The Sheep Promotion, Research, and Information Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-407) enabled domestic sheep producers and feeders and importers of sheep and sheep products to develop, finance, and carry out a nationally coordinated program for sheep and sheep product promotion, research, and information.
This law was enacted a year after passage of legislation to phase out the wool and mohair commodity programs (new support programs for wool and mohair were included in the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-171), the 2002 farm bill.
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) was authorized to issue a sheep and wool promotion, research, education, and information order subject to approval referenda among producers, feeders, and importers. In a 1996 referendum, the proposed check-off program was defeated. About 53% of nearly 12,000 ballots opposed the order. This group represented 67% of the production that voted.