Peta's war on Aust wool industry could be over

LOS ANGELES - The war between Australian sheep farmers and American animal rights activists could be over.

In what is being hailed as an historic agreement, a deal has been negotiated between the Australian Wool Growers Association (AWGA) and the US-based People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).

If accepted, it will lead to the gradual phasing out of mulesing by 2010 and stricter rules for the live export of sheep.

PETA has agreed to halt its controversial and highly-successful global campaign of bloody images against the Australian wool industry for 45 days to give Australia's other wool groups time to analyse the deal hatched with the AWGA.

If the deal is supported, PETA has promised to end its campaign against the industry for 10 years.

"This is definitely progress for everyone involved," PETA's campaign co-coordinator Matt Rice said.

The deal also would create a new brand that would show retailers and consumers worldwide the Australian wool used in clothing or other products did not come from a mulesed or live exported sheep.

The key to the truce could be the acceptance of the agreement by the most vocal PETA opponent, research and development body, Australian Wool Innovation (AWI), a group headed by its chairman, former defence minister, Ian McLachlan.

AWI, which is suing PETA in the Australian Federal Court, was not involved in the PETA-AWGA talks.

"We hope the AWI as well as the rest of the industry will follow AWGA's lead and move forward with animal welfare improvements," Rice said.

PETA and AWGA representatives met in New York in June and after two days of meetings and numerous phone conversations and emails since came up with today's agreement.

The AWGA plans to hold talks with other Australian wool groups in the next few weeks in the hope they also accept the agreement.

The agreement calls for the gradual phasing out of mulesing of sheep with the controversial procedure -- used to rid sheep of flystrike by stripping skin from the animals' rear ends -- phased out by 2010, with a 10 percent reduction in the amount of sheep mulesed this year.

This would be followed in 2006 with another 20 percent reduction of sheep being mulesed. Then 25 percent in 2007, another 25 percent in 2008 and 20 percent in 2009.

The agreement also calls for pain killers to be used on mulesed sheep.

"I believe the talks have produced a sound plan that allows some confidence to be introduced back into the depressed Australian wool market," AWGA President Chick Olsson said.

PETA has promised to drop its campaign against Australia's live sheep export industry if sheep are treated "according to Australian domestic animal welfare standards for transport, handling, and slaughter".

The new wool brand would be offered to retailers to prove the Australian wool in their products did not come from mulesed sheep.

"The brand would be set up by the AWGA to offer to retailers who want to make sure their wool is not coming from mulesed or live exported sheep," Rice said.

PETA has had significant success in its 12-month campaign against the Australian wool industry.

Large US fashion retailers such as Abercrombie & Fitch, Timberland, American Eagle and Limited Brands and UK retailers New Look and George have announced they will not use Australian wool after pressure from PETA.

Italian fashion giant Benetton felt the full force of PETA's global campaign after the company rejected its calls to ban Australian wool.

The Benetton campaign involved PETA showing graphic images of bloody, mulesed sheep outside the retailer's stores and large billboards with similar hard-hitting images.

- AAP