Future wool industry leaders shine in China
Ten up-and-coming members of the Australian wool industry recently visited China as participants in AWI’s 2024 Australian Future Wool Industry Leaders program, and returned to Australia with optimism having witnessed China’s high level of investment in the wool industry.
The Australian Future Wool Industry Leaders program was organised by AWI and is a key output from a grant provided by the Australian Government’s National Foundation for Australia-China Relations (NFACR). The participants in the program undertook a 10-day study tour of the Chinese wool industry, which included visits to Chinese wool processing mills and attendance at the Nanjing Wool Market Conference.
“This is an outstanding group of young people involved in the wool industry. Their participation in the program showed the strong commitment and passion of Australian wool industry youth engaging with key partners throughout the wool supply chain,” AWI CEO John Roberts said.
“The group was nominated and selected through AWI’s Wool Industry Consultation Panel (WICP) for their commitment to the industry and their drive for engagement with the wool supply chain. They are aged 20 to 30 years and represent five Australian states.”
The 2024 Australian Future Wool Industry Leaders group with the Chairwoman of the Nanjing Wool Market, Madam Yang Xiaoxiong, and the Australian Ambassador to China, Mr Scott Dewar.
Back row:
Emma Pearson, woolgrower, New England, NSW
Miranda McGufficke, woolgrower, Willarney, Cooma NSW
Ben Stace, wool broker, Australian Wool Network, Vic
Madam Yang Xiaoxiong, Chairwoman of the Nanjing Wool Market
Mr Scott Dewar, Australian Ambassador to China
Kate McBride, woolgrower and advocate, Tolarno Station, NSW/SA
Jack Finch, wool broker and woolgrower, Shute Bell, NSW
James Carter, woolgrower and ag services, Dalby, Qld.
Front row:
Clive Silcock, woolgrower, Gringegalgona Merino Stud, Vic
Brittany Bolt, woolgrower and researcher, Wagin, WA
Tom Sleigh, woolgrower, Kooringal, Jerilderie, NSW
Padraic (Paddy) Lowe, woolgrower and sheep classer, Crookwell, NSW.
The 10-day program included visits to the flagship stores of apparel brand ICICLE and homeware brand The Beast Home, home textile manufacturer Wuxi JHT, the Wool Education Centre at Donghua University, wool processors Tianyu and Redsun, yarn spinner Xinao, textile manufacturer Shanghai Challenge and the vertically integrated Nanshan Group.
A key part of the tour was participation in the 35th Nanjing Wool Market Conference which was attended by more than 400 delegates from all major wool-growing countries and included the President of International Wool Textile Organisation, Klaus Steger.
Future leaders building relationships
An Australian Woolgrower Reception attended by more than 50 key Australian and Chinese traders saw the Future Wool Industry Leader group front and centre, engaging with delegates across all sectors of the industry.
“We have learnt an exceptional amount and look forward to sharing this with friends and family when we return to Australia,” said woolgrower Kate McBride.
“It has also been amazing to see the investment in the wool industry over here and it makes us feel the future of wool is bright. While there are many challenges we face with wool-growing, especially low prices at the moment, we are grateful to have a partner in China that understands these challenges.”
“This trip is about us learning and opening up new relationships between the next generation of Australian growers and Chinese traders and manufacturers and I’ve seen it happening before my own eyes.”
- Kate McBride, woolgrower, Tolarno Station
Other representatives from the group also presented at the Conference, including woolgrower Brittany Bolt on feed efficiency and on-farm methane mitigation R&D, and woolgrower James Carter on the Australian broad wool sector.
China: an important trading market
President of the Australian Council of Wool Exporters and Processors, Josh Lamb, echoed the delegation’s positive sentiment saying: “The Future Wool Industry Leaders tour is a great partnership by AWI and the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations. They are great group of young people with common goals in mind for wool’s success but with very diverse ideas and experience. They are a credit to the industry.”
CEO of the National Foundation for Australia-China Relations, Gary Cowan, said, “The Foundation is pleased to support AWI’s 2024 Future Wool Industry Leaders program. China is our largest wool export market and an important trading partner across all our agricultural industries. Building the capability of the next generation of Australian woolgrowers to engage competently with China, by giving them opportunities to participate in industry building activities and to form enduring relationships with Chinese partners, strengthens the resilience of our trading relationship.”
The NFACR grant funding will also be used for a reciprocal arrangement to bring future wool industry leaders from China to Australia at the start of 2025 and then a second Australian delegation will go to China in mid-2025.
This article appeared in the December 2024 edition of AWI’s Beyond the Bale magazine. Reproduction of the article is encouraged.
