HomeMy WebLinkAbout20233374.tiff RESOLUTION
RE: INDICATION OF SUPPORT OF THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN RURAL AMERICA
WHEREAS,the Board of County Commissioners of Weld County,Colorado,pursuant to
Colorado statute and the Weld County Home Rule Charter, is vested with the authority of
administering the affairs of Weld County,Colorado,and
WHEREAS,sheep and lambs provide the economic cornerstone for western states'rural
economies,supporting schools,places of worship,small town businesses,hospitals,and the
social infrastructure of rural America,and
WHEREAS,sheep perform important environmental purposes by grazing and browsing
through noxious and other undesirable and invasive weed species,and by reducing excess
vegetation in fire prone areas,and
WHEREAS,the United States historically protected domestic sheep production from
global market distortions through tariffs,and
WHEREAS,under the Tariff Act of 1930,tariffs previously enacted in 1890,1921,and
1922,were increased to$3.00 for live sheep,$0.07 per pound for lamb meat,and$0.05 per
pound for mutton,and
WHEREAS,since 1930,Congress has not adjusted tariffs on sheep or sheep meat for
inflation,rendering them immaterial today,and
WHEREAS,for example,if the tariffs were adjusted for inflation,the 1930 tariff of$3.00
per head for live sheep would be$54.00 per head today,the 1930 tariff of$0.07 per pound for
lamb meat would be$1.25 per pound today,and the 1930 tariff of$0.05 per pound of mutton
would be$0.89 per pound today,and
WHEREAS, the United States has a long, successful history of maintaining viable
domestic production systems for many agricultural commodities through tariff rate quotas,such
as those employed to ensure a viable domestic peanut industry,sugar industry,dairy industry,
cotton industry,tobacco industry,chocolate industry,and animal feed industry,and
WHEREAS,known global market distortions that can be effectively alleviated with a tariff
rate quota system include less stringent production practices abroad,global concentration,and
persistently devalued exchange rates abroad,and
cc:Bo cc(KF),CIA(88/K►t) 2023-3374
BC0057
I t/2q/23
INDICATION OF SUPPORT OF THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN RURAL AMERICA
PAGE 2
WHEREAS,the U.S.sheep industry has not been protected from known and debilitating
global market distortions for decades,resulting in the following consequences:
• The domestic sheep industry is non-competitive in the global export market.
• The U.S.sheep inventory has declined to 5 million head from its 1942 high of 56.2 million
head.
• In the past four decades,the number of domestic sheep operations with over 100 head
(commercial sheep operations)has declined 60%.
• Since 2012,while domestic production of sheep meat in America has declined 16%,
consumption of sheep meat has increased 62%.
• Since 2012,while consumption of sheep meat in America has increased and production
has decreased,imports have surged 134%.
• By 2022,imported lamb and mutton captured 74%of the domestic market.
• The result is the American sheep industry is the first U.S. livestock sector to be
predominantly outsourced.
WHEREAS,without some form of management over current import flows, by way of
tariffs,tariff rate quotas,or quantity restrictions,the systemic downward trajectories of every
measure of the American sheep industry's viability foretells the commercial domestic sheep
industry will soon become the first livestock industry in America to fall completely to import
competition.
NOW,THEREFORE,BE IT RESOLVED by the Board of County Commissioners of Weld
County,Colorado,that the Board supports the sheep industry in rural America and specifically in
Weld County,Colorado.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the Board that the Board respectfully requests Colorado
Governor Jared Polis, U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, and
U.S.Representatives Ken Buck and Yadira Caraveo,to urge President Joe Biden and Congress
to halt the ongoing injury to the U.S.sheep industry caused by excessive imports and to establish
tariffs and a tariff rate quota system,or some other form of quantity controls that will ensure the
viability and competitiveness of the domestic sheep industry.
2023-3374
BC0057
INDICATION OF SUPPORT OF THE SHEEP INDUSTRY IN RURAL AMERICA
PAGE 3
The above and foregoing Resolution was,on motion duly made and seconded,adopted
by the following vote on the 20th day of November,A.D.,2023.
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
WELD COUNTY,COLORADO
ATTEST: ddtifido w j 1„4;vc i D ( ,1°-,
Mik eman,Chair
Weld County Clerk to the Board
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ill � W i Ck Per L.Bu ,Pro-Tem
BY: •
Deputy Clerk to the Board ,�,,,
I. �` tt K.James
APPROVED AS TO
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Date of signature: ?Z3 4..... p...0
2023-3374
BC0057
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