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Where's there's a wool there's a way - $17.25m kickstart
Where's there's a wool there's a way - $17.25m kickstart for renewed research
By Peter Kerr for sticK
(sticK -
25 Jan. 2011 ) It could be wool's last hurrah, it could be
the start of a whole new ball game.
The government's
recent decision to invest $17.25 million in a wool research
consortium will allow the exploration of possible new
products and applications for the fibre and its raw
constituent, keratin.
AgResearch is keen on the new funding. It reckons that many opportunities have not been followed up in recent years because of a lack of funding.
Farmers' increasing disenchantment with the product that 60 years ago provided over 80% of their income is somewhat understandable.
Wool is now lucky to cover the cost of getting it off a ewe's back for some farmers, so it is not surprising that last year's vote by cockies was to essentially forget about the fibre.
Using counter-intuitive logic, now's probably a good time to explore new uses and opportunities.
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For sticK – science, technology, innovation & commercialisation KNOWLEDGE - is a new Wellington based news service concentrating on following the money from ideas to income. Contact editor Peter Kerr at peter.kerr055 @ gmail.com
Peter Kerr
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Writer, communicator, simplifier, storyteller.
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