Farm wool group urged

Sheep farmers have less than two weeks before the chance to form a wool collective passes them by.
Does it matter?
A group of farmers including former All Black Sir Brian Lochore is backing a bid to gather almost half the country's clip of "strong" or cross-bred wool into one farmer-owned unit.
Wool Partners Collective, or WPC, floated the campaign last year and has three times postponed a sign-up deadline - now to February 16.
WPC was initially looking for $65million, but has since said it will settle for $55million and has commitments for $35million.
Farmers need to commit $1 for every kilogram of wool they sell, paid at 20c annually over the next five years. Payment options include taking it out of the wool cheque or a guarantee by PGG Wrightsons.
The new collective would have the assets of its predecessor, Wool Partners International (WPI), which is half-owned by Wrightsons. Those assets include significant exporter Bloch and Behrens, popular trademark Wools of New Zealand, and first option to buy wool scouring equipment.
If the farmers don't sign up, all assets will go back to Wrightsons, the ownership of which may be heading offshore. Chinese agricultural firm Agria, which owns 19.1 per cent of Wrightsons, has applied to the Overseas Investment Commission for permission to buy a 50.1 per cent share.
Meanwhile, the fall of Allan Hubbard's financial interests has led to scouring company Wool Services International (WSI) going on the market, industry insiders tipping Chinese interests among the bidders. The farmer co-operative would look to get hold of those assets instead of seeing them leave New Zealand.
Tinui farmer John Dalziell, a WPC advisory group member, says those factors are the "long-term picture" farmers should keep in mind. "The price of wool will go up and down, but the opportunity for farmers to be a part of an integrated chain of supply is a oncer," he said. "The industry is seriously at risk of being owned by foreigners." He was concerned a wait-and-see attitude might prevent the company from being formed. Support was needed now. "If the fence-sitters all committed, there would be a company. Once it's established it will grow."