This month, 150 sheep producers around the country will be selected to participate in the American Lamb Board (ALB) Climate Smart Sheep program starting in 2025.

ALB Chairman Jeff Ebert of Kansas says producers enrolled in the program will be paid up to $7,000 to develop and implement Climate Smart Sheep management practices and measure and report emissions and life cycle analysis. “We’ve just recently received a $4 million grant from USDA for Climate Smart sheep and right now we’re gathering up producers who want to take part in this,” said Ebert in a recent interview.

In addition, the grant is helping to educate producers about the benefits of targeted grazing related to carbon sequestration, soil health, and other ecosystem factors. “We’ve seen a lot of these solar panels come up and there’s vegetation underneath them. Sheep are a natural animal to help control that vegetation,” said Ebert. “So we’re working not only with solar grazing companies, but also vineyards and just grazing in general, it’s a way to embrace it.”

ALB held three workshops in different parts of the country this year on vegetation management for solar arrays, vineyards, and fire suppression, and six are planned for 2025. Learn more on the ALB website.

Learn more in this interview with Ebert.
NAFB24 Jeff Ebert, Lamb Board (3:36)