INTERNATIONAL wool apparel retailers and brands sensitive to the mulesing issue have bypassed Australian Wool Innovation assistance for product or brand marketing.
"I guess they don't want to be targets for PETA," AWI chief executive Stuart McCullough said.
In its marketing programs and operations budget for 2010-11, Mr McCullough said AWI would spend $33.4 million on research and marketing.
On-farm research would account for $10 million, while $16.7 million would be split between a fibre promotion and a product promotion program.
Under the product marketing program, AWI would provide up to $250,000 to help a brand or retailer to market specific wool products, with the retailers committing up to $1 million.
While companies sensitive to the mulesing issue are not in the product marketing program, Mr McCullough said several were in the fibre promotion program.
He rejected claims the fibre campaign was a generic promotion but conceded because of AWI's limited funding, the fibre promotion program would be restricted to in-store advertising, some print and the internet.
