The voluntary poll of wool levy payers sets the future level of wool levy to be paid by growers towards marketing, research and development from July 2010.

Voters were invited to select their preferred levy option from 0pc, 1pc, 2pc, 2.5pc and 3pc, with a preferential system deciding the most popular option.

According to Australian Wool Innovation, which have just announced the outcome via media release, the results were independently certified by Link Market Services.

The figures provided by AWI show that 73.13pc of votes cast were in favour of a levy of 2pc or more.

This result was from 53.70pc of votes cast, and an increase in votes cast from WoolPoll 2006.

AWI chairman Wal Merriman thanked the nation’s woolgrowers for their decision, saying it was a backing of AWI's plan to re-ignite demand for the fibre whilst exploring research and development opportunities on and off-farm.

"We have changed the way we do business with a greater emphasis on cost control and results-driven marketing and R&D, it is now time to get on with that business," Mr Merriman said.

"Australian woolgrowers have spoken and have allowed us to continue our new momentum to sell more wool and its attributes, to reignite global demand for the world’s best natural fibre.

"Given wool prices have not been as high as many would like and a level of apathy towards wool, it has been a significant achievement to engage this many woolgrowers in the process."

In the supplementary question, voters indicated their support for WoolPoll to continue to be undertaken every three years.

Results:

• 32.65 per cent of voting papers were returned;
• 53.70 per cent of available votes were cast; and
• 64.98 per cent of these favoured 2 per cent.