In this Month's newsletter, Director Craig Mitchell discusses the hard truths facing Australia's wool industry; the CEO talks about Mandatory Pain Relief for Mulesing: Policy Catching Up with Practice

By any reasonable standard, the case for mandatory pain relief for mulesing is already settled, both practically and ethically. The reality is that the overwhelming majority of Australian wool producers have already moved in this direction, and government policy should now catch up with practice. WoolProducers recognised this as far back as 2018, and while our organisation is cautious about adding regulatory burden to woolgrowers, it was determined that the benefits of mandat

I am Craig Mitchell, my wife Susan and I run merino sheep and angus cattle on a farm at Countegany on the high plains of Monaro, southeast NSW. Running 8 to 10,000 Merino sheep and around 150 angus cows. We have also been actively involved in the management of a family grazing business south of Bombala, also Southeast NSW, running a full complement of sheep and cattle enterprises. In addition to my farming work, I advocate for the farming industry through the NSW Farm Associa

As members of the Austrade Trade Diversification Network, we are continuing to pursue opportunities to diversify export markets for Australian wool. With the support of Austrade funding we recently had the opportunity to spend four intensive days in Vietnam meeting with government officials, textile manufacturers, industrial park developers, and supply‑chain innovators. The purpose was clear: to advance the next phase of WoolProducers Australia’s Trade Diversification Plan an

As Australia faces continued uncertainty around national fuel security, WoolProducers Australia is working with the National Farmers Federation (NFF) and the Federal Government to proactively ensure the needs of woolgrowers and the broader wool supply chain are clearly understood and prioritised should fuel supply become an a tangible issue. As the situation in the Middle East started to evolve and the ramifications regarding both fuel and fertiliser supply started to emerge,

WoolProducers Australia have been provided with a copy of the letter from Elders Limited advising clients of their decision from July 2027 to cease the handling and selling of wool in Western Australia, with these functions set to be conducted in Melbourne from that date. Elders have cited the nearly 40% reduction in the Western Australian wool clip in recent years as a determining factor in this decision. WoolProducers notes and welcomes Elders ongoing commitment to the wool

Being appointed as an Independent Director of WoolProducers in 2025, I’m delighted to have the opportunity to write about a topic that has been a key focus for me in recent years, the carbon balance of wool producing enterprises. I manage Mount Hesse, one of Australia’s oldest and largest Merino sheep farms, which was acquired by the Suedwolle Group in 2002. Mount Hesse is home to over 25.000 adult ewes, producing up to 135,000 kg of greasy wool annually, with an average micr

The announcement of a long awaited Free Trade Agreement between Australia and the European Union (A-EU FTA) has been met with optimism from government and some non-ag industry sectors. Trade deals matter as they send important signals about economic partnership and shared values, but the A-EU FTA contains little improved value for ag, particularly for Australia’s red meat sector. But for Australia’s wool industry, the real test of this agreement will not be found in tariffs o

Welcome to 2026, it is heartening to start the year on a positive note with regards to the wool market, but I would also like to acknowledge the adversities that some of our growers faced over the summer period including those impacted by flooding, fires and dry conditions. In this month’s report, I will be taking a guess at a number of factors that I believe will impact the Australian wool industry over the next 12-months. After a bruising couple of years for woolgrowers and

The long road back home, to a career in Agriculture and Agriculture Advocacy. As a young child growing up on the family mixed farm in the Ganmain/Coolamon region in the eastern Riverina, I believed my course was set. I had finished school and had completed a farm management and wool classing course. Now home to a future in farming. I could not have been more wrong. It wasn't a bad plan, Dad wanted me home, the farm was not large, but there was plenty of work. Dad had just bou

What a year it’s been. If you’re a woolgrower, you’ve probably felt every twist and turn of 2025—tight margins, tough decisions, and a market that seemed to test our patience at every step. Yet amid all the pressure the industry has leaned in, got honest about some of its toughest challenges, and began charting a smarter path forward. That’s the story of 2025, resilience in action, backed by evidence, collaboration, and a willingness to change when the world signals it’s time

Simon Riddle, Director for WoolProducers Australia There has been a lot of public media and comments made about this issue during the last 6 -months following the IWTO Congress in May, at which our biggest customer, China, expressed their strong preference for sourcing RWS accredited wool, revealing that South Africa is their preferred source, followed by New Zealand, with Australia coming in third. This is due mainly to both South Africa and New Zealand not mulesing and a hi

WoolProducers has congratulated the successful candidates, Dr Michelle Humphries, Mr Anthony Uren and Mr Chris Mirams in this year’s AWI Director Election, which was announced at today’s AWI AGM in Sydney. WoolProducers CEO Jo Hall said, “On behalf of WoolProducers I would like to congratulate the newly elected directors and look forward to working constructively with the AWI Board going forward.” “I would also like to acknowledge and thank the unsuccessful candidates Dr

Peak grower body WoolProducers Australia, announced the results of its biennial election for independent directors at its Annual General Meeting on Thursday, 13 November. The successful candidates were Edward Brand, David Young and Simon Riddle. Edward Brand, David Young and Simon Riddle Office bearer positions for WoolProducers Australia were also determined at the AGM. Steve Harrison (President) and Simon Riddle (Vice President) were all re-elected unopposed. WoolProducers

As the 2025 Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) Director election approaches, woolgrowers across the country are being urged to take part in shaping the future of their industry. There are three board positions up for election and five candidates vying for those seats and given the current situation that the industry is in, this is a critical moment for woolgrowers to have their say on the leadership and direction of AWI. Voting is voluntary, but there is too much at stake to le

Makaela Knapp, Director for WoolProducers Australia Since my last blog post in June 2024, writing about the phase-out of live sheep exports being the biggest challenge facing WA producers, a lot has changed. This issue brought agriculture and regional communities together like never before- not just in numbers but in the power of producers sharing their own stories. Hearing firsthand accounts from those directly affected gave weight to our advocacy in a way that statistics al

At WoolProducers Australia, we understand that the strength of our industry lies not only in the quality of our wool but in the resilience of the systems that support it. That’s why we were proud to officially launch the Wool Industry Post-farmgate Emergency Animal Disease (EAD) Preparedness and Response RD&E Strategy 2025–2030 at the Wool Industries Australia Wool Week Forum in Melbourne on 11 September 2025. This Strategy, developed in collaboration with Animal Health Austr

Rowan Woods, Immediate Past President, National Council of Wool Selling Brokers of Australia It would be naïve to suggest that the past year has been anything but one of the most trying periods for the wool industry—perhaps rivalled only by wartime. Wool production has fallen to levels not seen since World War I, and this downturn has reverberated across the entire supply chain, including our own National Council of Wool Selling Brokers of Australia (NCWSBA) balance sheet, wi

WoolProducers Australia (WoolProducers) today (11 September 2025) announced the launch of the Wool Industry Post-farmgate Emergency Animal Disease (EAD) Preparedness and Response RD&E Strategy 2025–2030 at the Wool Industries Australia Wool Week Forum in Melbourne. The development of the Strategy was sponsored and coordinated by WoolProducers Australia and Animal Health Australia. The Strategy sets out a comprehensive roadmap to strengthen the wool supply chain’s resilience i

The Australian Council of Wool Exporters and Processors (ACWEP), the National Council of Wool Selling Brokers of Australia (NCWSBA), and WoolProducers Australia (WPA) today issued a joint statement re-emphasising the urgent need for a unified industry strategy on mulesing. This follows comments made by Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) Chairman Jock Laurie, which the organisations believe understate the significant and growing risks facing Australian wool in key international

WoolProducers Australia (WoolProducers) is calling for nominations for three independent director positions on its National Executive. The nation's peak body for woolgrowers is seeking passionate and experienced woolgrowers from across Australia who are keen to contribute to national and international policy development and advocacy. WoolProducers is uniquely structured to ensure direct grower representation. While the Executive is primarily comprised of delegates from state

Tim McShane, wool producer in Southern Tasmania, part of a family farming operation, Stockman Stud, mating over 30,000 ewes, cropping 2,000 ha under centre pivot irrigation and operating a Poll Merino Stud. In the past couple of years we have been crutching our pre-lambing ewes over a crutching trailer which has significantly reduced the drag for the crutchers. However, the downside of this has been the exposure to the elements experienced by all the staff (Tassie can have s

On August 12, 2025, agricultural policymakers and industry stakeholders convened in Brisbane for a roundtable hosted by Minister for Agriculture, Julie Collins and Assistant Minister Anthony Chisholm. The event focused on a critical national priority: unlocking productivity in Australian agriculture. The discussions revealed a strong appetite for reform, with participants united in their belief that the food and fibre industries must be recognised as a key pillar of Australia

WoolProducers Australia is proud to announce Toby Haylock as this year’s Raising the Baa Youth Ambassador. WoolProducers CEO, Ms Jo Hall, said, “This role provides young people aged 18 to 35 with a unique opportunity to gain first-hand experience in policy development and board operations. It’s designed to build understanding of how policy is shaped to serve the best interests of the wool industry.” Originally established under the Commonwealth Government’s Leadership in Agri