Objective

To ensure the ongoing global competitiveness and vitality of our pastoral industries, by providing profitable and sustainable production system and supply chain solutions, and facilitating the adoption of these, while also developing strategies for protecting our pastoral systems from unwanted pests.

Why we are here

Agriculture is a driving force for wealth creation in the New Zealand economy. We have an excellent record of being highly competitive in international markets and leading the world with progressive agrarian reform.

Underlying this is a highly productive national pastoral resource, free of diseases and pests, powered by vibrant rural communities with skilled workforces. However, the industry faces substantial challenges to continue to remain globally competitive and maintain the underpinning resource base, which has to co-exist and compete with other land users and enterprises.

The Agriculture & Environment group provides scientific leadership to the agricultural industry to help promote and achieve an innovative, sustainable and prosperous farming sector in New Zealand.

What we do

• Develop profitable and environmentally sustainable agricultural production systems, through research into farm system, animal production, management practices and system designs, including considering the integration of new technologies into specific production systems.

• Develop new and improved animal health therapies, including treatments for control of internal parasites in grazing livestock, vaccines for infectious diseases, with considerable focus on tuberculosis and Johnes Disease, and antibiotic alternatives.

• Identify land uses that will achieve sustainable growth in the pastoral sector within the constraints of national and international protocols. This includes the soil-plant processes and animal interaction.

• Develop diagnostic tests to  enable animal selection and management for disease control.

• Develop management solutions for nutrient, pathogen and gaseous emissions to ensure healthy ecosystems, both at a farm and catchment (district) level.

• Formulate mitigation strategies for greenhouse gases produced by grazing ruminants.

• Apply social research around bioethics, change behaviour and relationship alignment to develop plans and processes that initiate, support and prepare people for change, such as adoption of leading-edge technologies, policy and compliance.

• Formulate scientifically-proven codes of practice, that are acceptable to consumers, to protect the welfare of farmed animals.

• Understand weed and pest population dynamics and their relationship with their host, enabling solutions for management or eradication of invasive weeds and pest to be developed, including technologies which enhance biosecurity.

• Explore the potential of microbes as biocontrol agents against pests, including the use of biopolymer technology as a delivery vehicle.