WoolPro's core business is to help sheep farmers achieve these goals.

Meanwhile, we have worked closley with ADMERDT, Meat New Zealand and the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology, to ensure that available research funds are used efficiently for the benefit of farmers.

Our research priorities are set following widespread consultation. The regional Sheep Councils, which are serviced by WoolPro, play an important role in this process

Extension - getting useful information and technology from R&D programmes out to farmers - is a hgih priority. Our field staff liaise with researchers, the media and farm servicing groups. We also have a comprehensive range of communications tools, including Wool Grower magazine, No.8 Wired TV and several targeted publications.

For specific activities, eg FITT funding, see the contact details at the end of the activity description.

Contact the project leader, or contact WoolPro and quote the project number. Note that for the protection of commercial industry interests not all information may be available.

The priorities for research and development are set by consultation and industry feedback with emphasis on delivering improved farm profit and meeting processor and end user needs.

Funding is contestable and allocated annually from an R&D budget approved by the WoolPro board.

Projects are developed interactively to ensure strong programmes that meet stated outcomes. Where necessary they are refereed or reviewed in workshops.

Individual project funding decisions are based on WoolPro priorities, cost-benefit indicators and the quality of the project and the research team.

Intellectual property ownership is negotiated and agreed before a contract is signed. Development of collaborative projects within and between research organisations is encouraged. Communication and consultation with other funding agencies is maintained, particularly with FRST and Meat New Zealand.

All R&D projects must report regularly and have strategies for information transfer to farmers.

Programmes are peer reviewed regularly by groups of farmers, researchers and consultants.

Information and technology is shared with farmers through an extension strategy involving WoolPro extension specialists, private consultants and farm servicing groups. Farmer networks including the Sheep Council and monitor farms are also involved.

Extension is supported by liaison with the media, videos and publications.

The annual R&D directory is also available in printed form: email vanessa.burton@woolpro.co.nz

WoolPro funds research and development (R&D) projects that contribute to improved sheep farm production and profit. R&D projects seeking funding should offer short-to medium-term production results. Applications are more likely to be successful if they are also compatible with the long-term strategies of the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology (FRST), are co-funded by other agencies and include objectives which:

• assist farmers to react faster to changing market signals
• integrate sheep production, processing and marketing
• improve overall farm production systems.

Extension and transfer

Outcome statement: Effective information transfer and uptake of knowledge and technology using a range of available extension opportunities.
Themes:

Outcome statement: Lower cost animal health measures including genetic resistance and minimal chemical use.
Themes:

Outcome statement: Enhanced fibre quality in line with processor and end user requirements with associated price premiums
Themes:

Outcome statement: Improved feeding of sheep to ensure genetic potential is realised with enhanced efficiency of production.
Themes:

Outcome statement: Cumulative production improvement in the long-term to underpin benefits from other technologies.
Themes:

Outcome statement: Improved animal handling and more efficient wool harvesting for ongoing viability of sheep farming
Theme:

WoolPro is committed to making R&D information accessible and useful to farmers to improve farm production results. This will be a major consideration when allocating funding.

WoolPro’s extension strategy involves:

Information and technology from R&D projects within the five main focus areas is co-ordinated and packaged by 'impact programme' leaders. This is to ensure that these five key outcome areas provide effective resources for the extension strategy above.