Wool producers in Utah and throughout the West will soon enjoy the benefits of the nation's only wool testing laboratory -- Wasatch Wool Laboratories, based in Midvale, Utah.
Since the closing of Colorado’s Yocom-McColl Testing Laboratories, wool producers nationwide have been required to send samples overseas for commercial testing, primarily to facilities located in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa, Utah's Department of Agriculture and Food explains.
State officials say the lab will make Utah the epicenter of wool testing. They took part in an open house at the laboratory April 8.
“One of the Department of Agriculture’s priorities right now is developing agricultural and food processing infrastructure," UDAF Commissioner Craig W. Buttars said. "It’s important for us to support all aspects of infrastructure that assist our producers in preparing their products to be marketed to the public.”
Reliable laboratory testing is critical to the success and marketability of local wool production, officials say. Utah is the nation's fourth largest producer of wool, shearing 2,14 million pounds in 2019 alone — about 10% of the nation’s total wool production, according to UDAF.
"The Utah Wool Growers Association is excited about the prospect of having supportive infrastructure for the wool industry in Utah," said Sierra Nelson, the organization's executive director. "Adding this will allow us to take an environmentally friendly product and make it even more sustainable by reducing the product’s carbon footprint by not having to send it overseas for testing.
"Each class of wool is excellent for something specific; there are different uses for different products," she said. "Wool testing allows you to target your sales to specific audiences, for example coarse wool for outer layers and fine wool for luxury goods.”
For more information about the lab, visit https://wasatchwoollabs.com/.