Vermont sheep and goat leader warns of processing, genetics and market bottlenecks

Mark, president of the Vermont Sheep and Goat Association, told the Agriculture, Food Resiliency & Forestry committee that several linked problems are limiting growth in Vermont’s sheep and goat sector: lack of processing capacity, low value for wool, costly attempts to import improved genetics, and regulatory and infrastructure barriers.

The testimony focused on immediate processing shortages and longer-term industry barriers. "We can't find a place to have our lambs processed," Mark said, noting that one local processor told him "they're not gonna process any lambs in October and November next year." He added that Vermont Natural Tannery, which produces high-quality hides, "does 6 a day" and currently has a backlog of about "900 hides in their attic," limiting options for producers seeking premium tanning.

Why it matters: Producers told the committee those bottlenecks affect farm incomes, product availability and the ability to scale to supply restaurants and regional markets. Mark said his farm raises "60 or 80 lambs a year and 20 pigs and hundreds of chickens and, you know, several dozen turkeys," and that without accessible slaughter and custom processing, many small-ruminant operations could not survive.

Key details from testimony and questions

- Processing and slaughter capacity: Mark described multiple processors declining lamb due to labor and throughput…