Two Western Queensland MPs have taken a trip to Melbourne to learn more about Australian Wool Network's unique wool marketing options off the back of a project celebrating Tambo wool.
Gregory MP Lachlan Millar and Warrego Ann Leahy attended the launch of the Direct Network Advantage Tambo program in April this year at the Tambo Stock Show.
That prompted to them to travel to Melbourne to tour AWN's Merino & Co manufacturing plant to gain a greater understanding of the company's bale to retail marketing strategy.
The DNA program allows AWN woolgrowers and consumers to follow the journey of their wool from bale to retail. Each DNA product has a QR-enabled swing tag which, when scanned, connects to a video story showcasing woolgrowers such as Tambo's Hume and Di Turnbull.
Mr Millar said with wool buyers and processors embracing the provenance-based marketing concept, AWN's DNA program had proved very impressive.
"I am very passionate about this program which gives the story behind the product," he said.
"When I attended the launch of the Tambo DNA program at the Tambo show earlier this year I was very impressed with the way AWN was investing in the marketing of our wool.
"This brand of marketing began with the beef industry's paddock to plate campaign and now the wool industry is getting behind the same thing.
"People want to know what they are buying and this marketing option gives us better opportunities to sell both domestically and overseas.
Mr Millar said wild dogs and drought had seen a massive decline in sheep numbers in the area and millions of dollars had been spent on cluster fencing to address the wild dog problem.
"It is now time to look at the marketing of wool to give growers the confidence to stay in the wool industry," he said.
"AWN is doing a fantastic job giving growers excellent marketing options and I am particularly impressed with the DNA program,'' he said.
Merino & Co marketing manager Ben Wapling said the visit enabled Mr Millar and Ms Leahy to see the end-to-end process of how a garment was made.
"They were very impressed and interested in every aspect of the process. They witnessed everything in the bale to retail story from how the wool is sourced and processed to how the garments are made and marketed,'' he said.