Growers can voluntarily declare whether their sheep have been mulesed, are unmulesed or the property has ceased mulesing from next month.

It's all part of "informed, open and healthy trading" according to Australian Wool Exchange chief executive, Mark Grave, who adds that helping buyers make informed decisions is good for business.

Mulesing declarations have been available since January and appear on the sample box.

"It has had very limited uptake because to date it is a piece of paper on a sample box and not transmitted to buyers. Making it a formal piece of the information systems will increase the interest in the declaration, we have already had very healthy inquiry," Mr Grave says.

The new declaration will appear in the buyers electronic and printed catalogues and may be voluntary but those who choose not to declare will be assumed to be still mulesing according to the program and wool from sheep treated with the AWI developed breech clips will presented as "wool from unmulesed sheep" in the scheme.

This has upset some growers, who have noticed that various prominent retailers who wish to buy unmulesed wool have come out against the clips.

"According to the mulesing code of practice, developed by the State Departments of Primary Industry, using clips is not mulesing. So there was the precedent to say using clips is not mulesing. You have to draw the line somewhere and that is where it has been drawn. The retailers mentioned have made their statement after the decision was made so we are dealing with the issue as it evolves," Mr Grave says.