More than 60 members of Congress are urging the U.S. International Trade Commission to support American sheep producers as it investigates the impact of imported lamb meat on the domestic industry.
Sen. Steve Daines of Montana and Rep. Celeste Maloy of Utah led a bipartisan letter signed by lawmakers, asking the commission to review evidence presented in an ongoing global safeguard investigation.
If warranted, they recommended relief for U.S. producers.
The effort follows a safeguard petition requested by the American Sheep Industry Association and a subsequent investigation launched by the U.S. International Trade Commission in July.
An injury hearing is scheduled for October 16th.
ASI Executive Director Mike Michener thanked lawmakers for supporting American sheep producers, saying their efforts help protect domestic supply chains and rural communities.
According to ASI, imported lamb now accounts for more than 70% of the lamb available to U.S. consumers, contributing to lost sales and market share for domestic producers.
