National woolgrower representative body WoolProducers held its 2006 Annual General Meeting and Executive meeting in the famous superfine wool growing centre of Armidale this week, also coinciding with the AGM's of Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) and Australian Wool Services (AWS), and the 'Innovation in Action' forum hosted by AWI.
WoolProducers President Robert Pietsch addressed the AGM on key issues tackled by the peak body over the past year including the 2006 WoolPoll, the integration of AWI and AWS, mulesing and the review of diazinon and ecto-parasiticides.
Mr Pietsch told the AGM that the past 12 months have been a financially and emotionally challenging time for woolgrowers, due to unsustainable wool prices and the continually worsening drought.
However, Mr Pietsch said that there is cause for optimism, with not only the projected fall in wool production driving the recent promising prices, but also strengthening northern hemisphere demand, which could potentially be the start of the recovery desperately needed by the industry.
Elections for the WoolProducers office bearers were held at the Executive meeting and the three incumbents Robert Pietsch (President), Jim Kennedy (Vice-President), and Don Hamblin (Treasurer) were returned unanimously.