Australian wool wins mulesing case
The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) group has agreed to stop threatening international retailers over the practice of mulesing, following talks with AWI. The commitment by PETA is a landmark development for the wool industry.
After four days of mediation, PETA agreed to AWI’s position that if AWI dropped its legal proceedings against PETA the group had to cease activity that called for, or threatened to call for, a consumer boycott of any specific retailer in relation to the sale of products from mulesed wool until 31 December 2010. This is the date the industry has set for phasing out conventional mulesing.
This historic commitment marks the end of a court case brought by AWI against PETA in the Federal Court of Australia.
AWI deputy chief executive officer Les Targ says Australian woolgrowers have always put the welfare of their sheep first and this would continue. “This has been a hard-fought campaign by Australian woolgrowers that started in October 2004,” Mr Targ says. “Since the Federal Court case began, PETA’s activities have been curbed and demand for Australian Merino wool has grown, unfettered by the influence of the animal-rights movement.
“In the past 12 months the value of wool exports has increased by more than $700 million.”
Mr Targ says AWI will continue to monitor PETA’s international and Australian activity.
The settlement identifies activities already being undertaken by the Australian wool industry, which will be documented and provided to PETA.
“The National Mulesing Accreditation Program (NMAP) will continue to be rolled out, as well as genetic research into bare-breech sheep,” Mr Targ says. “There will be a system to identify wool from unmulesed sheep for retailers who want it.”
Return to Beyond the Bale Issue 29 index page.