The three point plan has been taken seriously by wool leaders and offers hope of an end to the four year long crisis.

Negotiations to end the mulesing dilemma could start within weeks if Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) and the Sheep and Wool Industry Taskforce decide to talk with the activists.

Despite no formal response from AWI, it is understood previous offers put to PETA may be revitalised in order to achieve peace.

Negotiating the future of breech clips, promoting bare breech breeding strategies and adopting various pain relief measures may be put on the table in exchange for PETA leaving the wool industry and retailers alone.

The deal could also solve the emerging welfare issues of castration and tail docking, which are included in new codes of practice.

Speaking from the United States this week, spokesman for PETA, Matt Prescott, said his organisation was willing to walk away from the issue and stop harassing retailers if breech clips were shelved and bare breech breeding widely adopted.

Sheep and Wool Industry taskforce head, Norm Blackman, said the industry was taking the offer seriously.

“PETA has put a lot of resources into this campaign and has a lot of issues to put energy into,” he said.

“This maybe a sign that it is looking for a way out. But I am somewhat sceptical of the deal given PETA’s behaviour in the past.”

According to AWI, as much as seven million dollars has been spent developing the clip technology – a development PETA is firmly against.

“No retailers we have talked to in recent months have accepted clips,” Mr Prescott said.

“They all recognise breech clips still cause pain by cutting circulation off.”

From The Land, May 8, 2008.