Overview

• New Zealand's sheep population has dropped to 23.6 million, with a human population of 5.3 million, resulting in a 4.5:1 sheep-to-person ratio.
• The national flock has declined significantly from its 1982 peak of over 70 million sheep, driven by falling wool prices and global shifts to synthetic fibers.
• Farmers are increasingly converting farmland to pine forestry for carbon offsets or transitioning to dairy production, which now dominates New Zealand's agricultural exports.
• The government has introduced measures to slow the decline, including limits on farmland conversion to forestry and procurement guidelines promoting wool use in public buildings.
• Australia, facing similar trends, has a shrinking flock with about three sheep per person, reflecting a broader regional shift in agricultural practices.