05-07-2002

Australia's wool industry is taking a hard look at best practice in natural resource management...

Australia's wool industry is taking a hard look at best practice in natural resource management with a new survey of wool producers.

Over the month, more than 1500 wool producers from across Australia will be asked about their approach to land and water management, issues such as dryland salinity and attitudes to native vegetation and native animals.

The survey is part of the wool industry's five year natural resource management initiative: Land, Water & Wool - a program developed by the Australia Wool Innovation and Land & Water Australia.

Australian Wool Innovation Managing Director Col Dorber said the survey was an ideal opportunity to find out about the day to day land and water management issues facing wool producers and their attitudes toward natural resource management.

"Land, Water & Wool is about providing wool producers with the best available and most appropriate information on how to improve production sustainably - but it's not a one way process," said Mr Dorber.

Andrew Campbell, the Executive Director of Land & Water Australia said the survey is "part of our plan to involve more land owners in directing research into the natural resource management issues which affect them".

"Too often science tells farmers what to do, this survey gives farmers the opportunity to influence the type of research and information they would really like to have" said Mr Campbell.

The telephone survey will continue until the end of the September. Wool producers who are not contacted by phone but who would like to take part should get in touch with Fleur Flanery from Land, Water & Wool.

The survey results will be used inform Land, Water & Wool's investments over the next five years and to develop a natural resource management toolkit which will be distributed later this year.

Ends

For more information contact:
Land & Water Australia 02 6263 6000
Australian Wool Innovation Ltd 0427 532 563