U S A: SHEEP INDUSTRY. Revive it or just let it slowly die?

[greybeard]

This, seems to be a case of a solution looking for a problem..
Is there a shortage of US lamb in the US? Seems not to be.
10% of the lamb and mutton produced in the US is being exported.
The sheep industry has tried before to increase the public's affinity for sheep and mutton and it just isn't there in any great numbers. That may change in the future, as demand has slowly increased some over the last 10 years, but increasing supply to a market where there is not much comparable demand can only depress prices for those already producing sheep products.
According to American Farm Bureau, , Americans eat sheep meat products at the rate of 1lb per person......per year. (someone else is eating my share because I can't stand the taste or texture of it)

As far as 'non-white' populations being the savior of the lamb/mutton industry, I don't think so as a very sizable Hispanic population has been here for decades and decades and currently stands at about 58 million, (doesn't count undocumented or unreported 'immigrants') which as I'm sure you know, means we already have an ethnic population greater than twice the total population of Australia and New Zealand combined.

 

[The Old Ram-Australia]

G'day GB,I just looked up the exports to the USA of sheep-meats from Australia (source MLA)for the year ending June 2018.It was 71,524 tonnes CW.
There is a market out there somewhere?...T.O.R.

 

[Baymule]

So far, my marketing has been to white people. I sell whole or half lambs, slaughtered and vacuum sealed for $10 a pound. Prices for cuts at the store range from $12 for lamb burger to $38 a pound for lamb chops.

 

[greybeard]

G'day GB,I just looked up the exports to the USA of sheep-meats from Australia (source MLA)for the year ending June 2018.It was 71,524 tonnes CW.
There is a market out there somewhere?...T.O.R.

125,000 tons imported are the official USDA and Commerce Dept numbers, with US lamb/mutton production being 72,500 tons.

I suspect it is much like our import/export of beef. We raise plenty of domestic beef to cover all the domestic demand, but we also import a lot as well from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Brazil, and Mexico. This allows us to export part of our home grown boxed beef...& not a coincidence, that much of it is exported to some of the same countries we import from. We eat a LOT of ground beef here, but most of our cattle are too lean to produce burger, so we import the less lean beef for our burger/ground beef, and sell the lean beef here.

Sometimes overlooked in the discussion of U.S. beef and international trade is the beef imported to the U.S. from other countries, which represents another opportunity to increase the value of domestic beef.

One key opportunity, in over-simple terms, revolves around the fact that the U.S. produces too little lean trim to support the nation’s expansive ground beef market without having to grind higher value domestic beef. Importing lower-cost lean trim means more of the domestic supply can go toward higher-value markets.

For lamb, the 'higher value markets' simply don't exist here in any great quantity and won't for the foreseeable future..not great enough to expand US production by nearly a multiple of 2 anyway. 1000 acres is 1 1/2 sq miles or as we call it 1 1/2 sections. Too expensive to high fence and provide shelter in the winter that much of that Western land sees.

(You can make more $$ with hunting leases in South and West Texas than with cattle or sheep)


Like a lot of things in global trade, it's possible, that it is simply cheaper for the packing houses to import lamb/mutton than it is for the US producer to raise it.

 

[greybeard]

Prices for cuts at the store range from $12 for lamb burger to $38 a pound for lamb chops.

How big is the lamb section in the meat case and how much do they sell?
I've asked at both Brookshires and H-E-B. Lamb is the least popular meat they sell. There are over 350 H-E-B stores in Texas and some have a Halal section in the meat case thru a partnership with this company. I've been in one of the newer ones in The Woodlands that does.
There is a clue in their name and another by way of the mascot they chose.
There's a reason for that.
Only about 60 H-E-B stores have a Halal section and most of it's contents are chicken, beef, and goat with lamb trailing the pack.
There's a reason for that too.

 

[mystang89]

Here in Southern Indiana lamb goes for about $13 per pound.

 

[Anthony Sr.]

I'm getting hungry ,Yes I'm a Meat eater. I wonder if it would be worth it to raise a couple on my little 2 acres?

 

[The Old Ram-Australia]

I'm getting hungry ,Yes I'm a Meat eater. I wonder if it would be worth it to raise a couple on my little 2 acres?

G'day, you're damm right it would,nothing "beats " home grown lamb...T.O.R.

 

[Baymule]

How big is the lamb section in the meat case and how much do they sell?
I've asked at both Brookshires and H-E-B. Lamb is the least popular meat they sell. There are over 350 H-E-B stores in Texas and some have a Halal section in the meat case thru a partnership with this company. I've been in one of the newer ones in The Woodlands that does.
There is a clue in their name and another by way of the mascot they chose.
There's a reason for that.
Only about 60 H-E-B stores have a Halal section and most of it's contents are chicken, beef, and goat with lamb trailing the pack.
There's a reason for that too.

What's the clue in their name and mascot? I wonder why lamb is the least popular? It sure is good. The Brookshire's we shop at is in Lindale, the lamb section is not very big. I haven't gone into Brookshires in Tyler to check out their lamb selection.

 

[Baymule]

Supper last night was lamb pot pie. We ate the rest tonight.