Sheep Farmers Losing Markets for Wool, Meat

By Mary Klaus, The Patriot-News, Harrisburg, Pa.

Jan. 12–Pennsylvania’s two-part sheep industry is struggling these days as wool prices have bottomed and lamb consumption is stagnant.

“The wool industry is gone in the United States,” said John Miller of Bethlehem. “Wool is an excellent fiber, warm and fire retardant. But wool today is basically worth nothing because the chemical companies have convinced people that synthetic fiber is better.”

Ruth Hartman raises 35 Corriedales in Berks County. “Just a few years ago, we used to get $4 a pound for wool,” she said during the Pennsylvania State Farm Show this week. “Now, we get 30 cents at the wool mill, although I can get more when I sell to spinners and weavers.”

Things aren’t much better on the meat side of the industry, the farmers agreed.

Miller said 50 percent of lamb consumed in the U.S. is imported from New Zealand or Australia. Demand is low — per capita lamb consumption is 8 ounces per year, compared with almost 63 pounds of beef.

“Lamb is not a mainstream meat,” he said. “We need people to see you can eat it all year, like turkey, not just at Easter. There’s also a belief that it’s mutton or tough. Lambs have to be under 11 months of age for their meat to be tender. I love lamb, but I grew up on it.”

PENNSYLVANIA LAMB:

–Number of sheep in state: 110,000

–National ranking: 14th

–Total value: $7.2 million

–Per capita consumption: 8 ounces per year

Source: Pennsylvania Agricultural Statistics Service through Jan. 1, 2006, the most recent numbers available

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