Submission to 2026 National Wool Declaration Review

Livestock SA has provided a submission to the 2026 National Wool Declaration (NWD) Review, representing the interests of South Australia’s wool producers and advocating for a declaration system that remains practical, credible and fit for purpose. 

The submission highlights the importance of maintaining the NWD as a simple and effective tool that delivers value to growers, processors and customers. While market expectations continue to evolve, Livestock SA’s position is that the priority should be improving participation and confidence in the system, rather than expanding its scope. 

A key concern raised is the increasing complexity of the NWD, driven by the inclusion of additional categories with very low industry adoption. This has created confusion for growers and risks reducing the usability and relevance of the declaration. 

Key recommendations

• Remove low‑adoption categories - remove the liquid nitrogen (LN) category from the NWD and investigate the removal of the ceased mulesing (CM) category
• Refocus the purpose of the NWD - ensure the NWD remains a declaration of mulesing status and dark and medullated fibre risk only
• Simplify the declaration - streamline the NWD to improve clarity, consistency and usability for growers
• Do not expand scope - do not include additional animal welfare or alternative husbandry practice declarations beyond the current scope
• Increase industry participation - investigate pathways to implement the NWD as a condition of sale to improve adoption and transparency
• Strengthen integrity and confidence