Council and offers consumer-friendly tips on using and caring for wool products.

A new video was filmed shortly after the Annual Convention that features ASI Consultant Roy Kettlewell addressing design school students on the merits of American wool.

Experience American Wool Trade is an important aspect of the American sheep industry, whether

you’re talking about wool and skeepskins or lamb. Just as recent retalia-tory tariffs on American wool exported to China are a huge concern for sheep producers, so is the ability to compete for high-end lamb markets overseas.

The American Sheep Industry Association tracks both import and export issues, and works with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to level the playing field as much as possible. ASI is a cooperator with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service, which assists in exporting industry products with nearly a million dollars annually matched by ASI.

ASI is in favor of Congress approving the new United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement that was negotiated to replace the North Ameri-can Free Trade Agreement. Mexico is also the top export market for American lamb, while Canada is a top-five market. In the past two years, ASI secured access to two new markets for American lamb (Japan and Taiwan) with Japan expected to be the most valuable export market for our lamb. Trade with Mexico and Canada are important on the wool side, as well. Mexico was the second largest export destination for American wool in 2018, while Canada was sixth. And like our lamb, trade enjoys

preferential tariff treatment. There have also been pushes to open the United States to lamb imports

from the United Kingdom and the European Union in recent years. BSE regulations have prevented that trade since the 1990s. ASI pointed out to policymakers that American lamb is currently not approved for export to the European Union, and stressed that European products are heavily subsidized by their governments. Additionally, the Trump Administra-tion is considering trade negotiations with the United Kingdom and the European Union.

The effects of retaliatory tariffs between China and the United States have yet to be fully recognized, but there is no doubt China is the top export market for American wool. On average, 50 to 70 percent of the American wool clip is exported each season, and China often accounts for more than half of that export market. With the uncertainty surrounding trade with China, ASI is working to develop new markets for American wool. Using funds from FAS’ Market Access Program, Foreign Market Development Program and Quality Samples Program, ASI is connecting American wool warehouses with buyers all across the globe. For example, ASI is supporting efforts to develop new customers for American wool in Egypt, Europe and India.

ASI Monitoring Trade-Related Issues

The mercerization process for wool is carried out on tops using the same equip-ment as the Superwash process. It is a two-stage process.

First, the wool fiber surface is made smoother by removing some of the cuticle (scales), and then the surface is resealed by applying a silicone polymer.

The resulting wool is:• Finer, by about one micron; • Softer, like cashmere; • More lustrous, like silk;

• Machine washable;• Less prickly in next-to-skin garments;During the last two years, the American

Sheep Industry Association’s American Wool Council has organized the processing of about 7,000 pounds of wool top – rang-ing from 20.5 to 26 micron.

Mercerized wool from the latest suc-cessful trials carried out in January 2019 is being evaluated by the Department of Defense and a major fleece manufacturer here in the United States.

Mercerization Projects Continue in U.S.

The American Sheep Industry Association has been engaged in the Electronic Logging Mandate from the beginning, working with a coalition of livestock, aquaculture and other stakeholders to ensure the final rules do not hinder producers’ access to this critical service.

In the last Congress, a number of bills were introduced that sought to ensure congressional exceptions for agriculture remained in place under the mandate. While these bills did not make it through to final legislation, Congress has been successful in defunding the mandate for agriculture while the industry continues to work on a permanent solution. In late February, Congress passed a package containing the remaining funding bills for Fiscal Year 2019. That package included a continuation of language prohibiting the Department of Transporta-tion from enforcing the Electronic Logging Mandate for livestock haulers through the end of September 2019.

“None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available to the Department of Transportation by this act or any other act may be ob-ligated or expended to implement, administer or enforce the require-ments of section 31137 of title 49, United States Code, or any regula-tion issued by the secretary pursuant to such section, with respect to the use of electronic logging devices by operators of commercial motor vehicles, as defined in section 18 31132(1) of such title, transporting livestock as defined in section 602 of the Emergency Livestock Feed Assistance Act of 1988 (7 U.S.C. 1471) or insects.”

It is recommended that livestock haulers print this section and carry it as proof they are acting under an existing de facto exemption.

Haulers Exempt from Logging Mandate