Non-mulesed wool must pay

RICHARD Dutton, “Wellagalong”, Duramana, believes the “crusade” on wool growers’ production methods led by international textile and retail heavyweights can be stopped by an effective education campaign.

“I think it’s very important to educate consumers just how much we care about our livestock whether it be sheep, cattle or any other farm animal,” Mr Dutton said.

He said it wasn’t feasible for the whole industry to halt mulesing, as has been proposed by The Textile Exchange.

Mr Dutton said any industry standard which banned mulesing immediately would send the wool industry backwards.

“No matter how good your shed staff are there’s an increased risk the stained wool from unmulesed sheep will get into the fleece wool. It would also create an increased reliance on chemicals,” he said.

He understood there could soon be a premium available for un-mulesed wool but said the books would have to balance.

“If customers don’t want to wear wool from mulesed sheep we absolutely have to accommodate that but it will be a matter of weighing up the costs of the extra management required to care for them against the premiums offered for non-mulesed wool.”