Australia’s wool industry is facing renewed pressure to address mulesing, with both major industry organisations and animal welfare groups calling for a coordinated national strategy.

The Australian Council of Wool Exporters and Processors (ACWEP), the National Council of Wool Selling Brokers of Australia (NCWSBA), and WoolProducers Australia (WPA) last week issued a joint

statement urging industry unity.

Their move followed recent comments from Australian Wool Innovation chair Jock Laurie, who said all wool, including mulesed wool, can still find a buyer.

Industry leaders argue this view underestimates long-term risks in international markets.

Mulesing, introduced in the 1920s, involves cutting away folds of skin from lambs’ breech and tail area to reduce the risk of flystrike, a potentially fatal condition caused by blowfly infestation.

While widely practiced for decades, it has come under increasing scrutiny in global markets where retailers and consumers are demanding wool produced without surgical intervention.

Australia remains the only country where mulesing is still carried out on a large scale, with more than 10 million lambs each year undergoing the practice.

Exporters say the market has already shifted.

ACWEP president Josh Lamb noted that global brands are increasingly demanding non-mulesed wool certified under programs such as the Responsible Wool Standard.

He said premiums for non-mulesed clips are consistently visible at auction.

“Accepting current market dynamics alone is a high-risk strategy that could jeopardise our access to high-value markets,” he said.

“We need a clear, forward-looking plan to position our industry for sustained success.”

Brokers share the concern.

NCWSBA president Rowan Woods said while mulesed wool continues to sell, the market is becoming more segmented.

“We cannot ignore the signs of a growing preference for certified, non-mulesed wool,” he said, pointing to auction data showing premiums for non-mulesed lots.

“The conversation is no longer about whether it sells, but whether Australian growers can access every possible market and premium.”

WPA chief executive Jo Hall said growers deserve clarity.

“At the very least they must be empowered to make informed decisions,” she said.

“We believe the industry must work together to develop a collaborative strategy that provides the tools, support and market security necessary for all growers.”

Animal welfare groups welcomed the shift but warned against delay.

Georgie Dolphin, Program Manager, at Humane World for Animals claims breeding is an important factor in the reduction of mulesing.

Humane World for Animals program manager Georgie Dolphin said continuing to breed sheep prone to flystrike is “setting sheep up for poor welfare, which is unethical.”

She argued that genetics offer a viable pathway away from mulesing.

Australian Alliance for Animals policy director Dr Jed Goodfellow said with about 80 per cent of the national flock still mulesed, progress must be sped up.

“A coordinated national strategy should be progressed without delay,” he said.

FOUR PAWS Australia programs lead Louise Ward said government involvement was critical.

“We welcome this call for a national strategy but it must be more than words,” she said.

“The government now has a critical role to play in leading a time-bound plan that ends this outdated practice and supports producers through the transition.”

Advocates argue breeding flystrike-resistant sheep is the only long-term solution.

Welfare groups also want federal and state governments to review sheep welfare standards and ensure best-practice pain relief is used in the transition.

Despite the divide in emphasis — with industry focusing on market access and welfare groups pushing for a phase-out — both sides agree the status quo is unsustainable.

What remains uncertain is how quickly the industry will move to develop and implement the national strategy now being demanded from all quarters.

If you are a woolgrower or other stakeholder in the industry and would like to comment please Contact Us.