ASI Requests Imported Lamb Be Included in Tariff Plan

March 22, 2025

The American Sheep Industry Association will continue its requests to the Trump Administration and lawmakers to include Australian and New Zealand lamb in the food and agriculture tariff plans during its annual fly-in next week in Washington, D.C.

Fifty sheep industry leaders representing ASI and 16 of its state affiliate organizations will descend on the nation’s capital next week to meet with congressional and administration officials to promote the sheep industry request. 

ASI President Ben Lehfeldt of Montana said the ASI ask for crucial support in addressing the surge in foreign lamb and including lamb imports in the agriculture/food tariff plan expected to be announced on April 2 is to ensure consumers have access to American lamb, as well as future sustainability of the American sheep and lamb industry.

Lehfeldt and ASI Legislative Action Council Co-Chair Larry Hopkins of Indiana were both on Capitol Hill in the past month to address the Senate and House ag committees on behalf of the American sheep industry. They pitched the difficult disadvantage American lamb producers find themselves in due to labor and input costs versus flat to depressed market returns. ASI seeks to have lamb meat included in the administration’s plans for import restrictions that are expected to be announced next month.

ASI continues to work with international trade legal firm Kelley Drye to gather support from domestic lamb meat companies to pursue a trade violation case – it’s third such investigation in recent years. In 2024, imported lamb and mutton accounted for 73 percent of the total lamb and mutton consumption in the United States, with 74 percent of that coming from Australia and 25 percent from New Zealand. Lamb imports set a record at 309.3 million pounds in 2024. 

Click Here to view ASI’s briefs for next week’s Spring Trip.

“ASI is encouraged that the Trump Administration is pursuing tariff action on food and agriculture imports and the timing of our annual fly-in to Washington, D.C., appears perfectly timed to have face-to-face discussions with the nation’s agriculture and trade leaders,” concluded Lehfeldt. 

Source: ASI