Welcome to the American Sheep Industry Association Web site! We’re glad you decided to pay us a visit.

Sheep are raised in every state in the Union, from tiny islands off the coast of Maine to the Alaska Peninsula. Those who raise sheep for a living are as diverse as the regions they call home.

As important as sheep are to the families who raise them, so are the multitude of products they provide that play an important role in our lives. For example, did you know that sheep hide and wool are used in the making of luggage, insulation, sports equipment, rug pads and as binders for asphalt, plaster and paint? Or that sheep fats and fatty-acids are important ingredients in lotion, hand soap, dish soap, detergents and protein shampoos and conditioners? Even the bones, horns and hooves have numerous uses: buttons, piano keys, rose food, photographic film, cellophane wrap and adhesive tape, just to name a few. All this while producing B vitamin-enriched meat and nature’s miracle fiber – wool.

Sheep themselves play an important role in the ecological well-being of our planet. Their grazing helps prevent forest fires and regenerates forests destroyed by blazes. By grazing noxious and toxic weeds, they preserve precious farmlands and maintain healthy habitats for deer, elk and other wildlife.

American sheep producers are proud of the fact that the animals they raise do so much for so many. I hope you will take the time to learn more about this industry, its more than 69,000 members and the 6.19 million sheep that produce wholesome, high-quality food and fiber – and so much more.

Burdell Johnson
North Dakota Sheep Producer/American Sheep Industry Association President