While many changes have happened in the wool industry over the past 40 years, the fundamentals have remained the same.
“Wool classing, grading and wool quality are as important as ever,” Fuller said.
“As your broker representative I intend to ensure these important areas continue to be addressed and the high standards are maintained.”
Industry is addressing many issues to improve farmer returns and one of the biggest issues for farmers is the cost to harvest wool.
“We are certainly noticing a lowering in the standard,” he said.
“Shearers at the end of the day want to get the job done and the poor shed hand and classer are in the middle of the farmer and the shearer.
“It’s hard to put more people in the shed at $1.50 a kilogram for wool, at $2.50-$3.50 it’s easier to argue, that’s what we are facing with the farmer every day.
“But we must keep up the standards of what you are trained to do as a classer, don’t lower standards even if the farmer says he wants you to save cost.
“Do your homework, know what is needed and get that short-cut mentality out of farmers’ minds.”
Fuller encouraged having a contract with the farmer before starting the job.
“If you have a contract, you have got some fat to chew,” he said.
Contamination is escalating and industry puts that down to carelessness because of less people in the shed.
He says it’s getting to a point where there will be a charge for contamination.
Thistles are the biggest issue in crossbred wool.
“Because of the dry season we are expecting it will be a really trying season for vege matter, especially thistles, this comes back to farm management as well,” he said.
Cots are proving a problem, especially with the wet season in Southland.
“We are seeing a lot of cots coming through and if there’s any excuse to lower the price that’s one,” he said.
Fuller says industry needs to continue to attract younger people, therefore maintaining a good training programme and upholding standards is a must.
“The day will come when premiums are paid for preparation of clips, there will be a benefit in maintaining standards,” he said.
Speaking with an independent view of the wool industry, Hawke’s Bay farmer and Campaign for Wool (CfW) Trust chair Tom O’Sullivan did not hold back.
“I am going to be brutal in my view, especially strong wool,” O’Sullivan, who is a director on the Strong Wool Action Group (SWAG) board, said.
He recalled the days when wool was that valuable it was plucked off dead sheep and off barbed wire on the fence.
“Now strong wool is in absolute crisis, it is a broken industry – sadly, sadly broken,” he said.
“Every bale that goes out my woolshed door costs us about $1.60/kg.
“That comes from years of a lack of industry research and development, poor governance, poor marketing – too many names and not enough brains.
“The strong wool industry was asleep at the wheel, while consumers were romanced with synthetics for the past 30 years.
“I believe we are at a point where there will be a groundswell move away from synthetics.”
He cited several strategy initiatives CfW has under way.
“But we are on hold while we wait for SWAG progress,” he said.
One thing for certain is the industry needs collaboration.
“Gone are the days when all were in silos, we need to push together towards a united industry, and we will be far more powerful,” he said.
“The threat from forestry is huge. I hear a lot of farmers saying I’ll give it another year or two and then I’ll get out to wood.
“We have got to get the right brains not just names, with government support and financial backing to rebuild farmer trust of the activity beyond the farm gate.
“It’s a big challenge ahead, but wool can be a kick-ass fibre in the future if we get it right.”
