Sheep Industry Concerned About Proposed Labor Law

American Sheep Industry leaders are concerned about a proposed Department of Labor rule that would rewrite the H-2-A sheep herder rule. ASI Executive Director Peter Orwick says comments on the rule are due June 1. He says if the Labor Department rule goes into effect it could force many sheep ranchers out of business. Orwick says the definition of open range within the proposed rule isn’t practical or workable. He says besides the range definition problem, the weight formula in the proposed rule is too costly. Orwick says 38 percent of all breeding sheep are under the care of H-2-A sheep herders so if the rule goes into effect packing plants, wool warehouses and wool mills and meat distributors will all be lost.  WNAX