The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the wool industry has highlighted the challenges faced by farmers, with the income of most fleeces being insufficient to cover the costs of growing and harvesting. Frequent media coverage as well as several farmers voicing opinions on the issue on social media have highlighted the case in 2020, involving various policymakers and organizations involved in economic development.
The series of four webinars on Monday evenings during November 2020 will provide an opportunity to further discuss the challenges facing the wool industry. AGW is keen to support further pilot work involving wool, due to the economic, social, and environmental importance of the sheep sector in rural Gwynedd. The webinar series will be a follow-up to the ‘Current State and Potential of the Wool Industry in Gwynedd’ report researched and written by Geraint Hughes and Jennifer Hunter in March 2019 for AGW.

Here is an overview of the webinar content and guest speakers-
– Wool – The Excellent Material, Jennifer Hunter of Fernhill Farm
– Farmers Adding Value to Wool, Eled Jones of Gwynedd and Anglesey / Welsh Wool and Sarah, Joe and Rachael Henry of Raburn Wool
– Industry Critics Share their Experiences, Dr Courtney Pye of the Wool Testing Authority, Dr Graham Ormondroyd of Bangor University and Gareth Jones of British Wool
– Open Forum to Identify Pilot Ideas