ALB releases 2025 Annual Report
On Dec. 18, 2025, the American Lamb Board (ALB) released its 2025 Annual Report, outlining efforts made by the organization over the past year to increase consumer demand, enhance product quality, increase productivity and expand engagement in the Lamb Checkoff.
“In 2025, ALB continued to advance its mission to grow consumer demand, expand strategic partnerships and invest in research and education to improve long-term competitiveness for American lamb,” reads the report. “Across marketing, research, education and industry outreach, ALB programs reached consumers, retail and foodservice customers and influencers across the country, all while delivering new tools and opportunities to producers nationwide.”
The report notes consumer demand for American lamb continued to accelerate in 2025, marking a pivotal year for the U.S. sheep industry as marketing investments paid off and domestic lamb sales outpaced imports for the first time.
Retail lamb sales rose sharply throughout the year, with second quarter sales increasing 12.5 percent compared to the same period in 2024.
Over the past year, dollar sales climbed 10.9 percent while volume increased 11.2 percent, and in the third quarter, American lamb retail sales surpassed imported lamb, which ALB says underscores the success of the industry’s demand-building efforts and the growing urgency to expand domestic supply.
“It is truly an exciting time to be part of this industry. As producers and partners in this work, we have every reason to feel proud of how far we’ve come and be optimistic about the opportunities ahead,” says ALB Chairman Jeff Ebert in the report.
Marketing
The first section of the 2025 Annual Report outlines the board’s various marketing campaigns, including annual seasonal promotions like Lamb Lovers Month celebrated in February, the Lambventures Grill-Off which takes place during summer months, Taste of the Tailgates celebrated during football season in October and holiday campaigns Feast it Forward and Holiday Headquarters.
Social media influencers remained central to ALB’s marketing strategy in 2025, with its creator network reaching 4.2 million combined followers.
The board also hosted multiple in-person events to highlight the importance and quality of American lamb.
This includes the first-ever ALB Nutrition Retreat, which brought together 10 nutrition influencers, members of the media, industry spokespeople and Keynote Speaker Max Lugavere for networking opportunities, group dining, cooking demos, outdoor experiences and a sheep farm tour.
ALB also hosted two chef events in Denver and Atlanta; participated in the Philadelphia Chef Conference and sponsored the Central Intelligence Agency’s International Worlds of Flavor Conference.
Additionally, ALB partnered with Foodwise in San Francisco for Sunday Supper, showcased lamb’s versatility and sustainability at the three-day San Diego Bay Food and Wine Festival, expanded its farm-to-table Secret Supper partnership and elevated its signature Lamb Jam event into a two-phase national activation featuring a Dine-Around Month and a seven-market Lamb Jam Live Happy Hour Tour.
Industry programs
and education
The next section of the report summarizes ALB’s industry outreach programs, which include multiple resources available on the board’s website, as well as a new Easy Everyday Recipe Brochure to provide approachable at-home recipes for consumers.
In 2025, ALB continued publishing its Monthly Lamb Market Summary and U.S. Quarterly Lamb Report to provide market insights, and the organization selected two young producers to represent the industry at Lamb Ex2025 through the Global Sheep Forum’s Young Leaders Program.
“ALB advanced producer education in 2025 by investing in programs to connect people, share proven practices and respond to emerging industry needs,” the report says. “From national forums and Extension collaboration to expanded targeted grazing training, our focus remained on helping producers strengthen efficiency, lamb quality and profitability, while positioning the industry for new market and land management opportunities.”
Educational initiatives included American Lamb Summit 2025, held in July at the University of Idaho, which brought together 140 attendees from 20 states to discuss marketing demand, profitable grazing systems, lamb quality targets and production efficiency.
ALB also hosted the 2025 Solar Farm Summit in Chicago, in collaboration with the American Sheep Industry Association and American Solar Grazing Association, featuring over 70 exhibitors to explore sheep and solar grazing opportunities, and the board expanded its popular Targeted Grazing Workshops, hosting six hands-on sessions in California, Texas, Illinois, Maryland, Colorado and Kentucky.
Research
The report also highlights marketing research conducted by ALB, which plays a critical role in guiding the board’s work.
The document notes national consumer research found lamb consumption remains split, with roughly 20 percent of consumers eating more lamb and 20 percent eating less. Taste remains the top driver of lamb purchases, while price and availability continue to be the industry’s biggest barriers.
Health considerations are increasingly important, with nearly one-third of respondents reporting higher protein intake for health or fitness reasons and 39 percent viewing lamb as a strong protein choice. Notably, 43 percent said they would pay more for lamb labeled “no hormones.”
A separate survey of 447 culinary professionals showed strong enthusiasm for lamb’s flavor and versatility but highlighted challenges which limit year-round menu placement.
The survey found only three percent of chefs serve lamb year-round, citing cost, sourcing challenges and limited diner familiarity as key obstacles. Chefs also expressed interest in more education, clearer origin information and pricing support.
Additionally, ALB in-
vested in a couple of research projects over the past year, focused on practical science to strengthen the lamb industry across all sectors.
“In 2025, we supported projects advancing flock health and resilience while also improving product consistency and supply-chain flexibility,” the report reads. “These studies highlight how targeted innovation can reduce risk for producers, add value for processors and retailers and help ensure American lamb continues to meet evolving market needs.”
First, ALB partnered with the North Dakota State University Meat Science Team to evaluate Suspended Fresh technology – a deep-chill storage process to extend the shelf life of perishable proteins for weeks without freezing – as a potential supply-chain management tool for the industry.
“Their evaluation examined physiochemical differences among products and paired these findings with consumer sensory assessments of each storage method,” ALB explains. “The results showed Suspended Fresh lamb exhibited reduced drip loss compared to frozen products, and sensory panelists reported no detectable differences in tenderness or flavor between fresh, Suspended Fresh and frozen samples.”
Additionally, ALB supported research at West Virginia University focused on strengthening natural immunity in sheep through selective breeding.
“Researchers are identifying and selecting animals with superior immune responses to help develop sheep populations which are naturally more resistant to disease – ultimately reducing reliance on antibiotics,” the board shares. “As part of the project, the team is conducting assays to measure antibody responses to commonly-used sheep vaccines.”
“By determining which animals produce stronger antibody responses, scientists can estimate each animal’s genetic merit for antibody production,” ALB continues. “This work will help quantify the genetic basis of disease resistance and provide sheep producers with practical tools to select healthier, more resilient animals for their flocks.”
Looking ahead
As demand for American lamb continues to grow, ALB notes the industry’s focus is shifting toward scaling production, improving efficiency and ensuring consistent supply without sacrificing quality.
In 2026, ALB plans to launch Sheep IQ, a new online resource hub designed to deliver practical, research-based tools to producers, feeders and processors.
“With strong demand, growing consumer awareness and new tools for producers, the opportunity ahead is significant,” the report states. “The challenge now is aligning supply, education and innovation to ensure American lamb remains competitive for years to come.”
Hannah Bugas is the managing editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
