The idea of a taskforce to try to restore profitability to crossbred wool and unite a fractured sector came from a meeting called by Agriculture Minister David Carter last week.
Mr Carter said the meeting agreed that united action was needed and a taskforce would be the best way to achieve that by building a cohesive, sector-wide strategy to lift returns.
Mr Grant, a former National Party member of Parliament and former director of Landcorp, will head an eight-person taskforce which would provide a progress report to Mr Carter by Christmas.
The other members are: John Brakenridge, New Zealand Merino Company chief executive; Scott Champion, chief executive Meat and Wool New Zealand; Cliff Heath, Wool Equities chairman and a director of Primary Wool Co-operative; Derek Kirke, of Wanaka, New Zealand Wool Services International director; Colin McKenzie, chief operating officer Cavalier Corporation; Sam Robinson, chairman of AgResearch and a director of AsureQuality; and Keith Sutton, a director of Wool Partners International.
