At the moment the sides (USDA versus two Vermont dairy sheep farms) are at a stand-off. The USDA still wants to kill and incinerate all of the sheep, which keep growing in numbers, since they came from a region of Europe where BSE has been found. Also, they say tests on four cull animals indicate the presence of TSE (the sheep version of BSE). While independent expert witnesses generally support the methodology of the USDA testing, they recommended the tests be repeated. However, the USDA says there are no more brain samples to be tested. The farmers are also pointing out tests conducted on the eyelids of the supposedly infected sheep came back negative.

The herds are quarantined and all cull animals are tested with negative results thus far outside of the four. The farmers are allowed to process the milk and sell it as cheese, with some interference by state officials.

40 millions pounds of sheep cheese is imported into the U.S. each year and there basically is no dairy sheep industry in the U.S.

Helping in the cause of the farmers is the owners of one herd is one of the wealthiest men in the U.S. as part of the family which owns AIG, one the largest insurance underwriters in the world.

Apparently the farmers are willing to compromise with continued quarantine and testing, but the USDA is adament on not taking even the slighest bit of risk of introducing BSE into the U.S.

A new hearing has been scheduled before a U.S. District Court.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), October 01, 2000

Answers

Ken, Yes, there is basically no milking sheep herds in the United States.

I wrote an article on this a few years ago. While interviewing an Idaho couple, I discovered that the importation tax on this cheese was reduced sharply. Sheep milk prices dropped dramatically. It drove many American producers right out of business! Exporting sheep cheese from the U.S. is still expensive and difficult.

There are sheep milking herds being kept together in case trade becomes more equitable, probably not for long!

-- Christina (crublee@homer.libby.org), October 02, 2000.