I would like to take this opportunity to say “Hi” to everyone, and I trust that all are doing well.

It has been a long time since I last sent out a newsletter, but to be honest with you, things have really not changed that much in the past year. I'm not a pessimistic person, and that's the reason why I am so disappointed in what has transpired in the past 12 months as far as the wool market is concerned. With so much going on around the world - from the Covid situation to the trade war to the Russian conflict - there just seems to be no certainty for the global economies to get back up and running.
 
When the above issues get behind us, I feel certain that we are in excellent shape to get back to some very robust and positive wool prices. But, for the time being, I think we're just going to have to settle in with what we have and try to do the best that we can.
 
Currently, compared to this time last year, prices are about 4-5% lower. I am able to sell wool that is finer than 23.5 microns and have some very good competition for those, as long as they are 3" and a decent color and have no problems with staple strength or vegetable matter content.
 
Please sort out and/or separate high vegetable matter or VM sheep and/or fleeces. And please remove fleeces or sheep that contain cockleburs. I have several thousand pounds of wool that contains burs, and I have not been able to get a single bid on those lots. And some of those have been here for 3+ years. So I encourage you to at the very least run your sheep up a sorting chute and separate those animals that have a lot of burs.

I encourage everyone to closely read the link concerning our American Wool Assurance program developed by ASI. We must become more proactive as our Industry, like many others, is constantly being attacked by groups that want us OFF our public lands, or they want us completely out of animal production. I encourage as many of you as possible to enroll in the program and work toward obtaining at least a Level II stance with the program.

Those of you who have been storing your wool at your ranch and might be considering selling your wool this year, I would recommend that you go ahead and get it loaded and sent into the warehouse as all of the wool buyers are now requiring a complete test on the wool before they will submit any offers. We are still having to send all of our core samples to New Zealand to get a report as the Texas lab that we were expecting to have up and running by now is not going to be available until next year's clip.

 

It is getting more and more common to be offering wool private treaty to various buyers rather than through our auction system being as the last couple of years when we would want to have a sale our buyers would just not be willing to make offers and so I chose to postpone sales numerous times. Cross bred lamb wool has been very difficult to move and in most cases I have not I have not been able to sell for any favorable prices.

 

We are looking at the last week of April for our 1st Spring sale/auctions. When I come up with the exact dates I will certainly announce them to everyone.
 
I also have Ian MacKenzie back on the ground out in California and he is making his rounds as we speak. If you need some assistance on the West Coast please give Ian a call at 661-363-3260.
 
On the upside, how about the lamb market and how well it's doing? I realize that it has come down in the last couple of weeks but it's still at levels that are very favorable for lamb producers. 
 
In closing I just want to say how much I appreciate all my loyal customers, many who have become close friends. I truly appreciate your continued support!
 
Sincerely 
Mike