WOOL growers appear to be shaking off their apathy for WoolPoll 2009 with a surge in voting on the controversial wool research and marketing levy.
It's now four weeks into WoolPoll voting and 20 per cent of wool growers have cast their vote, compared with just 11 per cent voting in the first three weeks.
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Growers have only nine days left to choose a levy of zero, 1 , 2, 2 1/2 or 3 per cent of their wool income to go to Australian Wool Innovation for research and marketing.
AWI has recommended the levy remain at the current 2 per cent, which would raise $45.9 million. Seventy per cent of that would be spent on off-farm research and development and marketing and 30 per cent on on-farm R&D.
WoolPoll chairman Will Roberts said it was heartening to see that many growers had considered the wool levy.
"It's a relief to know that many growers are concerned enough to cast their vote," he said.
He is hopeful that 30 per cent of growers will eventually vote, close to the 33 per cent turnout in the last WoolPoll in 2006.
Voting, which can be done on line, by fax or post closes on November 6.
