The following was emailed to farmers on 10 November 2026.
Early next year, wool growers will be asked to vote on a proposed wool levy.
The vote will be part of the B+LNZ six-yearly referendum in February-March 2027. New Zealand Wool Collective, formed through the amalgamation of Campaign for Wool and Wool Impact, and B+LNZ have worked together on the proposal.
What the levy would pay for
The levy would fund the work that no single business or grower can do alone.
This would include investment in market insights to understand opportunities, strengthening the evidence behind wool through standards and research, training and education to improve wool quality and sector capability, extension activities to inform on farm practice and provide a united voice for wool.
It brings together work currently being undertaken by New Zealand Wool Collective and new areas identified through discussions with the wider industry.
Why this matters
As a sheep farmer myself, I know keeping the wool side of our businesses profitable is critical to our long-term financial sustainability.
Values have lifted recently, but there are real opportunities to do more, and collective investment in key areas will help grow and sustain stronger wool prices at the farmgate.
Funding for New Zealand Wool Collective comes to an end in late 2027, so a grower levy is essential if we want to keep building on the work that is underway.
Bringing this work into B+LNZ is the most practical and cost-effective way to deliver it. Farmers should not pay twice for administration and overheads, and the structures and reach we already have in place mean that won’t happen.
Wool would have its own dedicated team and budget, so wool levies are only spent on wool-related work.
What it would cost
The proposed levy is likely to be 2-3 cents per kilogram of greasy wool. If approved, it would likely start to be collected in December 2027 or early 2028. Additional funds from industry and government will also be sought for specific projects to leverage grower funding and boost its impact.
What happens next
The structure, rate and work programme are still being finalised. Full information will be available from the middle of January 2027, ahead of the vote.
In the meantime, Ross McIsaac, Chief Executive of New Zealand Wool Collective, and his team have worked with wool businesses and brands, with input from growers, to shape the programme. I encourage you to read the full information when it arrives and make sure you vote.