Wool

Matt Canavan’s exposé at the recent Senate Estimates, which had the Department of Agriculture’s executives sweating in their seats, deserves wide circulation ... “There’s lots of talk about the need to increase reforestation—effectively, the conversion of agricultural land to forests ..." ... If Matt Canavan is the Senate’s zealot hunter, then Western Australia’s Senator Matthew O’Sullivan is its Maremma the Sheepdog that protects its flock ... In committee, O’Sullivan’s questioning tore open the government’s $139.8 million Sheep Industry Transition Assistance Package ...

An excerpt from Michael Holding's book, "A Pointless Story" about a young shearer's cook in Cooma in the 1960's ... "3:55 a.m., No alarm clock. Just Stew’s voice booming through the hut like a gospel preacher announcing Judgement Day. “On your feet, Charlton!” There’s a special kind of pain that comes from rolling out of a warm swag into sub-zero air, dragging on yesterday’s stiff clothes, and stumbling into a kitchen where the fire is nothing but a few sulky coals."

Australia’s sheep industry is at a turning point - and producers are being asked to help write the next chapter. Sheep Producers Australia (SPA) has launched the development of The Future Flock, a national strategy designed to guide the sheepmeat and wool sector through change and set a profitable, resilient direction for decades to come. ARR.News asked some questions of SPA CEO Bonnie Skinner about The Future Flock and national strategy.

Sentiment in Australia’s agricultural sector has softened over the winter months, as the nation’s farmers contend with higher input costs and mixed seasonal conditions, the latest Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey has found. The survey, released today, found net farm sector confidence has eased to a neutral reading of zero (down from five per cent in the previous survey).

The team from Glendonald and Orrie Cowie had an exceptional few days at the 2025 Australian Sheep & Wool Show in Bendigo, showcasing the strength and consistency of their breeding programs. A combined 34 sheep were taken to the event between Glendonald and Orrie Cowie, contributing to both the show and sale with sheep that were well-prepared and highly competitive.

Three Narrandera High School students and their teacher Jim Shady, made their way to Bendigo to represent the school at this year's Angora Judging at the Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show. After preparing the fleeces and animals for judging the events started with the fleece classes.

Australian Sheep and Wool Show The Australian Sheep and Wool Show is no ordinary gathering of fleece and flair: this year’s event is gearing up...

Ian McLaughlin. This June, the Riverina will come alive with the echoes of clippers, stories from generations past and the vibrant sounds of local music as the historic Toganmain Woolshed celebrates its 150th anniversary ... Toganmain Station has long stood as a testament to the rise and resilience of Australia's wool industry.

Bendigo Bank Agribusiness’ Monthly Commodity Update, released today, reports even higher beef export volumes in early May, and heralds the possible breaking of the previous monthly export record for cattle, set in October 2024.

...Bendigo Bank Agribusiness’ Monthly Commodity Update finds that US tariffs should have less impact than initially expected, however dry conditions across key cropping regions still have grain producers on edge. Lamb markets are stable with wool a bright spot, while supply chain issues for fruit and vegetables have seen a lift in wholesale prices on the east coast...

“I'm actually embarrassed to say now that I used to think sheep farmers had it easy.” said sheep expert Geoff Duddy, addressing the Best Wool Best Lamb meeting at Wakool. Geoff spent 27 years with NSW DPI in both Sheep and Wool research and extension roles before establishing his own private sheep consultancy ...

Paul Simons is a genuine phenomenon. He is a charming, unassuming person, who is also a captain of industry ... this account of his life shows that when an opportunity presented itself, he had the courage and self-assurance to take it and do whatever he had to do.

The so-called “clean green” warriors of today are too busy waving banners against petroleum products to notice – or care – that the natural fibre industry has been driven to the brink. The irony, of course, is as glaring as a newly-shorn sheep.

Heather Fleming. A new book detailing the story of the Modern Merino sheep in Australia was launched at the Grampians Estate Cellar Door at Great Western last weekend. "Collinsville and Beyond: a pastoral history of the Modern Merino," was written by Chris Guthrie, well known breeder, classer and consultant from Rich Avon, near Donald.

Born in Wales, Paul spent his early childhood years amidst the rigours of the Great Depression... A career in the British Merchant Navy took him to all corners of the globe ... Settling in Australia, he took a job at the bottom of the rung of Woolworths, rising through the ranks to become perhaps its most successful CEO. When retirement should have beckoned, a third career as a Superfine Merino woolgrower has occupied Paul to the present day.

Twenty-seven years and 2.2 million boxes later, Sharon Drabsch has called it a day. Shaz, as her colleagues call her, ends her 27-year career as a box maker at the MiniJumbuk in Naracoorte at the end of this month. The 46-year-old with special abilities is not only a box maker but also a beacon of hope to those with special needs in the community.

The largest enrolment of wool classing professionals in the state sat its final exam last week at Hay’s TAFE campus. Taught by one of Australia’s leading classers, Hay’s Kayla Garner, 14 students from Hay, Ivanhoe, Booroorban, Broken Hill, Adelong and Trangie were vigorously assessed.

Australian agribusiness Elders has today released its results for the 12 months to 30 September 2024. Elders recorded a resilient FY24 earnings result, with improved second half trading partially offsetting the negative earnings impact from the first quarter which resulted from low livestock prices, lower crop protection margin and subdued client sentiment.

TAFE NSW Hay has helped a former florist raised in suburban Bathurst make an unlikely career pivot to wool classing, as the spring shearing season hits full swing. Rebecca Owen, 35, was trained at TAFE NSW as a florist and an aged care assistantin-nursing in her 20s, before falling in love with the wool industry and moving to Hay.

Another five shearing legends have been inducted into the Australian Shearers’ Hall of Fame. The induction took place during the Festival of the Blades event ... These men represent the cream of the shearing industry as instructors, state champions and contractors.

The release of the Sheep Sustainability Framework’s (SSF) 2024 Annual Report has revealed the broadest range of data to date on the sustainability performance of the Australian wool and sheepmeat industry. Established by Sheep Producers Australia and WoolProducers Australia and supported by Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) and Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), the SSF is now in its fourth year of data collection and reporting.

Increases in the price of wheat and lamb helped lift the NAB Rural Commodities Index* for the third consecutive month, rising by 0.4 per cent in June. NAB’s July Rural Commodities Wrap … reports while the wheat price rally slowed in June, prices continued to rise, increasing 3.5 per cent on average over the month.