| Registrations are open for a Leading Sheep alternative marketing teleworkshop series, being held on 7 June and 13 June, which will feature direct marketing options for Queensland wool through The Merino Company and e-wool.
The workshops are following-on from Leading Sheep’s explorations of direct-marketing wool and will outline the technical aspects, advantages and challenges of being involved in these alternative marketing options.
The lunchtime workshops (12 noon-1.30pm) are open to all Queensland wool producers, although they are specifically targeted to wool producers in Leading Sheep’s Southern Inland and South East regions.
Speakers on the 7 June wool pool teleworkshop are Traprock wool producer Bim Goodrich and The Merino Company’s marketing manager Mark Suttie and general manager Mark McKinnon. The 13 June e-wool teleworkshop will feature Adelaide-based Peter Vandeleur of e-wool discussing this direct marketing option.
Bim Goodrich said: “My family was interested in improving our returns from wool and explored the opportunity to retain control over our clip and share a profit through the wool value chain. Involvement in a wool pool such as The Merino Company has given us that opportunity.”
“Sometimes wool is not matched to its ideal end use,” Mr Goodrich said.
“Under the traditional system there is a loss of control every time wool changes hands along the supply chain. With The Merino Company program, the wool products are sold at a much later stage within the chain, preferably to brands or retailers, so The Merino Company has total control over the end product.”
“This means the program sells wool for better margins and satisfies the market by delivering repeatable products which are ‘fit for purpose’. All parties benefit from that.”
Under the e-wool system, Peter Vandeleur said producers had greater marketing flexibility in being able to sell at any time and could take advantage of market volatility.
“They become price makers not price takers,” Mr Vandeleur said.
“The e-wool system also enables wool processors to have a more direct link to their suppliers than they do under the traditional auction system.”
Topics to be discussed in the sessions include: logistics; incentives to be involved; what commitment is required; preferred styles/types of wool; opportunities for eco or organic wool; payment terms and guarantees; and what producers can do on-farm to improve clip quality or preparation to gain premium price.
Leading Sheep is an innovative, regionally-based project working to boost the profitability of the Queensland sheep and wool industry. The project was initiated by Australian Wool Innovation and operates in partnership with the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries, and AgForce.
The teleworkshops are free, but producers need to register ahead of time with either Southern Inland coordinator Emily Martin on 07 4625 5444 or by email emilymartin@bigpond.com or South East coordinator Rebecca Smith on 07 4671 0723 or email housepaddock@bigpond.com.
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