Otago and Southland farmers are being encouraged to support efforts to revive New Zealand's struggling strong wool industry, with Federated Farmers meat and wool chair Richard Dawkins saying it has turned a corner.

However Dawkins warned that progress depends on farmers getting behind the change-makers.

“Wool was once king,” Dawkins recalls, noting that in the 1980s, wool made up 65% of his family farm’s sheep income.

Today, strong wool contributes just 1–2%,of gross farm income and little more than an animal health treatment, rather than a value-adding enterprise, Dawkins said.

He blames decades of fragmentation, poor market adaptation, and competition from synthetic fibres for the decline

Most farmers don’t know where their wool ends up, Dawkins said.

Blending removes provenance, making quality and traceability - and any associated premium - almost impossible.

Despite the challenges, Dawkins sees promise in new initiatives. Wool Impact is supporting innovation and commercial partnerships, WRONZ is investing in science to create new materials, and Campaign for Wool is raising consumer awareness, he said.

Government support is helping bring industry players together for the first time in decades, building a united front to drive value, Dawkins said.

But none of this will make a difference without farmer engagement... we must turn up, understand the issues, and support those pushing for generational change, he said.

Dawkins will join other industry leaders at strong wool workshops in Otago and Southland next week

Southland workshops will be held on Wednesday, 27 August at: Waimahaka Community Centre (9:30–11:30am) and Mossburn Community Centre (2:30–4:30pm).