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AWGA urges consultative and positive approach to animal welfare issues.
With the current debilitating crisis surrounding the wool industry and the ongoing mulesing debate, the Australian Wool Growers Association, AWGA, today has released a scorecard on where the industry is currently situated in this debate.
PETA People for Ethical Treatment of Animals have called for an end to mulesing of sheep and are encouraging boycotts of Australian merino wool as a tool to encourage Australian growers to end this practice.
As a direct consequence of this ongoing clash of ideologies the Australian Wool Industry has
Initiated by AWGA and supported by the Wool Taskforce developed a pain relief treatment suitable for alleviating suffering by animals post mulesing. This product is currently seeking registration. Taskforce Media Release 10/05/05
Developed an industry code of practice including The National Mulesing Accreditation Program (NMAP)
Through AWI funded research, publicly announced successful trials of a non surgical procedure to replace mulesing. AWI Media Release 24/06/05 with more trials to come with commercialisation earmarked for 2007.
Publicly announced a commitment by industry, Wool Taskforce, to end mulesing by 2010. Taskforce Media Release 8/11/04
“Whilst some might promote a “moral” compulsion to oppose PETA in essence from the above scorecard, the Australian Wool Industry has already publicly announced measures to “deal” with PETA and their concerns” says AWGA Chairman Chick Olsson.
It would appear that
pending registration of the pain relief treatment, suffering can be reduced to a minimum whilst surgical mulesing occurs, Timetabled later 2005
Non surgical Mulesing procedure introduced Timetabled 2007
Cessation of surgical mulesing Timetabled 2010.
“The only issue for negotiation is the continuation of the legal
action” says Mr Olsson
“One has to ask at what cost to the industry in continuing this
expensive action and what is the end result, when in reality the industry
has progressed considerably towards meeting world expectation.”
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