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Chick Olsson - Australian Wool Growers Association
Les Targ - Australian Wool Innovation
National Sheep and Wool Industry Taskforce
Dear Mr. Olsson, Mr. Targ, and members of the National Sheep and Wool
Industry Taskforce:
I am writing on behalf of the nine retailers that have been working together,
with BSR as their liaison, since February 2004 to better understand the
use of mulesing in the Australian wool industry. The group is very supportive
of practical and sustainable alternatives to mulesing that can be implemented
within a reasonable timeline. Participating companies are listed below
and copied on this letter.
We are writing to commend the AWGA for its recent positive announcement
to meet the
Australian wool industry’s commitment to phasing out mulesing by
using measurable targets
and a quantifiable, phased approach. We have consistently expressed our
support for dialogue with all parties, and believe the announcement constitutes
a positive step forward in providing specific steps toward meeting that
commitment, including a pledge to using analgesic pain relief as soon
as it is available.
We are also interested to learn more about the notion of a non-mulesed
wool brand to be
developed by AWGA, assuming that this brand would meet current quality
and price
expectations. We would appreciate additional information about how this
brand will be
developed.
We strongly urge the National Sheep and Wool Industry Taskforce and other
wool bodies to
take into serious consideration the components of the recent announcement,
and our collective support for it. We will be following the future developments
of these initiatives with great interest.
Please contact me with any questions or comments regarding the group’s
support.
Kind regards,
Debbie O’Brien
Director, Advisory Services
Business for Social Responsibility
News Archive 2003
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