The Federation of Australian Wool Organisations (FAWO) is an association of Australian organisations engaged in the production, selling, merchanting, processing, spinning, weaving, testing and research & development of wool and allied fibres.

The Federation of Australian Wool Organisations Inc. (FAWO) today announced the launch of the Australian Wool Industry Medal to recognise men and women who have made an exceptional and sustained contribution to the Australian wool industry. The award was announced by the FAWO Chairman, Robert Ryan OAM, at the Sydney Royal Easter Show on 7 April 2017. The Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, the Hon. Barnaby Joyce, supported the initiative in a statement made today. Minister Joyce said…

This document outlines a research, development and extension (RD&E) strategy to minimise the potential trade impacts on the Australian wool industry arising from emergency animal disease (EAD) outbreaks. The goal of the Australian Wool Industry Emergency Animal Disease Preparedness RD&E Strategy 2016/17-2018/19 is to develop and maintain a high level of preparedness in the Australian wool industry by: Maximising time- and cost-effectiveness of the Government/industry response; Minimising…

WoolProducers Australia has come out strongly in response to today’s sentencing of four shearers being convicted of animal cruelty in Horsham’s Magistrate Court. WoolProducers strongly condemns animal cruelty and anybody found committing these offences has no place in the wool industry, as they are jeopardising the reputation of the vast majority of wool growers and shearers who treat animals humanely and with care on a daily basis. Shearing is an extremely difficult job, but it is done so…

After years of research and development by the University of Sydney School of Veterinary Science, a serogroup specific footrot vaccine is now being manufactured by Tréidlia Biovet Pty Ltd and is now available to Australian sheep producers. “The vaccine can only be used after testing has been conducted to determine which virulent serogroups of footrot are present in the flock,” said Professor Richard Whittington from the University of Sydney School of Veterinary Science. “This involves taking…

A PROTOYPE wool bale sterilizer has been unveiled to industry leaders in a bid to prepare the trade from impacts arising from emergency animal disease outbreaks. The Bale Sprayer is housed in a 20 foot high-cube shipping container and can spray bales suspected of bio-hazards within 10 seconds. It is a biosecurity measure being explored by Federation of Australian Wool Organisations and Australian Wool Innovation to assist in reducing the spread of a disease during an emergency animal disease…

Beyond the Bale is published by Australian Wool Innovation Ltd (AWI), a company funded by Australian woolgrowers and the Australian Government. AWI’s goal is to help increase the demand for wool by actively selling Australian wool and its attributes through investments in marketing, innovation and R&D – from farm to fashion and interiors.

Like a stubborn stain, the idea that wool is an allergen just won’t go away. Recent headlines about the uniforms of American Airlines flight attendants scapegoated the wool in the fabric even though the manufacturer’s standard uniform comprises more polyester than wool, and testing by the flight attendants union found detectable levels of chemicals commonly found in pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers. Moreover, the union reported concerns that the manufacturing of the fabric, not its fibre…