New Zealand Sheep Farmers Reject Apparel Funding P
Auckland, NZ, April 27--New Zealand's sheep farmers have rejected paying for an international pilot program in apparel marketing, according to Stuff.com.nz.
The retail taskforce of the International Wool Textile Organization (IWTO) asked at the organization’s recent congress in Hobart this week for NZ woolgrowers to contribute to the pilot marketing program.
But Meat and Wool New Zealand chief executive Mark Jeffries said his organization would not be contributing because farmers did not currently support levies being invested in wool promotion.
Changes began in 1994 when the New Zealand Wool Board left the International Wool Secretariat's Australian-dominated Woolmark promotional strategy.
New Zealand withdrew its funding from the Woolmark program altogether in 1996 and invested over $55 million in establishing its own Fernmark brand and accreditation system.
And in July 2000 – before the deregulation of the Wool Board – its promotional arm Wools of New Zealand, abandoned its own international apparel marketing program.
At the time, 61 per cent of the wool sold at auction was strong wool of 32 microns and coarser, better suited to carpet manufacture rather than fine suits.
Another 11 per cent was fine wool up to 21 microns diameter and 15 per cent lamb's wool. The remaining 13 per cent was mid-micron fiber of 22-31 microns.
Mr. Jeffries said the promotion of wool was the domain of marketers, though Meat and Wool New Zealand did have a role in facilitating an industry-wide discussion on the future of marketing wool.
"Our role will be to facilitate forums, seek information and conduct analysis which will provide for best decisions to be made for everyone in the New Zealand industry".
"We had a mandate from growers in 2003 to collect a levy for investment in research and development, skills and training, technical advice and other activities. In recent years there has been an overwhelming lack of support from growers for Meat and Wool New Zealand to invest farmer levies in wool promotion," he said.
If Meat and Wool New Zealand was to consider this type of investment it would consult with levy payers as to whether this was an appropriate use of levy funds, Mr. Jeffries said.
Australian Wool Innovation has offered $US5 million ($NZ6.94 million) toward the international marketing pilot program, if that offer is matched by international wool and textile businesses.
