Mr Morphett said when he attended a strategic plan meeting with the board while Ms McGahan was at the helm late last year, he’d been impressed by the board’s direction and the “value for money” they were delivering for the two per cent grower levy.

“Now with the ongoing disruptions I am re-evaluating the whole AWI business model and urge other growers to consider where their two per cent is going,” Mr Morphett.

He proposed private enterprise could be the way forward as long as growers could retain their vote.

“It is good money going out the door every time a CEO gets moved on, and it is growers’ money and I want it to go for the benefit of the wool growers and that just has not been happening with this basic system,” Mr Morphett said.

NSW Farmers executive council wool industry chair, John Manwar-ing, Cootamundra, said the association remained supportive of the AWI board and no proposal would be made without grower support.

However, Mr Manwaring said it was a dangerous time for any research and development body involved with the government – especially for AWI which has “stepped back into a mild case of chaos” – and plans to take the issue to the next conference.