Business Rural Winter 2021

26 | CAMPAIGN FOR WOOL » Tom O’Sullivan Seeds of change for wool resurgence PHOTOS: Campaign for Wool New Zealand Chair Tom O’Sullivan with Prince Charles. The Campaign for Wool is a global endeavour initiated by The Prince of Wales to raise awareness aout the benefits offered by the fibre. Kim Newth W oolgrower Tom O’Sullivan, who chairs the New Zealand arm of the global Campaign for Wool initiative, is in no doubt that our wool sector is in crisis but believes positive change now underway will help support a brighter future for wool. Campaign for Wool is optimistic that this shift can be harnessed to fuel recovery for wool as a leading natural fibre after years of falling strong wool prices. Tom comes from a family of sheep farmers, going back to the 1940s when his grandparents first started farming Corriedale ewes in Canterbury. Today, he and partner Rachael, with daughters Ruby, 9, and Tess, 8, are based in the North Island, farming in southwestern Hawke’s Bay. At Pukenui Station, they run approximately 4500 Perendale ewes and 1300 hoggets, along with cattle and deer, wintering 13,000 stock units on average. From direct experience, he is well aware of the pressures on sheep farmers. “Shearing has gone from an important revenue stream for farmers, to simply a significant animal health cost. It cost us $30,000 last year to shear our sheep and dispose of the wool – farmers just can’t carry that sort of cost long term. The bottom line is if we don’t start to see an improvement in wool prices then farmers will go towards Wiltshire sheep, a breed that shed their wool, or find an alternative to wool, seeing an end to wool as a natural resource.” When approached to join Campaign for Wool two years ago, Tom readily stepped up to the role. As well as being a farmer, Tom holds an agribusi- • to page 30 Havelock Wool We are Healthy, High-Performance Insulation EPD ® Declare havelockwool.com