U.S. Sheep Producers Request Trade Review of Imported Lamb

American sheep producers asked the U.S. International Trade Commission to open a trade investigation regarding imported lamb. The request comes from the American Sheep Industry Association, which states that foreign competition has altered the domestic market structure over the last quarter century.

Brad Boner, past president of the association, noted a complete reversal in market share. He explained that domestic producers held 75 percent of the market while Australian and New Zealand exporters held 25 percent. Boner said those figures have flipped, with domestic producers now holding the smaller portion.

Price remains the central factor in this shift. Boner cited previous investigations showing that imported lamb was priced lower than domestic product in 93 percent of instances. He described the imported goods as often being significantly cheaper than what American farmers can offer.

The association argues that current pricing makes production unsustainable for U.S. farmers. Boner stated that producers cannot continue selling product below their cost of production. He rejected the notion that American farmers are inefficient, attributing the price gap to the different operating environments in Australia and New Zealand.

The group filed a similar trade case in 1999. Industry leaders indicate that a successful investigation could provide up to eight years of stability for the domestic sector.