NATIONAL: Animal rights activists have vowed to step up their campaign against Australian wool, following reports wool growers would continue sheep mulesing after 2010.
Animal welfare group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) said it had given growers six years to stop mulesing - which involved cutting flesh from a sheep's rump to prevent deadly flystrike - and was now urging more international retailers to boycott Australian wool.
This followed an announcement from Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) this week, which said it was "unlikely" wool growers would meet the 2010 deadline on mulesing. The woolgrowers' body claimed it was working on scientific alternatives to prevent flystrike.
Abercrombie & Fitch, Adidas, Hugo Boss, Timberland, Perry Ellis and H&M were among a chorus of international retailers to turn their back on wool from mulesed sheep.
PETA said it was likely more brands would now boycott locally produced wool.
"AWI need only blame itself for losing the world market by trying to put off the inevitable," a spokesperson for the organisation said.
Agriculture lobby group AgForce confirmed Australia's wool industry would be dealing from the deadline fallout for years to come.