Fed: Wool industry commits to $60m land safeguard program

AAP General News (Australia)
08-21-2001
Fed: Wool industry commits to $60m land safeguard program

By Shane Wright

CANBERRA, Aug 21 AAP - Australia's wool industry today committed to a $60 million program
to safeguard it from the long-term damage of salinity and environmental degradation.

Woolgrowers themselves will put $20 million through Australian Wool Innovation (AWI)
into the program with another $40 million to flow through Land and Water Australia (LWA).

Eight sub-programs are to be funded to help the wool industry improve farming practices
and give them the tools to tackle issues surrounding salinity, watercourses, native grasslands,
on-farm biodiversity, weed and pest control.

A report has also been commissioned to develop benchmarks for environmentally sustainable
wool production practices.

AWI managing director Col Dorber said many woolgrowers were already focused on land
improvement, but the program would provide the vital funds required to develop long-term
strategies.

"The fact is that wool producers have already embraced the issue of sustainability,"

he said in a statement.

"This program is all about widening this involvement and providing further practical
resources that build on best management practices."

Australia is the world's biggest exporter of wool, and wool farming takes place on
more than a quarter of the nation's landmass.

LWA executive director Andrew Campbell said the program would give woolgrowers a direct
voice in how best to improve the environmental standards on farms.

He said the research would ensure Australian wool was the world's most sustainable natural fibre.

"Much of the research will help producers maintain the long-term health of their paddocks
and waterways, by providing advice on issues such as improving productivity from salt-affected
land," he said.

Agriculture Minister Warren Truss said the package would help pastoral lands already
hit by dryland salinity.

"It will establish a national network of saltland wool producers, backed up by research
and development to increase profits from salt-affected land while reducing the risk of
salinity in the future," he said.

Mr Truss said by June 2003, the network would cover one million hectares of land.

AAP sw/daw/vrm

KEYWORD: WOOL (PICS AVAILABLE)

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