Key Takeaways:

The U.S. herd is stabilizing, but growth remains modest. Total goat inventory rose 1 percent in 2026, while meat-goat numbers increased 2 percent, which is not enough to materially reduce import dependence. Domestic slaughter is rising from a low base. Commercial slaughter increased about 12 percent from 2022 to 2024, but production remains below its 2008 peak and constrained by processing capacity, marketing gaps, and high costs. Australia increasingly dominates U.S. supply. Australian goat slaughter reached a record 4.05 million head in 2025, and production has roughly quadrupled since 2020, reinforcing Australia’s position as the leading U.S. import supplier. Rapid Australian supply growth has lowered import prices...