Overview

U.S. greasy shorn wool production was 30 million pounds in 2011, which was 3 percent lower than in 2010. Greasy wool production that year translated into 16 million pounds of clean wool. Sheep and lambs shorn for wool totaled 4.1 million head in 2011. The top states for wool production are Texas, Wyoming, Montana and California.

U.S. farm prices for shorn wool have varied widely over the past decade. For example, prices were only $0.33 per pound in 2000 but increased to $0.99 per pound in 2008 and $1.15 per pound in 2010. The production of high-value fine wools (25 microns or less) represents more than one-half of U.S. wool production.  April 2012 . . .  Wool
 

Marketing

• Australian Wool Innovation Limited - This company, owned by wool producers, initiates research and development and provides market trade.
• British Wool Marketing Board - This board operates a central marketing system for domestic fleece wool.
• Cotton and Wool, Economic Research Service (ERS), USDA.
• Economic Impact of the Elimination of the Wool Act, ERS, USDA, 2000 - This study reviews the loss of National Wool Act programs and changes in the value and production of sheep, lamb, wool and mohair at the national level and for two counties in Texas.
• Global Agricultural Trade System (GATS), Foreign Ag Service (FAS), USDA.
• Handling and Marketing of Wool, University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service, revised 2004 - This fact sheet explains ways to improve the quality and value of wool produced.
• Marketing Could Boost the U.S. Sheep Industry, Amber Waves, ERS, USDA, 2004 - This online article gives a brief overview of the U.S. sheep industry.
• National Wool Review, Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA - Weekly U.S. wool prices.
• Office of Textiles and Apparel, U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration - The site contains trade data and agreements.
• Organic Wool Fact Sheet, Organic Trade Association, 2005.
• Wool and Mohair Price Support, Congressional Research Service, 2008 - The 2008 Farm Bill re-authorized marketing assistance loans and loan deficiency payments for wool and mohair producers from 2008 to 2012.
• Wool Contacts, American Sheep Industry Association - Select Wool Contacts listed under Industry Affiliates. Contacts are listed for wool buyers, pools, warehouses and shearers.
• Wools of New Zealand, New Zealand Wool Board - A brand used to market wool products worldwide.
• Yocom-McColl Testing Laboratories, Denver, Colorado - An independent commercial wool testing lab.

Processing/Manufacturing

• Grades and Length of Wool, Colorado State University Cooperative Extension, reviewed 2004 - This Extension publication outlines wool classification, grading and processing methods. Also see the glossary of wool terms.
• Textile, Wool, Fur and Apparel Matters, Federal Trade Commission - This site provides links to the rules and statues governing wool labeling.
• USDA Standards for Grades of Wool, 1968.
• Wool Fact Sheets, American Sheep Industry Association - Wool topics offered at this site include history, processing, wool characteristics, fabrics and care.

Production

• Cotton and Wool Yearbook, ERS, USDA.
• Montana Farm Flock Sheep Production Handbook (or pdf), Montana State University - This handbook provides chapters on sheep selection, breeding, reproduction, nutrition and flock management. It discusses breed selection as it relates to wool.
• Sheep and Goat Fund, National Livestock Producers Association - A revolving fund for sheep and goat businesses to further the development of value-added products.
• Sheep: Sustainable and Organic Production, Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas (ATTRA), NCAT, 2010 - This site provides information related to sustainable sheep production. The topics include breed selection, grazing, pasture lambing, alternative health management and innovative marketing ideas for wool and lamb products.

Businesses/Case Studies

• French Creek Sheep & Wool Company, Elverson, Pennsylvania - This company has sold woolen products and sheepskin coats since 1970. It markets products online and through a printed catalog.
• High Pointe Coverings, Harmony, Minnesota - Entrepreneur Lloyd Peterson's company crafts wool mattresses and pillows. Each mattress uses 34 to 35 pounds, or seven layers, of pure, carded wool that are 4 to 5 inches thick.
• Mid-States Wool Growers Cooperative Association - Established in 1918, this cooperative has grown into one of the largest U.S. sheep supply distributors.
• Natural Colored Wool Growers Association - This association represents producers of natural colored sheep and wool.
• Pendleton's Woollen Mills, Portland, Oregon.
• The U.S. Wool Industry, Changes in the Sheep Industry in the United States: Making the Transition from Tradition, Board of Agriculture & Natural Resources, The National Academies Press, 2008 - This book examines the current and future opportunities and challenges of the U.S. sheep industry.

Links checked March 2012.