The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has a new target in mind for 2025: New Zealand. Its latest investigation alleged abuse against sheep on farms throughout the multicultural South Pacific nation.
The “animals are not ours to wear” advocate’s first exposé of New Zealand wool production is a bit unlike its previous endeavors, considering one farm in question is owned by Matt Lauer. The disgraced journalist’s affiliation has led to multiple investigations, though PETA is still focusing its efforts on the brands making garments with ZQ wool.
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“We’ve brought all this evidence to the brands so many times,” Ashley Byrne, a director at the animal rights organization, told Sourcing Journal. “At this point, they cannot claim ignorance.”
Specifically, PETA called out Allbirds—as well as Fjällräven, Smartwool, Loro Piana and Helly Hansen—for using ZQ-certified wool. Only one of the accused responded to Sourcing Journal’s request for comment.
“If the brands were actually committed to producing a product that isn’t cruel, they would be confirming what’s going on, right? The thing is, either they’re doing that and giving it a pass, or they’re just being negligent,” Byrne said. “They’re not living up to their responsibility; they’re feeding their customers a false narrative—based in dishonesty or based in ignorance.”
New Zealand—which has a 4.6 sheep per person ratio—is the third-largest wool producer globally. It produces what’s called ZQ-certified wool, marketed as the most ethical option on the market. Since 2007, the New Zealand Merino Company (NZM) has worked with wool growers to supply the industry with this wool under the ZQ brand.
“ZQ is a third-party audited standard that requires growers to thoroughly understand key animal health, environmental and social issues and adhere to a range of best farm management practices,” NZM said in 2020 before launching its ZQRX platform. “ZQ is already the leading ethical wool in the world, but we know our growers are doing work that goes above and beyond this already high bar.”
Its subsequent ZQ Standard “represents the wool of choice for world-class brands that are serious about producing amazing, natural products,” according to the integrated sales company’s website. The ZQRX wool platform provides brands with a comprehensive index of hundreds of regenerative farmers. Smartwool and Allbirds were founding brands when it launched in 2021. Now, the regenerative agriculture platform has 20-plus partners, including Everlane and Fjällräven.
“The New Zealand Merino Company has been made aware of the distressing footage circulated by PETA showing several instances of animal abuse,” NZM said in a statement. “PETA says it has investigated 11 farms and shearing sheds around New Zealand. It is unclear how many properties feature [sic] in the PETA footage.”
One of the investigated properties—Hunter Valley Station—is located on property owned by former television news host Matt Lauer, infamously ousted from NBC in 2017 for allegations of inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace. Lauer reportedly bought the pastoral lease in 2017 for just over $9 million.
The former “Today” show host leased out a portion of his land to its former inhabitants, Digby Cochrane and his wife, Hannah Carter. Lauer is allegedly not affiliated with the operations of Cochrane’s farm, Hunter Valley Farming. The farm currently runs half-bred Merino sheep Hereford/Angus cattle, according to the Hunter Valley Station website.
“PETA entities have found widespread abuse on nearly 150 wool operations in seven countries on four continents. The evidence is overwhelming—cruelty is rampant in the wool industry,” Tracey Reiman, PETA’s executive vice president, wrote in a letter to Lauer. “The farm on your Hunter Valley Station property is one of the offenders.”
Notably, the station provides the single “gateway” to the Hawea Conservation Park, an “unspoilt fishing and hunting paradise” along the culturally significant lake.
According to the New York Post, Lauer had “absolutely no knowledge of any alleged problems” at his alleged 27,000-acre property, which reportedly requires him to invest over $1 million into the farm’s operating infrastructure over five years. Per PETA, Lauer “pledged to invest” at least $400,000 more specifically intended to increase the cattle stock.
“Matt Lauer’s New Zealand getaway is hell for scared sheep who are flung about, pinned down and cut up,” PETA president Ingrid Newkirk said. “PETA wants Lauer to wash his hands of the bloody wool business—and asks that anyone upset by the cruelty we have uncovered in the sheep sheds choose only vegan materials.”
Sourcing Journal could not reach Lauer to confirm.
“We can confirm that the one property named by PETA to the New York Post is not and has never been a supplier to the ZQ program,” NZM’s statement said, seemingly in reference to Hunter Valley Station. “We are committed to investigating all allegations and urge PETA to provide us more detail about filming locations and the timing of the recordings.”
Cochrane and his wife have operated Hunter Valley Farming for several decades, according to Otago Daily Times, a local publication. Another New Zealand pub, RNZ, reported that Taff and Pene Cochrane sold Lauer the lease, with their son, Digby, running the show.
In 2018, Cochrane was accused of making his land “deliberately difficult” to access, with Cochrane “very selective” over who was permitted access, alleged independent conservationist Peter Wilson, the then-president of the Federated Mountain Club, a New Zealand-based organization advocating for outdoor recreation since 1931.
The statement spurred government intervention. Cochrane, in turn, told RNZ his home had become like the Gaza Strip. Shortly after, an agreement stipulating public access through Hunter Valley Station was signed by New Zealand’s Department of Conservation and Orange Lakes, Lauer’s company holding the pastoral lease.
“The Hunter Valley Farming Company takes animal welfare very seriously and the company and its independent contracts must adhere to standards and procedures under New Zealand law and as administered under the Ministry of Primary Industries,” Compass Agribusiness—aka, “Australasia’s leading agribusiness investment and client partnership specialist,” per its website—told Sourcing Journal in a statement prepared on behalf of Cochrane.
Orange Lakes is also carrying out an investigation into PETA’s claims, though Sourcing Journal could not reach Graeme Todd, director of the company as well as Lauer’s lawyer.
“We are currently investigating the allegations we have received from PETA with the independent contractors undertaking the shearing activity and are seeking advice from the Ministry of Primary Industries,” Compass Agribusiness said. “This will include our full cooperation with any further enquiries that the Ministry wishes to undertake. We have also made Mr. Lauer aware of this situation and continue to keep him updated.”
The footage shared by PETA shows workers whipping and beating sheep with various objects, including the metal tip of a ski pole. Another scene seemingly showed a crowded enclosure where sheep are sheared before being smothered.
“The images shared by PETA are confronting and upsetting. NZM does not tolerate breaches of animal welfare guidelines,” per the organization’s statement. “Should any ZQ accredited farms be identified during the investigation, alongside the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries and our third-party audit body Control Union, we will take all necessary and appropriate action, up to and including expulsion from the program.”
This specific scrutiny (between November 2023 and last October) was part of PETA’s larger investigation of the wool industry at large. Currently, that project yielded 15 exposés of over 150 wool industry operations in seven countries on four continents, per Byrne.
“The problem is across the board; even beyond these wool investigations, we’ve done such extensive investigations into farms that say they’re producing humane [goods] and every time, it couldn’t be further from the truth,” Byrne continued. “We find that it’s constantly just about making people feel better about buying the, essentially same, products.”
