ASI Awarded USDA Funding to Expand Global Markets for American Wool

September 5, 2025

The American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) has been selected to receive funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) for Fiscal Year 2025 under the Quality Samples Program (QSP).

QSP is one of four competitive grant programs that ASI participates in each year to help develop new international markets for American wool. The program plays a critical role in introducing American wool to international buyers by allowing them to learn about the value of American wool and evaluate product quality through direct sampling.

“Foreign buyers can sample American wool to see how it processes with their equipment.” said ASI Executive Board, Julie Hansmire. “Also, QSP is used to find markets for coarser, and higher VM (vegetable matter) lots that have less demand in the United States.”

Through the QSP program, ASI has built lasting customer relationships that have resulted in the purchase of millions of pounds of American wool over time.

ASI does not discriminate based on race, religion, national origin, age, sex (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, disability, marital or familial status, political beliefs, parental status, receipt of public assistance, or protected genetic information.

Source: ASI