The number of foreign objects that end up in bales of wool is posing a challenge for the wool industry.
Miscellaneous objects ranging from clothing to iron bars, fertiliser bags and even mobile phones have found their way into bales as the wool is shorn and packed on farms.
Federated Farmers, shearing contractors and wool brokers are running a campaign to reduce wool contamination in shearing sheds.
Federated Farmers estimates it could boost farm returns by a couple of million dollars a year.
Shearing Contractors Association president Barry Pullin says the cost is hard to quantify, but foreign objects in wool bales can cause all sorts of costs down the processing chain.
He says they can also damage New Zealand wool's quality reputation.
The "Keep Calm and Shear On" campaign is promoting a guide for reducing wool contamination that includes a list of tips starting with keeping a clean and tidy shearing shed.
