The U.S. sheep population peaked in 1945 at 56 million. Since then, the number of sheep in the United States has continually declined, and today the current inventory is approximately 5 million.

During the past several years, lamb and wool consumption in the United States has rebounded with the increasing popularity of global cuisines and international flavors, a growing interest in clothing from natural fibers, and a renewed value for family farming. These have consumers seeking out American lamb and American wool. There are more than 80,000 family-owned sheep farms and ranches in the United States, and sheep are raised in all states and on varied terrain.

Retail sales of lamb grew tremendously during the pandemic, outpacing the growth of total meat case sales. In 2023, retail sales of lamb have slowed. In the 52 weeks ending March 2023, retail pound sales of lamb were down by 2.8%. After record-high prices, the dollar sales of lamb sold at retail were also starting to soften.

To increase consumer awareness of American lamb, the American Lamb Board sponsored year-round promotions including a February Lamb Lover’s Month social media campaign, spring holiday cooking classes, chef cooking videos on Kittch, a grilling promotion with select Kroger stores, a Backyard BaaBQ campaign and “meat ups” at various food events across the country.

Foodservice lamb sales suffered greatly during the pandemic. As restaurants have reopened, lamb foodservice sales have been recovering, but foodservice sales to traditional fine-dining restaurants have remained lower than the penetration and sales of lamb were before the pandemic. Sales to fast-casual restaurants have grown above pre-pandemic sales. 

An example of this fast-casual restaurant use of lamb is the continued partnership of the American Lamb Board with Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe to promote new lamb burgers on their menus. This past summer, Taziki’s featured two American Lamb Burgers on their menus. The Mediterranean Lamb Burger, a previous promotion fan favorite, was added to the permanent menu.  In addition, Taziki’s introduced a Southern-Style Lamb Burger as a limited-time special.

While sheep have long been recognized for their meat and wool, there is growing focus on sheep’s benefits to the environment.

As grazing ruminants, sheep improve the ecology and quality of the land they graze by supporting soil health, sequestering carbon, encouraging plant and insect biodiversity, and consuming vegetation that is unsuitable for other livestock. Sheep also support wildfire prevention and make other industries more sustainable.

Take the vineyards, for example. Sheep are being used to replace mowers, fertilizers, and herbicides. Unlike machinery, sheep require zero diesel fuel to operate. And unlike herbicides, they’re toxin-free. Using sheep doesn’t just spare the vineyard soil from unnecessary wear and tear, it also saves the vintner money — an estimated $100 per acre.

According to a grazing study done by the University of Idaho, soil health, water capacity, and biodiversity all increase when sheep graze on agricultural land. Another recent study noted soil is better able to capture and hold carbon after sheep grazing — and presumably, the liberal distribution of droppings.

For land that was once overgrazed, overworked, or otherwise depleted, sheep provide a proven method of naturally restoring soil to a level that can support healthy vegetation. That’s because sheep are portable, nimble, and suitable to graze almost any environment — they have no trouble climbing steep or rocky slopes. And they easily digest grasses, branches, and weeds.

By thinning the vegetation from rugged hillsides and forests, sheep flocks are also being used to prevent fires.

Sheep are small enough to fit under solar panels and are increasingly being used more for solar grazing — a way of increasing the value of land used in renewable-energy production.

The American sheep industry is working with Michigan State University to evaluate its environmental footprint and build a rigorous evidence base for decision-making. The U.S. sheep industry will use the new data from the MSU study to improve the industry’s sustainability efforts.

In 2023, the sheep industry will participate in a qualitative sustainability survey to assess progress and develop new strategies to enhance environmental stewardship.

When you buy American lamb and American wool, you are supporting shepherds and their families. You are also supporting sheep and the grazing work they do to sustain and improve land.

Megan Wortman is the executive director of the Denver-based American Lamb Board.