The United States launched a safeguard investigation into lamb imports following calls from domestic producers to curb the growing presence of imported product.
The US International Trade Commission (ITC) opened the investigation on July 13 under Section 201 of the Trade Act of 1974, after the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) concluded that imported lamb had “significantly undercut” the domestic market. The ITC has about 120 days to determine whether imports are causing “serious injury” to the domestic industry. If it finds that they are, it will recommend tariffs or quotas to the president.
The case stems from a petition filed in October 2025 by the American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) under its “Protect American Lamb” campaign. The organization, which represents 42 state associations and more than 100,000 operations, argues that the import share increased from 60% to 70% over five years, while US production fell 4%, even as demand grew 25% since 2020.
Currently, around 73% of the lamb consumed in the country is imported, with almost all of it supplied by Australia —accounting for roughly three-quarters of the total— and New Zealand. Even so, domestic consumption remains marginal at just one pound per person per year, compared with nearly five pounds in the 1960s, a decline of almost 80% over six decades.
This would not be the first time the US has moved to protect its sheep industry. In 1999, Washington imposed safeguard tariffs of up to 40% on lamb from both origins but removed them earlier than scheduled and failed to reverse the decline in domestic production. That precedent raises doubts about how much protection a new trade barrier could provide this time.
