U.S. Sheep Industry Working to Curb Imports to Help Boost Demand for American Lamb

July 25, 2025

U.S. sheep producers raise the best lamb in the world. The 2025 American Lamb Summit in Moscow, Idaho has really focused on increasing the American lamb industry's competitiveness.

American Sheep Industry Association president and Montana producer Ben Lehfeldt says the American Lamb Summit has become one of the industry’s best educational events for sheep producers.

"We know we got to be connected as an industry," said Lehfeldt. "We really focus on the policy side, production side, health side and air side. But you know, the meat sales are what really drives a lot of our value for our producers. So we got to be connecting all these fronts."

As the American Lamb board works hard to promote American lamb here at home. The reality is imports are now at 70%, which is why quotas and more regulation are needed to help protect US sheep producers. He says a big priority with ASI is to help drive more American lamb in the meat case by addressing imports with the Trump Administration. 

"Just recently, we're working really closely with the trade representatives in D.C.," said Lehfeld. "They're at the table with Australia. Right now we're getting that baseline of 10%. We're looking at that. What do we need to be, you know, effective as an American sheep producer? That's the message we're delivering to the trade representatives. And that's the message we want to drive home with them to make sure that right, tariff quota is there. So, our lamb gets on that shelf next to imports so consumers have that choice. We want to be there on the shelf."

For more information about the American Sheep Industry Association and other key legislative priorities, visit www.sheepusa.org.

Source: Western Ag Network