Wilson: Market Needs More Sheep
Published: Friday, December 1, 2023
Hoosiers' awareness of the lamb industry is too low, even among sheep producers, according to Valparaiso's Ben Wilson, Indiana Sheep Assn.'s District 1 representative.
When Wilson first took office, he found that the sheep checkoff was not well understood and he had trouble convincing producers to make the checkoff payment, even though it is only 50 cents for every $100.
Meat is the biggest market for sheep in Northwest Indiana. Other possible markets are breeding, show animals and wool production. However, Wilson said much of the wool produced in the area is used for insulation rather than clothing due to a rougher texture.
One trend Wilson has noticed recently is that hair breeds are becoming more popular in Indiana.
"As a new producer, hair breeds are easy to get going and are more parasite resistant," he said.
Some hair breeds are also considered to have more tender meat and grow faster, too.
But to a degree, the benefits are in the eyes of the beholder.
"Whichever breed you have is the 'best' tasting," Wilson said.
Challenges the sheep industry has faced throughout 2023 include rising feed costs, a lack of large animal veterinarians, a lack of research in sheep and goat diseases and awareness.
For sheep producers seeking ways to advertise their product, Wilson recommends becoming an ISA member. This allows producers to feature their product through ISA's website and activities.
Wilson would like to see lamb sales in target areas go up. However, it is hard to track sales with the current funding available. He is also searching for ways to track wool sales.
While Indiana's sheep population is small, the demand for lamb is high. A local business, Hobart Meats Butchery, is reaching out as far as Illinois and Ohio to have enough lamb to sell.
"We need more sheep in Indiana and in the whole country," Wilson said.
He believes that increasing both public awareness and ISA membership can increase the ability to narrow marketing campaigns and maximize checkoff impact. Anyone interested in getting involved in ISA is encouraged to reach out through the ISA website.
"While we're here to help, a lot of people don't realize we exist," he said.
ISA is working toward a partnership with Indiana Grown to increase awareness of Indiana's sheep and wool industries. The organization also currently hosts shearing schools, a shearing contest and a "Make it with Wool" contest at the Indiana State Fair. Wilson hopes to increase the number of events available for sheep producers but says more checkoff involvement is needed in order to do so.
"Most people don't realize that America doesn't produce enough lamb for America," Wilson said. "We don't export it. We only import it."
Interestingly, lamb is the only livestock commodity that the U.S. does not export.
While lamb producers are few and far between in Indiana, "as long as you get into the right niche, there is money in it," Wilson said.
An example he gave is the lamb market. Since COVID, it has been on the rise, and studies have shown that there is a one-to-one ratio between sheep and beef sales, meaning that sheep get the same price per pound as beef do.
Even as demand for lamb grows, interest in raising them is declining, Wilson said. He has watched as 4-H sheep clubs in the area have declined in membership, especially in the past three years. He encourages 4-H families to learn about the species and try raising a lamb for 4-H.
"Every breed is different. You just have to do your research," he said.
And Wilson shares a solution for those interested in the industry but cannot commit to raising a herd: shearing. It is an industry essential that anyone can learn. Few shearers exist in the area, though. In fact, Wilson said there is one man who travels from New York to the Midwest to shear sheep for herders.
A final challenge is pasture availability for grazing. Wilson said housing development is the biggest problem for the area. He has experienced this personally when he had to cut his herd numbers from 25-30 sheep to just 12 due to only having two acres to graze on.
However, solar grazing offers a solution.
"Dual farming is the next big thing," Wilson said. "We could put all the sheep in Indiana on our solar farms and still not have enough (sheep to graze the area)."
In answer to doubters, Wilson pointed out that there are other places in the world where solar farms are up, and grapes and other crops are grown underneath.
"What a lot of people don't realize is that most solar farms are contracted with the landowner for 20 years, then the land goes back to crops," he said. "It just hasn't been 20 years yet for people to see how it works."
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