Sheep farming, once a staple of New Zealand's economy, is in a crisis as some of the industry's crucial skills are at risk of being lost as the last remaining tutor nears retirement.
Courses used to be run out of Lincoln College and Massey, but now just one wool classing course remains in Invercargill, run by industry legend Laurie Boniface.
Boniface, who works from his Palmerston North home, is retiring and finding a replacement tutor has proved to be difficult.
"We've got one tertiary course in the country, it cannot fail," he said.
Boniface tells his students that if they have a passion for the fibre, they will succeed.
"You don't have to be a rocket scientist — you just have to have passion. It gets in your veins," he said.
Boniface has been fielding calls from worried students as he prepares for retirement next month.
"It's an absolutely essential course and, in my eyes, it’s got to continue. It must continue. "
The yawning gap in training comes at a pivotal time for the industry. Currently, wool prices were so low that shearing sheep could cost more than the wool was worth.
However, there wee those who believed wool could be on the cusp of a comeback as demand for natural products increased globally.
Former sheep farmer Tom O' Sullivan has launched a business that produces acoustic panels made from wool.
"The majority of linings on walls and ceilings are made from petrochemical or plastic synthetic products. The building industry — not only in New Zealand but globally — have recognised that and its become more and more of a focus for them to try and replace these plastics and put natural products. Wood and wool are a beautiful option."
Minister wants a return for hill country farming
Associate Agricultural Minister Mark Patterson hoped to lead a revival for wool and said he wanted wool as a big part of a return of profitability to hill country farming.
"I want to see once again a pride in a product that is a magnificent natural fibre and being valued for what it actually is rather than the travesty that we've got at the moment."
Part of the coalition agreement between National and NZ First committed to favouring woollen surfaces over synthetic when fitting out government buildings such as schools and social housing.
Patterson said the Government was "leading from the front".
"If we don't use this product, how can we expect anyone else to?"
But there would be no revival of wool without trained wool handlers and graders.
The Southern Institute of Technology has reduced the hours of the tutoring role but told Q+A it was committed to finding a replacement and continuing the course.
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