Fees for shearing and wool handling agreed

When farmers removed levy payments from wool, they also removed funding for shearing and wool handling training.

Wool contractors have renegotiated the costs of training with a service provider, and  reduced the costs significantly.

By leveraging some tax payers money for training, they have reduced the costs to about a 1cent a sheep.

The growth of direct supply contracts for wool, with quality specifications, will only be met with trained staff.

New Zealand Wool Classers' Association chairman Martin Paterson said it was vital the issue of future training of wool harvesters was addressed, especially given the growth of direct supply contracts between growers and users which required that wool be delivered to set specifications. He was delighted the issue of training wool harvesters appeared to have been resolved, but he urged farmers to encourage their contractors to continue staff training despite looming increases in the price of training reports The ODT.

Mr Paterson said that price rise replaced the wool levy contribution, but just as importantly, the cost was now transparent to the trainee, their employer and farmers. "The value of wool to the farmer depends upon getting the product to market in the best condition possible."What happens in the woolshed has a big influence on product quality and consistency and its value to the buyer."