Episode 55 – Lifting our game from woolshed to shop
The hot topic at the moment is New Zealand’s wool quality challenges to position both merino and strong wool with a positive future. Following our release of the annual Merino Review magazine, Sarah Perriam-Lampp discusses merino clip tenderness and improvements through farmer education, the rise of female wool classers and wool research’s renewed mission to return better value to farmers.
Guests include:
- Craig Smith, New Zealand general manager, Devold
- Emma O’Sullivan, Marlborough merino farmer and wool classer
- Andrew Morrison, Chairman, WRONZ
Hosts:
– Rebecca Greaves, Editor, Country-Wide
– Sarah Perriam-Lampp, Managing Director, Country-Wide
The 2024/25 season for merino growers has seen wool tenderness issues following a tough season. Craig “Smithy” Smith, General Manager of Devold, explains the importance of understanding wool metrics beyond micron, the role of genetics and nutrition in wool strength, and how Devold’s Sheep to Shop program ensures full traceability from farm to finished garment. He also introduces a new education initiative, ‘Sheep to Shop’ aimed at bridging the knowledge gap for the next generation of wool producers.
Emma O’Sullivan, shares her passion for wool as a qualified wool classer and tutor as well as farming the Saxon merinos at her intergenerational family’s farming operation, Waihopai Downs in Marlborough.
With the challenges facing the wool industry, Wool Research Organisation of New Zealand (WRONZ) has a new chairman, Andrew Morrison who is focused on the need for collaboration across the sector to drive profitability, reduce fragmentation, and ensure wool’s value is captured beyond the farm gate. He shares insights into WRONZ’s focus on post-harvest research and commercialization, highlighting a shift towards finding new uses for strong wool, such as deconstructing fibers into particles, powders, and pigments. Andrew also touches on sustainability, market positioning, and the importance of long-term research investment to secure the future of New Zealand’s wool industry.
- Read the latest issue of the Merino Review here
