Discover local sheep products raised in New York
Whether you’re looking for lamb and wool products or support to market your farm, ESPA (Empire Sheep Producers Association) is New York State’s leading resource for everything sheep-related.
Promoting and advocating for New York's sheep industry
The Empire Sheep Producers Association (ESPA) was founded over 50 years ago by a group of industry leaders to provide marketing and educational support to sheep farmers. We proudly continue that tradition today!
Your trusted resource for the New York State sheep industry
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Discover NYS sheep products
Find a New York State sheep producer near you by browsing and filtering our trusted directory. NY state’s sheep farms offer premium wool products, lamb, dairy, breeding stock, sheepskins, and so much more.
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Professional resources for sheep producers
Our association is proud to collaborate with many leading agricultural organizations in NYS. Explore our list of reliable professional resources for raising sheep, marketing, and wool processing.
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Support for New York sheep farmers
Join us and enjoy benefits such as marketing opportunities, a listing in the ESPA searchable online directory, connecting with fellow members, a free subscription to the official monthly ASI magazine, and more.
What we do
The purpose of the Empire Sheep Producers Association is to inform consumers and educate youth and farmers on the New York State sheep industry, exchange and provide information, educational and marketing materials for the furtherance of this purpose and conduct all business to enhance sheep, sheep milk, and wool enterprises in New York State.
We help support several statewide sheep shows and fiber festivals, including the NY Sheep and Wool Festival (Rhinebeck), the NY Fiber Trail, and the Northeast Fiber Exchange (NEFX) wool warehouse.
Please consider a donation to the non-profit ESPA. Your donation supports ESPA's educational mission and is used at the discretion of ESPA's board to further that mission.
Find a NYS Sheep Producer
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Why choose NYS sheep products?
Sheep farming is generally a carbon-neutral enterprise, especially in places like NYS. Our association members take advantage of a regional climate that allows for pasture grazing on a nearly year-round basis, rotating animals from one location to another on their farms as much as possible.
Many ESPA members are participants in the NYS Grown and Certified Program, which assures consumers that the food or fiber product that they are buying is local and produced to a higher standard. The program requires participating producers to adopt food safety standards and enroll in an environmental management program in cooperation with local soil and water conservation districts. ESPA is the state affiliate of the national American Sheep Industry Association.
Professional & educational resources for NYS Sheep Producers
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NYS Shearer Directory
Click Here to access a current list of Shearers Active in New York State & the Northeast U.S.
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Cornell Sheep Program
Information about sheep, wool, sheep milk, production, and marketing in the northeastern United States. The Cornell Sheep program website is designed to help farmers take advantage of the opportunity to develop or expand sheep farms in the region.
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American Sheep Industry Association
The American Sheep Industry Association (ASI) is the national organization representing the interests of more than 100,000 sheep producers located throughout the U.S. From East to West, pasture-based flocks to range operations, ASI works to represent the interests of all producers.
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Cornell Sheep and Goat Listserv
The purpose of the Cornell SheepGoatManagement List server is to ask about and exchange information about sheep and goat management. You can join the list for free.
