The US Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service is seeking nominees for the American Lamb Board to succeed four members with terms that expire in early 2026. Specifically, AMS is seeking one producer with 100 or less lamb, one producer with more than 500 lambs, one feeder at large and one first handler.

AMS is also seeking nominees for one producer position and one expert in finance and management to serve three-year terms on the National Sheep Industry Improvement Center Board of Directors.

The deadline for all nominations is Sept. 8, 2025.

American Lamb Board

Either the producer with 100 or less lambs or the producer with more than 500 lambs must be from Region II, west of the Mississippi River. The feeder at large must be from Region I, east of the Mississippi River.

Producers, feeders and first handlers must be nominated by certified nominating organizations and submit a completed application. The secretary of agriculture will select individuals from the nominations submitted.

The 13-member board was established to maintain and expand the market for sheep and sheep products. A list of certified nominating organizations, the nomination form and information about the Lamb Board are available on the AMS American Lamb Board web page and on the board's website.

National Sheep Industry Improvement Center

USDA selects appointees from candidates nominated by Certified Nominating Organizations. A CNO is any certified national organization with a principal interest in the production of sheep in the United States and whose membership consists primarily of active domestic sheep producers.

The center’s board of directors is comprised of seven voting members and two non-voting members. Voting members include four active US sheep producers, two members with expertise in finance and management and one member with expertise in lamb or wool product marketing. Non-voting members include USDA’s Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs and Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics.

The Sheep Industry Improvement Center was established as part of the 2008 Farm Bill and administers a grant program designed to improve the competitiveness of the US sheep industry by strengthening and enhancing the production and marketing of sheep and sheep products.

Source: USDA AMS