Daines Urges ITC to Level the Playing Field, Defend American Sheep Producers

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Steve Daines and Representative Celeste Maloy (R-Utah) today led a letter to the U.S. International Trade Commission Chairman urging strong support for U.S. sheep producers and relief from damages resulting from sheep imports to ensure U.S. producers are able to compete on a level playing field. “As Members of Congress who proudly represent growers and processors in the American sheep industry, we write regarding the U.S. International Trade Commission’s (Commission) global safeguard investigation of lamb meat imports pursuant to Sections 201-204 of the Trade Act of 1974. During this investigation, we urge the Commission to carefully consider the data and testimony before it regarding the significant challenges faced by American sheep producers. And should the Commission make an affirmative determination in accordance with the statute, we urge the Commission to recommend a remedy that provides prompt and meaningful relief to the domestic industry. The families behind America’s sheep farms and ranches have faced mounting pressures, including from rapidly increasing imports, which negatively impact our rural communities and domestic food production. The U.S. Trade Representative’s (USTR) July 13, 2026, letter directing the Commission to initiate the Section 201 investigation states that “import statistics indicate that lamb meat imports…have increased in recent years” and “[a]vailable information suggests that these imports have resulted in domestic industry lost sales, revenues, and market share as imported lamb meat significantly undersold the domestic like product.” USTR’s letter further states that “firms have exited the domestic industry entirely, and there have been domestic industry job losses, decreased capacity utilization rates, and struggles to maintain profitability,” they wrote in the letter. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), John Curtis (R-Utah), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Todd Young (R-Ind.) joined Daines in sending the letter. Representatives Jodey Arrington (R-Texas), James Baird (R-Ind.), Brian Babin (R-Texas), Rob Bresnahan (R-Pa.), Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.), Jack Bergman (R-Mich.), Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.), Kat Cammack (R-Fla.), John R. Carter (R-Texas), James Comer (R-Ky.), Angie Craig (D-Minn.), Jeff Crank (R-Colo.), Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas), Donald G. Davis (D-N.C.), Troy Downing (R-Mont.), Gabe Evans (R-Colo.), Brad Finstad (R-Minn.), Michelle Fischbach (R-Minn.), Vince Fong (R-Calif.), Russ Fulcher (R-Idaho), James Gallagher (R-Calif.), Adam Gray (D-Calif.), Glenn Grothman (R-Wis.), Harriet Hageman (R-Wyo.), Jeff Hurd (R-Colo.), Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), Dusty Johnson (R-S.D.), Morgan Luttrell (R-Texas), Tracey Mann (R-Kan.), Max Miller (R-Ohio), Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.), Burgess Owens (R-Utah), Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), David Rouzer (R-N.C.), David J. Taylor (R-Ohio), Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.), David Valadao (R-Calif.), Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.), Roger Williams (R-Texas), Rudy Yakym (R-Ind.), Ryan Zinke (R-Mont.), and Michael Simpson (R-Idaho) also joined Daines in sending the letter. Read the full letter HERE . ### Contact: Gabby Wiggins