Billings Wool Producers Hope For Market Rebound In 2025 After Tough Years

BILLINGS, Mont. – Sheep producers are hopeful for a better wool market in 2025 after several challenging years. The wool industry has faced difficulties since the onset of COVID, impacting producers and processors alike.

Larry Prager from Center of the Nation Wool, which operates wool warehouses in Billings, Montana, and Belle Fourche, South Dakota, shared insights on the current state of the market. “You know, it has been weird. We’ve gone through 3 or 4 seasons that have been, you know, very much the same. And prices that are hard to look at if you’re the producer and in processors with limited demand,” Prager said.

One of the main challenges is the strong American dollar, which affects wool prices. Prager explained, “Wool prices, in particular, in a lot of other commodities, are really established overseas. And so when we convert those numbers into Australian, you know, Australian dollars, for example, in a case for wool in your American dollars, a strong dollar means we get less money on our side of the ocean.”

The reliance on the export market also plays a role. “We’re selling more dependent upon the export market every year. So it’s, a strong dollar an export market is is what we’re facing,” Prager added.

Looking ahead to 2025, there is some optimism for improvement. “You know, the word on the street is, second quarter of 25. So, you know, do I have confidence that that’s reality? I think the first quarter particularly, you know, been a lot of conversations throughout the campaign about foreign trade policy, tariffs and the like with, with some of the, particularly with regard to China,” Prager stated.

The American Sheep Industry Association’s Annual Convention in Scottsdale, Arizona, will further discuss these issues next week. Russell Nemetz will report from the convention during the daily Western Ag Network report on Wake Up NonStop Local.