econext, in collaboration with the Sheep Producers of Newfoundland and Labrador (SPANL), facilitated a workshop February 9, 2024, in Clarenville. In addition to the SPANL board and econext staff members, representatives from Heritage NL, NL Craft Council, NL Federation of Co-Operatives, Go Western Tourism, and the Department of Fisheries Forestry and Agriculture attended. The workshops focused on the barriers to utilizing wool in the province, which otherwise was being landfilled or burnt, and explored opportunities. Three opportunities have arisen from this workshop which continue to be pursued:
- First, a producer has identified an existing technology which will allow it to produce fertilizer pellets with their discarded wool, and is actively seeking to finance this initiative.
- Second, sheep farmers have been connected with an entrepreneur looking to establish a micromill which has the potential to use the wasted wool resource.
- Third, a social media group has been established and events are being held with the intent to connect sheep farmers with the craft community to use the wasted wool resource.
econext feels that the lessons learned from this pilot initiative have the potential to be applied in other aspects of agriculture in NL.
