Wool farmers urged to take ‘simple step’

SHEEP FARMERS REGISTERED under the New Zealand Farm Assurance Programme (NZFAP) for their meat production are urged to add their wool specification sheet.

“This makes sure our farmers’ beautiful wool can be branded and marketed under this important new quality standard,” explains Campaign for Wool NZ Trust Chair Tom O’Sullivan.

“It provides assurances to consumers across the globe that our wool is produced with integrity, traceability, and animal health and welfare top of mind.”

He says many farmers already signed up to the programme for their meat operation, may have neglected to include their assurance code on their wool specification to ensure it is sold and promoted as NZFAP certified.

The wool industry adopted the NZFAP as a national standard for wool in September 2021. O’Sullivan says although there’s been an increase in farmers including their NZFAP assurance code on their wool specification sheet in recent months, there is still a long way to go.

He says there is no additional cost to farmers. When the NZFAP auditors visit a farm, wool is automatically included in the audit process.