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

I recently attended the Victorian Farmers Federation (VFF) Livestock Conference where I participated in a panel titled "Animal Welfare, Social Licence & Public Perception.” On the panel I spoke about the issue of mulesing and the need to take an industry-wide strategic approach to this issue. For far too long, the conversation around mulesing in the Australian wool industry has been stuck and it's about time we got serious in addressing this issue. It doesn't matter what your

My name is Peter Thomas, and I recently joined the board of WoolProducers Australia, representing Agforce Queensland. Together with my wife Kimble and children, we run a merino enterprise at ‘Beaconsfield’ near Ilfracombe in Central West Queensland. Our operation typically runs around 12,000 merinos, along with rangeland goats and opportunistic cattle when conditions allow. I’ve worked across several agricultural sectors—from jackarooing on merino studs in the NSW Riverina, t

Footrot is an inflammatory bacterial disease effecting the feet of sheep. More extreme (virulent) cases can result in detachment of the horn of the hoof, leading to lameness, ill thrift and secondary conditions, such as flystrike. Meat and Livestock Australia found that the economic cost of (benign and virulent) to the Australian sheep and wool industry is $83.4 million p.a. WoolProducers, General Manager, Adam Dawes said, “We regularly engage our members and have consistentl

At the recent 94th annual Congress of the International Wool Textile Organisation (IWTO), I had the opportunity to deliver a presentation on how Australia’s biosecurity systems help to protect the supply of wool, and how enhancements such as the Australian Wool Traceability Hub continually strengthen this system. With increasing and evolving global trace patterns, so is the risk of animal disease spread. Key diseases that directly impact sheep (and specifically wool trade) in

Jo Hall, Kelvin Le and Adam Dawes Earlier in April, WoolProducers Australia led group of Australian and New Zealand wool industry representatives on a tour of Vietnam. The delegation sought to learn about opportunities for Australian wool in Vietnam, with a focus on the potential for early-stage wool processing and strengthening ties between the Australian wool industry and the Vietnamese textile sector and comprised of representatives from WoolProducers Australia, Michell Wo

WoolProducers Australia today called on Australian political parties to commit to implementing a policy mirroring the progressive move by the New Zealand Government to prioritise the use of wool in government buildings. This call comes following the New Zealand Cabinet’s agreement to amend its Government Procurement Rules, effective July 1, 2025. Under the New Zealand regulations, government agencies subject to the Procurement Rules will be expected to utilise woollen fibres

Last week a delegation comprised of representatives from WoolProducers Australia, Michell Wool, Eqwools, Fox & Lillie Rural and WoolWorks NZ visited Vietnam to increase awareness of opportunities for wool in the Vietnamese textile sector, particularly those aligned with the roadmap for early-stage wool processing in Vietnam. The week started with a visit to Nam Dinh Silk Company, a company specialising in wool top dyeing, worsted spinning and the production of woven fabrics

WoolProducers were thrilled to be involved in an event held in Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam on 11 April. The Australian Chamber of Commerce (AusCham) hosted the collaborative function showcasing the multifaceted opportunities for Australian wool within Vietnam's dynamic textile sector. Held at the Sofitel Saigon Plaza Hotel, this event was a joint effort between AusCham, WoolProducers Australia, Michell Wool, and Eqwools, and was an opportunity to highlight wool’s versatility to

WoolProducers, as the sole national voice representing the interests all of Australian woolgrowers - not just a section of producers - have been advocating in a number of forums that currently profitability is the critical issue facing our industry. We can no longer ignore the stark reality presented by the numbers. While the cropping sector has seen a commendable 1.6% productivity gain per annum over the last four decades, our sheep industry, encompassing both wool and meat,

In collaboration with the Peter Westblade Scholarship (PWS) and Monaro Farming Systems (MFS), WoolProducers Australia informed emerging indu

In collaboration with the Peter Westblade Scholarship (PWS) and Monaro Farming Systems (MFS), WoolProducers Australia informed emerging indu

Things have been moving at a fast pace since our last newsletter in early December. A lot has happened, yet, in many ways, we find ourselves facing the same persistent challenges. The WoolPoll result, a 1.5% levy, stands as a testament to the democratic process. While some may dissect the "what ifs," the reality is that the status quo prevails. Regardless, with the current price of wool and production volumes as they are, a marginal levy increase wouldn't have made much diffe

A wool focused workshop, instigated by WoolProducers Australia, was held on Friday, 21 February in Fremantle to bring home the reality of the disastrous government decision to ban the live export of sheep by sea and the impacts on the wool industry. The workshop, which was the final meeting held as part of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry’s (DAFF) co-design consultations for assistance measures for transition, saw over 20 wool industry representatives f

An open letter to all Australian woolgrowers Fellow woolgrower, As you are well aware, woolgrowers in Australia are currently in the midst of a profitability crisis. Ongoing depressed wool prices and increasing production costs are squeezing us from both sides. It’s painful to see increasing occurrences of merino flock dispersals, as many producers choose to leave our industry in favour of “more profitable” enterprises. With the Eastern Market Indicator (EMI) in the second ha

Woolgrowers, brokers, exporters and service providers from the national and Western Australian wool industry have come together to hold crisis talks on the future of our great industry following the devastating impacts of the live sheep export ban. The WA Minister for Agriculture the Hon Jackie Jarvis was invited to attend to hear firsthand what is currently happening to the wool industry, but a scheduling issue meant that neither her nor a representative from her office coul

Kelvin Le and Andrew Dennis visiting Hantex for Australian wool trade promotion, a wool spinning mill located in Tay Ninh Province, Northern Vietnam I am Kelvin Le, based in Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam, I am pleased to contribute this months blog for the WoolProducers Australia newsletter to outline some of the work that I have been undertaking, and to introduce you to the Vietnam textile sector and the opportunities that Vietnam presents for Australian wool. Following ATMAC pha

WoolPoll happens every three years and the wool industry are one of the very few industries that decides the amount of levy that we as growers chose to invest back into our industry for research, development and marketing through Australian Wool Innovation (AWI). WoolProducers are not making any levy recommendation this year and urge eligible levy payers to take the time to make an informed decision and vote accordingly. We as growers know the rates - 0, 1%, 1.5% and 2%.

WoolProducers Australia (WoolProducers) has responded strongly to a report titled “The Broken Promise” released by animal rights groups, including the Australian Alliance for Animals, Humane Society International, and Four Paws. The report focuses on the term "live lamb cutting," a sensationalised label intended to replace the established terminology of mulesing. WoolProducers CEO, Ms. Jo Hall, criticised the report, stating, “It’s an interesting approach from groups who are

WoolProducers Australia (WoolProducers) are encouraging all eligible wool levy payers to take the time to make their voice heard in this year’s WoolPoll. WoolProducers are not making a recommendation on any specific levy rate in this year's WoolPoll. WoolProducers President, Mr Steve Harrison said, “The WoolProducers Board considered the information in this year’s Voter Information Memorandum compiled by the WoolPoll Panel and determined that in light of the current mood in t

WoolProducers are urging people to attend the upcoming rally in Canberra in support of agriculture on 10 September, 2024, following alarming findings announced in the Australian Wool Production Forecasting Committee report released in mid-August. The second forecast for shorn wool production for 2024-25, predicts a significant decline in Western Australia’s wool production to 44.7 million kilograms greasy, which marks a staggering 18.8 percent decrease from 2023-24. Ms Jo Hal