Why It Matters
Reliable supply supports American businesses and jobs. Domestic and imported lamb together help keep lamb on shelves and menus year-round.
What is happening
The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) is conducting a Section 201 safeguard investigation into lamb meat. The questionnaire period is now closed. The investigation continues, with an injury hearing scheduled for October 16, 2026.
We respect the ITC's process and will engage constructively and in good faith to put our case forward.
A reliable supply of lamb supports American factories, farms and families.
The ITC
The independent U.S. International Trade Commission gathers evidence and makes the injury determination in this investigation.
Section 201
The safeguard law under the Trade Act of 1974. It asks whether increased imports are a substantial cause of serious injury, or threat of serious injury, to a domestic industry. It does not require a finding of unfair trade.
A safeguard remedy
If the ITC makes an affirmative injury determination or is equally divided, it proceeds to consider remedy recommendations. A remedy could include tariffs or quotas. The President makes the final decision on whether and how to act.
Why reliable supply matters
A resilient lamb supply chain depends on a reliable lamb supply.
A reliable lamb supply means onshore jobs and production lines are there when American sheep producers need to get their lamb from paddock to plate.
Lamb competes with other proteins for limited space on supermarket shelves and restaurant menus. In this environment, a protein that isn't reliable or affordable quickly gets replaced with one that is.
Protect supply. Grow demand.
Imported lamb is counter-seasonal: it supplies lamb at different times of the year, complementing domestic production and helping keep lamb on shelves and menus year-round.
The best measure is one that protects supply and grows demand for lamb, so more Americans eat more lamb, more often.
We look forward to working with U.S. industry, the ITC, and the administration toward an outcome that protects supply, builds demand and grows appetite for lamb.
What happens next
The questionnaire period is closed, but the investigation and hearing process continue. The next scheduled milestone is the October 16, 2026 injury hearing.