The Irish Cattle and Sheep Farmers’ Association (ICSA) has said that 2023 must be a turning point for the wool sector in Ireland.
The first meeting of a new Wool Council to improve the economic viability of the wool industry recently took place.
The stakeholder group, which includes the ICSA, is to reconvene in January with a view to electing officers to direct its activities.
ICSA
ICSA Sheep Committee chair Sean McNamara said that he is hopeful next year will bring a reversal of fortune for the sector.
“For years wool has been shamefully underappreciated and undervalued. In 2023 I am hopeful that we can turn that on its head and drive on with championing Irish wool for the valuable natural resource that it is.”
He said that progress has been made with the establishment of the Wool Council.
Commenting following the inaugural meeting of the group, McNamara said:
“It was great to see so many stakeholders gathered – all focused on breathing life back into the wool industry.
“As well as farmer representatives and department of agriculture personnel, the group comprised merchants and representatives from the textile industry, many of whom came from ICSA’s wool steering group established in 2020.
“Our focus then, as it is now, was on devising ways to highlight the potential of the wool industry while at the same time increasing the return to sheep farmers for their wool.”
The ICSA chair said that the Wool Feasibility Study identified a wealth of uses for wool which span across a whole range of sectors.
“Going forward wool must be considered an important commodity that can – and should – generate jobs in the green economy and be of financial benefit to farmers.
“It is now the job of ICSA and others on the Wool Council to ensure this happens. As a group we are determined that this environmentally friendly natural resource never again goes to waste,” he said.
McNamara added that it was “regrettable” that an action on wool was not included in the new Sheep Improvement Scheme (SIS).
As part of its proposals for the new Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), the ICSA had sought a payment for shearing and presenting clean, dry wool for onward use.
“This is something that will need to be revisited as our plans for wool must start from the ground up. A payment of this kind would provide a solid foundation for everything the Wool Council is trying to achieve, and it’s something that ICSA will continue to campaign for,” McNamara said.