ANIMAL activist group, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, has urged Australian wool producers to jump ship from Australian Wool Innovation and cease mulesing now.

PETA Asia-Pacific director Jason Baker told WeeklyTimesNow the AWI board was "completely ineffective" and warned the Australian wool industry faced "disaster" if it did not honour its commitment to end mulesing by 2010.

Mr Baker's comments come after newly elected AWI chairman, Wal Merriman, said the industry would not be tied to a deadline to phase out mulesing. 

Mr Merriman said at yesterday's AWI annual meeting in Perth that he would continue mulesing his sheep beyond 2010 if a viable alternative had not been found.

Mr Baker said reneging on the commitment was "an embarrassment to the wool industry".

"AWI has committed to many wool buyers (to end mulesing by 2010) and many buyers have committed to PETA in writing that they will not buy mulesed wool after 2010," he said.

"If the industry thinks they're in hard times now, its going to be a disaster for those that still mules come 2010."

Mr Baker said wool from Australian producers who had already ceased mulesing was in high demand.

"If I was a farmer, I would have given up on the leadership of the AWI long ago as they have proved to be completely ineffective."

He said PETA had been "holding back" its campaign against Australian wool as it trusted the industry to adhere to the 2010 deadline.

"Now, we'll have to reignite our campaign.

"Animal rights activists and the general public alike around the world will be outraged that they were mislead by the wool industry."