Sheep industry ‘riding high’

Brexit-related trade changes could deliver U.K. sheep to American market

Chad Smith
Jan 7, 2022
Jan 7, 2022 Updated Jan 11, 2022

Sheep imports 2.jpg — The sheep industry is seeing strong demand in the wake of COVID-related meat shortages, but new imports from the U.K., could change the outlook for U.S. producers.
Courtesy photo

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

The Midwest sheep industry is enjoying high demand that brings good prices. However, there may be a few dark clouds on the financial horizon.

kAmpD E96 &]$] 2?5 E96 &?:E65 z:?85@> H@C< @? C6249:?8 2 EC256 562= A@DE\qC6I:E[ 5:D4FDD:@? @FE @7 (2D9:?8E@?[ s]r][ >:89E :?G@=G6 3C:?8:?8 :? >@C6 =2>3 7C@> E96 &]z][ H9:49 p>6C:42? D966A AC@5F46CD 2C6?’E 6I4:E65 23@FE]k^Am

kAm%96 &]$] s6A2CE>6?E @7 p8C:4F=EFC6 92D 366? HC:E:?8 2 D4C2A:6 CF=6 @? D966A 2?5 =2>3 :>A@CED D:?46 a_`e] $4C2A:6 :D E96 =2>3 2?5 D966A 6BF:G2=6?E @7 q$t @C “>25 4@H” 5:D62D6 :? 42EE=6] p>6C:42? D966A AC@5F46CD H@F=5 =:<6 E@ D66 >@C6 6>A92D:D @? @A6?:?8 :?E6C?2E:@?2= >2C<6ED 367@C6 :>A@CE:?8 >@C6 D966A]k^Am

The Greens have been working sheep in preparation for the fall ram turnout.

kAm“~G6C E96 =2DE D6G6C2= 25>:?:DEC2E:@?D[ :?4=F5:?8 ~32>2[ %CF>A 2?5 q:56?[ H6’G6 2D<65 &$sp E@ AC:@C:E:K6 6IA@CE @AA@CEF?:E:6D 7@C &]$] =2>3 367@C6 E96J 7:?2=:K6 E9:D CF=6 E@ 3C:?8 255:E:@?2= :>A@CE AC6DDFC6 :?E@ @FC >2C<6E[” D2:5 r92D6 p52>D[ E96 D6?:@C A@=:4J 2?5 :?7@C>2E:@? 5:C64E@C H:E9 E96 p>6C:42? $966A x?5FDECJ Wp$xX] “(6’C6 DE:== =@4<65 @FE @7 D6G6C2= >2C<6ED 2D 2 42DF2=EJ @7 q$t :? a__b]”k^Am

kAmsFC:?8 E96 =2DE 52JD @7 E96 %CF>A 25>:?:DEC2E:@?[ &$sp D6?E E96 7:?2= D4C2A:6 CF=6 @? E@ E96 (9:E6 w@FD6’D ~77:46 @7 |2?286>6?E 2?5 qF586E E@ 4@?E:?F6 E96 CF=6>2<:?8 AC@46DD] %96 q:56? 25>:?:DEC2E:@? E96? AC:@C:E:K65 E96 5:D4FDD:@? H96? !C6D:56?E y@6 q:56? >6E H:E9 &]z] !C:>6 |:?:DE6C q@C:D y@9?D@?]k^Am

kAm%96 &]z] 92D D966A :E H@F=5 =:<6 E@ D6?5 :?E@ E96 p>6C:42? >2C<6E[ 2?5 E96 CF=6[ H9:49 :D 2=C625J :? E96 u656C2= #68:DE6C[ H6?E :?E@ 67764E y2?] b[ a_aa]k^Am

kAm“x? C6DA@?D6[ E96 p$x 2?5 :ED 277:=:2E6D :?EC@5F465 =68:D=2E:@? :? 3@E9 E96 w@FD6 2?5 $6?2E6 E92E H@F=5 C6BF:C6 &$sp E@ 5@ 2 DEF5J @? E96 :>A24ED @7 E96 C6G:D65 CF=6 367@C6 :E’D 2==@H65 E@ E2<6 67764E[” p52>D D2:5] “%96 =2DE 64@?@>:4 :>A24E DEF5J 8@E 4@?5F4E65 :? a_`e[ 3FE H6’C6 A@:?E:?8 @FE E92E E96 H@C=5 H2D 2 5:776C6?E A=246 7:G6 J62CD 28@]k^Am

kAm“%96 &]z] 2??F2==J 6IA@CED g_[___ E@ `__[___ >6EC:4 E@?D @7 =2>3[” 96 25565] “|@DE @7 E96:C 6IA@CED H6?E :?E@ E96 tFC@A62? &?:@?[ 3FE H:E9 E96 qC6I:E D:EF2E:@?[ E96 &]z]’D 2446DD E@ E92E >2C<6E :D 2 3:8 F?<?@H? C:89E ?@H]”k^Am

kAmp52>D D2JD E96 36DE H2J E@ D=@H E9:D AC@46DD 5@H? :D H:E9 E96 =68:D=2E:@? :?EC@5F465 :? 3@E9 492>36CD @7 r@?8C6DD] (9:=6 E96 CF=6 5@6D E@@< 67764E E9:D J62C[ :>A@CED H@?’E 36 D9:AA65 :?E@ E96 &]$] C:89E 2H2J] q@E9 4@F?EC:6D 92G6 E@ ?68@E:2E6 EC256 CF=6D 2?5 :?DA64E:@? AC@46DD6D]k^Am

kAm(92E >2<6D :E >@C6 7CFDEC2E:?8 7@C E96 :?5FDECJ :D E92E E9:?8D 2C6 :? 2 8@@5 A=246 C:89E ?@H[ p52>D D2:5] !C@5F46CD 2C6 86EE:?8 G6CJ 8@@5 AC:46D 5FC:?8 E9:D D64@?5 3FD:6DE >2C<6E:?8 E:>6 @7 E96 J62C[ 369:?5 @?=J t2DE6C]k^Am

People are also reading…

Iowa farmer sees new path for agriculture
Meristem focuses on reducing crop input costs for farmers
From rose farms to rice fields, travel continues
Mitchell Tech students present research at Commodity Classic
Family closes generation gap
Study reveals how bull buyers use key genetic information
With labor tight, incentives key to finding the right help
Livestock sector struggles to fill labor need
C-B Charolais 40th Annual Production Sale
Agriculture will play a major role in upcoming corner crossing discussions
Proposals aim to improve pool of rural veterinarians
McCumber Angus Ranch Production Sale
From the field to the heart: one man's mission to change how farmers talk about mental health
Hemingford FFA grows leaders for tomorrow
New policies affect spread of alternative energy sites

kAmr=@D6C E@ 9@>6[ #636442 u=6E496C[ AC6D:56?E @7 E96 }63C2D<2 $966A 2?5 v@2E !C@5F46CD pDD@4:2E:@?[ D2:5 E96J 2C6 567:?:E6=J “C:5:?8 2 9:89” :? E96 :?5FDECJ] %96 56>2?5 :D 9:89[ 2?5 r~'xs\`h >:89E 92G6 D@>6E9:?8 E@ 5@ H:E9 E92E :? 2 A@D:E:G6 H2J[ D96 D2:5]k^Am

kAm“sFC:?8 r~'xs\`h[ H96? @FC C6DE2FC2?E 3FD:?6DD D=@H65 H2J 5@H?[ E96 4@?DF>6C DE6AA65 FA E96:C AFC492D6D 2E E96 8C@46CJ DE@C6 @C 7C@> 7C:6?5D H9@ >:89E 36 C2:D:?8 =2>3[” u=6E496C D2:5] “$@>6 @7 E96 C646?E AC:46 C6A@CE:?8 92D AC:46D FA b_ 46?ED @? E96 5@==2C]k^Am

kAm“u6656C =2>3D 2C6 FA E@@[” D96 25565] “tG6? 6H6D E92E 2C6 ?@ =@?86C AC@5F46CD 2C6 3C:?8:?8 2 8@@5 AC:46 H96? E96J’C6 D@=5] !6@A=6 2C6 3FJ:?8 >FEE@? 282:?[ 2?5 H6 6IA64E E@ D66 8@@5 AC:46D :?E@ a_aa]”k^Am

kAm!C:46D 92G6 366? D@ 8@@5 7@C 76656C =2>3D[ 42C42DD[ 2?5 D=2F89E6C =2>3D[ 3FE AC@5F46CD >:89E ?@E 92G6 2 =@E @7 C6A=246>6?E =2>3D 8@:?8 :?E@ ?6IE J62C] x7 J@F’C6 @?6 @7 E96 AC@5F46CD 3C665:?8 C6A=246>6?E 6H6 =23D[ u=6E496C D2JD E96 >2C<6E D9@F=5 36 G6CJ 8@@5 E96C6 E@@]k^Am

kAm“x7 J@F’C6 2 ?6H 7246 2?5 E9:?<:?8 @7 86EE:?8 :?E@ E96 D966A :?5FDECJ[ :E’D AC@323=J 2 8C62E E:>6 E@ 5@ :E[” D96 25565 H:E9 2 =2F89]k^Am

Sheep imports 3.jpg — The holiday season is a big one for lamb sales, second only to Easter.
Courtesy photo

kAm$@FE9 s2<@E2 DF776C65 2 9@CC:3=6 5C@F89E :? a_a`[ 2?5 2 =2C86 ?F>36C @7 AC@5F46CD 925 E@ D6== E96:C =:G6DE@4<]k^Am

kAm“%96J 5:5?’E <?@H 9@H E96J H6C6 8@:?8 E@ 7665 @C H2E6C E96>[” u=6E496C D2:5]k^Am

kAmz6==J uC@69=:49 :D 2? 2DD:DE2?E AC@76DD@C 2?5 $@FE9 s2<@E2 $E2E6 &?:G6CD:EJ tIE6?D:@? $A64:2=:DE :? D>2== CF>:?2?E AC@5F4E:@?] $96’D D66? E96 492==6?86D 7:CDE92?5 :? E96 #FD9>@C6 $E2E6] s6DA:E6 E96 492==6?86 @7 6IEC6>6 5C@F89E[ D96 D2JD E9@D6 AC@5F46CD H9@ 8@E E9C@F89 :E DF446DD7F==J 2C6 D66:?8 AC:46D E92E >2<6 :E H@CE9 E96 DECF88=6]k^Am

Kelly Froehlich
South Dakota State University

kAm“#:89E ?@H[ E96 =2>3 >2C<6E :D AC6EEJ >F49 @? 7:C6[” D96 D2:5 7C@> 96C @77:46 :? qC@@<:?8D 367@C6 E96 r9C:DE>2D 9@=:52J] “pD H6 DA62<[ 76656C 2?5 D=2F89E6C =2>3D 2C6 FA 2C@F?5 b_T 9:896C E92? @?\2G6C286 7C@> J62C E@ J62C] %96 H9@=6D2=6 D:56 @7 E96 :?5FDECJ :D FA dgT]”k^Am

kAm~?6 724E@C 5C:G:?8 E9@D6 AC:46D 9:896C :D E96 :?4C62D:?8 56>2?5 4@>3:?65 H:E9 9:DE@C:42==J =@H 7C66K6C :?G6?E@CJ]k^Am

kAm|@DE @7 E96 56>2?5 7@C =2>3 :D @? E96 5@>6DE:4 7C@?E[ uC@69=:49 D2:5] %92E 9:89 56>2?5 >62?D E96 &]$] 92D E@ :>A@CE BF:E6 2 3:E @7 =2>3]k^Am

kAm“$@>6 @7 E96 56>2?5 >:89E 36 4@>:?8 7C@> r~'xs\`h] (96? E96 >62E 42D6D H6C6 6>AEJ[ A6@A=6 H6C6 7@C465 E@ ECJ 2=E6C?2E:G6 AC@E6:?D[” D96 D2:5] “%92E AC@323=J 5@6D?’E 6IA=2:? 2== @7 :E[ 3FE :E 96=A65] !C:46D 92G6 3@F?465 324< D:?46 r~'xs\`h =@4<5@H?D 6?565[ 2?5 E9@D6 AC:46D 92G6 DE2J65 9:89 AC6EEJ >F49 E9C@F89@FE a_a`]”k^Am

Chad Smith can be reached at editorial@midwestmessenger.com.