Makeup of 2009 independent WoolPoll Panel announced
17 Mar '09
2 min read
The Chairman of the 2009 WoolPoll Panel Will Roberts has announced the makeup of the 2009 independent WoolPoll Panel.
The panel includes seven industry representatives as well as the Chairman and a representative of Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) and the Federal Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).
Mr Roberts said the panel members represented a balance of state farming organisations, industry groups and breeding groups.
“This is an eminent group of people who care deeply about the wool industry,” Mr Roberts said.
“I believe we will be able to work collaboratively to make sure that all levy payers are able to make an informed decision about their future investment in AWI when they cast their votes later this year.”
The Woolpoll vote will determine the size of the levy which woolgrowers pay to enable AWI to carry out its research and development and marketing work.
Growers will be given a choice of levy percentage, which currently stands at 2% of the gross proceeds of the wool clip, as well as the way in which the money should be spent, which currently sees 60% go to marketing and off farm product development and the other 40% go to on farm research and development.
The panel members include: • Will Roberts (QLD), Chairman • Don Hamblin (NSW), President of Wool Producers Australia • Max Watts (WA), Wool Section President of the Western Australian Farmers Federation • Helen Cathles (NSW), Vice President of the Australian Superfine Wool Growers Association • Brent Finlay (QLD), Sheep and Wool President of Agforce Queensland • Tom Ashby (SA), Vice President of the Australian Association of Stud Merino Breeders • Chris Komor (NSW), representative of the Australian Wool Growers Association • Jock MacRae (VIC), President of the Victorian Stud Merino Breeders
The panel also includes the Executive Manager Agricultural Productivity in the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Allen Grant and AWI Board Member George Falkiner.
The panel will meet for the first time later this month.
The panel's role is to act as an independent scrutineer of the WoolPoll process and to make recommendations to AWI about the levy rates to be polled and the voter information memorandum and the ballot paper.