WoolProducers signal alarm about future of industry and rally for change
2 September 2024
Wool industry leaders are urging farmers to attend a rally in Canberra next week. Pic: AgriShots
An article by Natasha Lobban
WoolProducers is the latest agricultural organisation, throwing its support behind a planned rally in Canberra, following alarming findings announced in the Australian Wool Production Forecasting Committee report.
The second forecast for shorn wool production for 2024-25, predicted a significant decline in Western Australia’s wool production to 44.7 million kilograms greasy - a staggering 18.8% decrease from 2023-24.
WoolProducers Chief Executive Officer Jo Hall was concerned about the declining sentiment among sheep producers, also citing the May 2024 Sheep Producers Intentions Survey (SPIS), which indicated a 24-point drop in grower confidence compared to the previous year.
"The May SPIS findings on grower confidence seems to ring true where it reported projected declines in both breeding ewe and wether flocks, which will have significant repercussions for the national wool clip," Ms Hall said.
WA’s Merino sheep numbers have been reduced, with interstate transfer of about 830,000 head of mainly breeding ewes many carrying six or more months of fleece. Coupled with reduced numbers of ewes being joined, and an increased proportion of those remaining Merino ewes mated to crossbred rams.
“As we have repeatedly stated during the debate around the live sheep export trade - when the wool industry suffers, so too do the regional economies and services of those areas that rely on the industry,” she said.
“We are hearing anecdotally that wool brokers are laying staff off in the West given the lower production. What we are seeing in real time is the decimation of the Western Australian wool industry brought on by out of touch government policy.”
Natasha Lobban in conversation with Mark Harvey-Sutton at LambEx about the live export ban.
Meanwhile, preparations are also underway for a major farmer rally in Canberra on Tuesday, September 10 to unite farmers and send a strong message to parliamentarians that Australian farmers will no longer tolerate an anti-farming agenda from the government.
The rally, which originated in response to the government's decision to ban live sheep exports, will address broader agricultural policies impacting producers and regional communities. WoolProducers, along with the National Farmers Federation and the Keep the Sheep campaign, strongly supports this rally and urges all impacted Australians to attend.
"The ban on live sheep exports is just the beginning of a slippery slope that could lead to more restrictions on agriculture," Ms Hall warned.
"If we allow unfounded claims from activists to override industry expertise, we risk jeopardising not just sheep farming but the future of agriculture as a whole."
The rally will also highlight additional policies currently under consideration, including:
Scrapping the Diesel Fuel Rebate
New taxes for biosecurity
Eliminating the 88 days of specified work requirement for backpackers
New superannuation taxes
Water buybacks in the Murray Darling Basin
Increased red tape from Scope 3 emissions reporting
Community impacts of energy and renewable developments
"This rally is essential to demonstrate that agriculture needs to be at the forefront of government policy decisions, not as an afterthought while chasing popularist votes,” Ms Hall said.
“With many Australians already struggling to afford food, it makes no sense for the government to marginalise the agricultural sector further."
