Co. Antrim sheep farmer, Brendan Kelly, has confirmed that he will be seeking re-nomination as the Ulster Wool representative on the board of British Wool.
His current term of office ends in approximately four months’ time.
Kelly has indicated that he already has sufficient farmer support to allow his name go forward again.
“Wool accounts for 1% of the world’s fibre market with the UK only accounting for 2% of the total wool produced around the world,” Kelly said.
“Demand for wool is now starting to increase again, albeit from a low base. High-quality woollen carpets are, once again, being used to fit-out luxury hotels, cruise liners and casinos.
“There is also a growing recognition that wool is a very sustainable product. It is totally natural and versatile – wool can be used to produce extremely high-quality garments and floor coverings.
“The campaign continues to get more British manufacturing and fashion businesses to formally commit to the high-quality wool that is produced on their door steps,” Kelly said.
Ulster Wool rep on British Wool board
Ulster Wool is a farmer cooperative in Northern Ireland with 3,500 registered sheep farmers.
The business collects and grades wool from all farmers regardless of type, location, and quantity. It then markets the wool collectively in a managed way throughout the year to maximise value.
Alongside this, Ulster Wool works continuously to drive demand from consumers, manufacturers and retailers through a licensing scheme and promotional campaigns.
Nominations for the position of Northern Ireland’s regional representative on the board of British Wool open tomorrow, Friday, December 8. They close on January 4.
All nominations must be submitted electronically, via the Civica Election Services (CES) website.
If Brendan Kelly is unchallenged, no subsequent election will be required. However, if other nominees come forward, election papers will be distributed during the third week of January.
A combination of email addresses and mobile telephone numbers will be used to communicate with the 3,500 wool producers who would be registered in an election, if it were to be held.
However, all other relevant farmers will be contacted by post in the rational manner. It has also been confirmed that producers can cast their vote electronically and through the post.
Sufficient time will be allocated to allow these processes to take place, according to Ulster Wool.
