Thank You and Farewell: A President’s Final Report
Welcome to my fourth and final President’s Report. I spent some time looking back at previous reports, and there have been some consistent topics. During my tenure the Eastern Market Indicator (EMI) hit a low of 1100 cents, well below the cost of production, and woolgrowers turned to other enterprises.
This year the EMI almost reached 2000 cents and now sits just above 1800 cents. I realise that most of you are sick of me saying that it’s only a base rate price. To keep woolgrowers in wool, the price needs to increase.
Merino ram sales have experienced substantial increases in their averages and clearances, with some even doubling from 12 months ago. It should also be noted that terminal, composite and shedder rams have seen record sale prices and clearances.
What this demonstrates is that the flock will increase; however, the reality is that wool production may just hold steady, with no increase in supply. Some coarse wool types have enjoyed price increases of up to 60 per cent in the last 12 months. Low supply has driven these increases and, either way, they were most welcome.
With the majority of commodity prices at a viable level, it has also been encouraging to see farmer membership of State Farming Organisations (SFOs) increase. I am hopeful that this will generate competition among producers putting their names forward for peak council representation.
The issues we farmers face are enormous. More is achieved through proper process than by individuals pursuing a single issue, which is the strength of SFO membership. It is imperative that we have input into these processes, as this allows peak councils to keep delivering the best outcomes for growers.
I’m sure I have mentioned export market concentration, and our reliance on one country buying the vast majority of our wool, in every President’s Report.
While we are very grateful for this market, we need to diversify into other countries, not only to increase competition but also to reduce our trade exposure. The importance of WoolProducers’ continued work in Vietnam, Bangladesh and India cannot be overstated.
Jo and Adam have done tremendous work in initiating these relationships, which will be further strengthened with more input from Adam going forward. Wool is currently less than 1 per cent of the global apparel market, and with the casualisation of workwear leading to a decrease in demand for suiting, blends of fibres seem to be the sensible way forward to increase the amount of wool in this market.
Our industry may only produce 240-250 million kilograms of wool this year, given that 100 million sheep have gone from Australia in the last 30-40 years. Yet we still have essentially the same organisations as we did back then, and we as growers pay for them. The industry has an opportunity to change, if it has the courage to do so.
All commodities are encouraged by the number of young people in their industries, and WoolProducers is no exception. Since the inception of our Youth Ambassador program, the calibre of candidates has grown and never disappoints. Congratulations to Toby Haylock on his very successful term.
In the last 12 months we identified that the increased workload of our staff was unsustainable. We created a Policy Director position, filled by Georgie Trowbridge from South Australia, who started on 1 July 2026. In the short time Georgie has been with us, she has settled in well and will be a great asset to WoolProducers.
I would like to thank Siobhan Wakely, our Executive Support, for her patience and guidance, and Campbell Hedley, whose guidance and counsel have been appreciated not only at Board level but also by staff and by me personally.
Jo Hall has worked, and will continue to work, tirelessly for this industry. Her knowledge, governance expertise and industry contacts throughout Australia and the world are a testament to her outstanding presence in the industry.
Guided by the Board, past and present, she uses facts to reinforce policy decisions for the betterment of woolgrowers. She should never be underestimated and always holds herself to high standards, which is a credit to her work ethic.
As mentioned before, Adam Dawes’ professionalism in delivering presentations on behalf of our industry is second to none. I receive countless comments full of praise. He is certainly a great asset to our industry, and I have been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to work with both Adam and Jo. Thank you.
I would like to acknowledge the past and current Board members I have had the opportunity to work with.
It has been a long journey; I have learnt a lot and hopefully passed on knowledge to others. I certainly never thought that I would reach the level of leadership that I have.
Thank you for the opportunity and for the experience.
Steve Harrison
President, WoolProducers Australia
