WoolProducers Australia are pleased to announce that CEO, MS Jo Hall, has been appointed as the Chair of the International Wool Textiles Organisation’s (IWTO) Grower Forum.
WoolProducers President Mr Ed Storey said, “WoolProducers are proud of this acknowledgment of Jo’s dedication and passion to the industry both on a domestic and international level”.
The IWTO Grower’s Forum is an international forum for wool growing countries and provides a platform for the global production sector to exchange ideas and discuss issues that are common to all growers.
The Forum met virtually at the recent IWTO Congress on 22 June, where Ms Hall chaired her first meeting.
Ms Hall said, “For this meeting, along with the country specific reports, I requested each country to provide the top three issues currently affecting their producers in order to gain commonality between countries, which in turn can be progressed as a global production sector”.
“Having been Secretary for this Forum for a number of years I believe that we can make this a more active forum to progress issues, both internally through IWTO as well as other external processes such as relevant public consultations.
Grower Member countries that were represented at the June meeting included Australia, the Falkland Islands, New Zealand, South Africa, United Kingdom, United States and Uruguay.
“It’s a great opportunity for international growers to provide a single voice on issues such as biosecurity, animal welfare, competition for land use and labour shortages, which historically has not been the case, with production countries often competing against each other to gain commercial advantage, particularly with regard to animal welfare”.
“Quite frankly, we as producers operate in too small of a market to be cannibalising each other on a global stage and we need to start working together to promote the wonderful attributes of wool”, Ms Hall said.
Wool Industries Australia (WIA), as the Australian member of the IWTO, nominated Ms Hall for this role which was accepted by other grower country members.
The IWTO is the global authority for standards in the wool textile industry since 1930. With a membership drawn from 22 countries encompassing the wool pipeline “from sheep to shop”, IWTO represents the interests of the world’s wool textile trade at the international level.
ENDS
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WoolProducers Australia contacts:
Jo Hall, CEO
0488 554 811
Ed Storey, President
0438 309 500
About WoolProducers’ Australia WoolProducers plays a critical role in working closely with companies and entities funded by woolgrower funds including compulsory levies or fees for service.
Our mission is to develop constructive and profitable outcomes for woolgrowers nationally.
The agency is responsible for appointing a director to each of the Australian Wool Exchange and the Australia Wool Testing Authority, promoting good corporate governance and ensuring that the interests of growers are met.
WoolProducers maintains a working relationship with Australian Wool Innovation as the voice of woolgrower shareholders. It aims to contribute to AWI’s programs for the benefit of growers, promoting responsible use of levy funds and ensuring good corporate governance.
WoolProducers is the sole wool industry member of Animal Health Australia, and as such, carries a significant responsibility for decision making on behalf of the industry in the event of an emergency animal disease outbreak.
As the only wool grower organisation with membership of the National Farmers’ Federation, WoolProducers is responsible for providing key policy advice on behalf of our members, and other wool growers, to Australia’s peak farm body.
As the only wool grower organisation with membership of the National Farmers’ Federation, WoolProducers is responsible for providing key policy advice on behalf of our members, and other wool growers, to Australia’s peak farm body.
WoolProducers also works closely with the Federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry on key issues such as animal health and welfare, biosecurity, pest management control, natural resource management, drought preparedness, emergency animal disease outbreak preparedness and industry development, including research and trade.