COVID-19: Representing the Australian wool industry

WoolProducers Australia is working with wool industry stakeholders, State Farm Organisations, and State and Federal Governments to develop guidance and advice on COVID-19 for industry. We are advocating to governments on behalf of industry to ensure a continued supply of wool to our export customers, and maintenance of services for woolgrowers so that farm businesses can continue to operate.

This page contains a list of resources and useful information that all businesses throughout the domestic wool supply chain can use to continue operating safely and to reduce the risk of virus transmission.

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For public health information, please visit the Australian Government Department of Health.

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Shearing operations: protocols in response to COVID-19

These protocols, developed in collaboration with the National Farmers Federation and The Shearing Contractors Association of Australian,  should be implemented to reduce the risk of COVID transmission in wool sheds. Download the protocols by clicking here.

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Contracting operations: protocols in response to COVID-19

Developed in collaboration with the Livestock Contractors’ Association, these protocols should be implemented to reduce the risk of COVID transmission between persons undertaking dipping, scanning, footrot and lamb marking operations:

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• Joint responsibilities for COVIDsafe contacting operations

• National COVIDsafe protocols

• NSW COVIDsafe protocols

• Covid essential workers employer template

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Australian workplace laws

The Fair Work Ombudsman has provided information on rights and responsibilities during COVID-19 for employees, employers and the community. This includes information on the JobKeeper scheme in Australian workplaces. For more information, click here.

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Essential services

State and territory governments have the authority to declare a service as ‘essential’. Some jurisdictional governments have identified agriculture and its supply chains as essential while others have only defined non-essential services.

WoolProducers Australia, in collaboration with other organisations representing the entire domestic wool supply chain, have written to State Premiers and Agricultural Ministers and provided a briefing paper on the wool industry being prescribed as an essential service. You can read the briefing paper here.

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