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Company Profile
Farming, Food and Health. First
AgResearch comprises a number of renowned
research centres and farms yet most important to us are our teams of scientists, engineers, technicians and support staff.
Their work targets the key opportunities and
issues faced by the farming, food, textiles and biotechnology sectors,
and leads to innovative products and knowledge that benefit all New
Zealanders.
AgResearch’s mission is to create
sustainable wealth in the pastoral and biotechnology sectors through
science and technology.
OUR FOCUS – 2020 SCIENCE
2020 Science is our vision for how AgResearch will contribute to keeping New Zealand prosperous to 2020 and beyond.
This vision involves AgResearch working closely with its industry partners to double the value produced by the dairy, meat and textile industries while halving their costs and impacts on the environment. It is captured in Five Goals: future dairy industry; future meat and textile industries; pestilence-free New Zealand; agriculture and its communities; and opportunities beyond food and fibre.
AgResearch’s activities are critical in ensuring the prosperity, security, and sustainability of New Zealand’s pastoral sector. This sector is the backbone of our economy and its continued success is essential to this country’s living standards. To help create the future of the pastoral sector we must be forwardfocused – identifying scientific and technological opportunities, and turning them into tangible benefits for the sector.
AgResearch is one of this country’s leading research organisations. We have an outstanding team of scientists, engineers and technicians. They have a track record of conducting excellent scientific research and producing commercially-viable technologies.
AgResearch has formal research collaboration agreements with more than 100 organisations around the world. We are an equity partner in, and a research provider to, a number of New Zealand research consortia, namely the Pastoral Genomics Limited, Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research
Consortium, Ovita Limited and Meat Biologics Research Limited. AgResearch is actively involved in Auckland’s Growth & Development Centre of Research Excellence (CoRE) and Lincoln’s Bio-Protection CoRE. We are a central partner in Massey University’s Riddet Centre for Innovation in Foods and Biologicals, that won funding in 2007.
We have established three, new, national research centres in New Zealand that focus on mammalian biosecurity, animal health, and mammalian reproduction and genomics. First, we helped establish a National Centre for Biosecurity and Infectious Disease at Wallaceville, Upper Hutt - a joint venture with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, and Environmental Science and Research. Second, AgResearch and the University of Otago have established a Centre for Reproduction and Genomics at AgResearch Invermay, led by Professor Neil Gemmell. Third, we have opened the Hopkirk (animal health) Research Institute with Massey University at Palmerston
North, led by Dr Wayne Hein.
AgResearch has established strong formal relationships with the Australian CSIRO Livestock Industries and Plant Industry Divisions, to build on our complementary strengths in animal production and pasture. We have co-funded a professorial Chair in Systems Thinking and Practice at the University of Queensland, held by Professor Kambiz Maani, who will substantially support our development of 2020 Science’s Goal Four - agriculture and its communities.
In January 2007, AgResearch purchased the assets of Canesis Network Ltd, formerly the Wool Research Organisation of New Zealand Inc (WRONZ). This acquisition culminated in the formation of a new Food & Textiles Group and the deal is expected to bring major benefits to New Zealand’s $1 billion wool industry.
For more information on our 2020 Science strategy, see the publications on our website www.agresearch.co.nz.
ABOUT US
AgResearch is a government owned entity charged with operating on a commercial basis.
- AgResearch and it’s subsidiaries expect to earn about $155 million in revenue in the 2008/09 year.
- Earnings after tax were $3 million in the 2007/08 year.
- These profits have largely been reinvested in growing our capability in order to support New Zealand’s pastoral and biotechnology sectors.
OUR CAPABILITIES
To provide the research and development needed to help create wealth in the pastoral and biotechnology sectors, we have three main science and technology groups.
AgResearch comprises:
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1020 staff (933.7 Full Time Equivalents)
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716 professional science staff, with 265 staff holding a PhD (including 25 non-science PhDs)
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26 business development and commercial services staff
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278 support staff
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Research centres in four locations: Hamilton (Ruakura), Palmerston North (Grasslands and the Hopkirk Research Institute), Christchurch (Lincoln) and Dunedin (Invermay and the Molecular Biology Unit at the University of Otago)
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Numerous shared research facilities and 15 farms throughout New Zealand.
CAMPUS LOCATIONS
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Ruakura (Hamilton)
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Grasslands and Hopkirk Research Institute (Palmerston North)
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Lincoln (Christchurch)
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Invermay (Dunedin)
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National Centre for Biosecurity and Infectious Disease (NCBID) – Wallaceville, Upper Hutt
SCIENTIFIC FOCUS
Key areas of research and development:
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‘Blue sky’ science that develops fundamental knowledge and builds scientific capabilities
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‘Strategic’ science in biological systems, encompassing microbes, plants and animals that have attributes to make farms more profitable
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‘Strategic’ science in underpinning productive, sustainable farm ecosystems, including the management of pests and invading species
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‘Strategic’ science in new and enhanced pastoral sector food and textile products
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‘Applied’ science in next-generation technologies for the textiles, food and medical industries.
Scientific outcomes are delivered to the pastoral and biotechnology sectors in partnership with:
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Commercial firms, such as ANZCO, Fonterra, Ballance Agri-Nutrients and many others
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Industry-good organisations, such as Meat & Wool New Zealand, DairyNZ and Australian Wool Innovation
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Government sector organisations, such as regional councils.
AgResearch also produces:
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Scientific and technical (confidential) client reports for these partners
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Technologies marketed for the benefit of the pastoral and biotechnology sectors by subsidiaries, spin-off companies and commercial partners.
Intellectual property is also licensed within New Zealand and overseas as appropriate.
AGRICULTURE & ENVIRONMENT GROUP
General Manager
Sections
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Biocontrol, Biosecurity & Bioprocessing
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Agriculture Systems
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Climate, Land & Environment
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Animal Health
Working to enhance the productivity and profitability of our pastoral sector in an environmentally sustainable and socially acceptable manner.
Strengths
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Providing diagnostic systems, new technologies and research which assist biosecurity.
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Developing commercial products from biological materials for personal care, industrial and medical applications.
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Developing mitigation strategies for minimising the environmental impacts of pest control solutions, including pesticides.
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Exploring the use of microbes for biocontrol of pests, including biopolymer technology.
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Investigating future options for the pastoral agriculture industry, focusing on a balance of economic, environmental, social and cultural outcomes.
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Applying social research around decision-making, change behaviour, bioethics, and relationship alignment to prepare people for change.
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Developing management solutions for nutrients, pathogens and gaseous emissions to ensure healthy ecosystems. This includes the formation of mitigation strategies for greenhouse gases produced by grazing ruminants and assessment of the impacts and development of adaptation strategies to climate change in pastoral agriculture.
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Identifying sustainable land uses, including soil-plant processes and animal interactions.
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Researching farm and agribusiness system behaviour, through field experimentation and simulation modelling.
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Formulating scientifically-proven codes of practice, that are acceptable to consumers, to protect the welfare of farmed animals.
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Developing diagnostic tests to enable animal selection and management for disease control.
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Developing new and improved animal health solutions, including treatments and management practices to control internal parasites in grazing livestock and vaccines for infectious diseases.
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Developing guidelines and practices that ensure/improve animal welfare.
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Investigating influence of current and potential technologies within farming systems.
APPLIED BIOTECHNOLOGIES GROUP
General Manager
Sections
Developing and enhancing plant and animal genomes to keep our pastoral sector internationally competitive. Developing new livestock and plant products and technologies, some with human health applications.
Strengths
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Discovering genes controlling economically and environmentally valuable aspects of forage and crop plant development in order to improve on-farm productivity and sustainability, thereby enhancing the performance of the pastoral sector.
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Developing novel products with increased resistance to insect pests using knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of symbiosis between forage grass and endophytes.
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Applying plant biotechnologies to unravel the clover and ryegrass genomes and accelerate the development of new cultivars through Marker Assisted Breeding.
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Identifying key genes responsible for superior productivity of elite livestock.
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Developing advanced reproductive technologies such as transgenics and cloning for the livestock industries.
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Discovering the mechanisms of muscle growth and wasting to help develop livestock and human health therapies.
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Undertaking research to control wool and hair growth and to improve fibre properties. > Generating novel solutions for enhancing livestock fertility, management of wildlife pests and contraception in humans.
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Developing predictive models to facilitate research.
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Developing new wound healing products from deer velvet extracts.
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Identifying and developing assays for key quality and anti-quality components in forage plants and aquatic systems.
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Developing new techniques based on muscle and antler stem cells.
FOOD & TEXTILES GROUP
General Manager
Sections
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Dairy Science & Technology
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Food, Metabolism & Microbiology
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Textile Science & Technology
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Textile & Material Testing Unit
Developing products and technologies to sustainably deliver livestock-derived foods and ingredients, carpets and textiles that meet global consumer needs.
Strengths
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Developing nutritional guidelines and solutions for improved productivity by applying an understanding of ruminant nutrition.
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Developing human and animal health therapeutics and products for improved animal productivity derived from livestock, including antimicrobials from milk and rumen microbes, and specific probiotics from the wider gut microbial ecosystem.
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Developing added-value foods derived from livestock products, including using nutrigenomics to meet the specific nutritional requirements of human genetic conditions.
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Providing tools to assist with quality assurance to meet customer expectations for desirability and safety of animal products.
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Applying science and engineering to the world of carpets and textiles for fashion and industrial applications.
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Providing product and process development, and evaluation services, in the fields of fibre, textiles and related consumer and industrial products.
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Providing technology and technical services to the global carpet and rug sector, focusing on wool-based floor coverings.
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Offering sophisticated research and development and product development services in the fields of engineering, bio-materials, and textiles-based niche medical and health applications.
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Providing expert textile and carpet-related technical consultancy, information, and education services, and managing key relationships with other technical authorities around the world.
OUR BUSINESS
AgResearch has an impressive track record in developing products for, and with, New Zealand companies that manufacture, market and distribute them worldwide. We are amongst the worlds leading agricultural research institutes and we create world class innovations. We own and maintain a significant portfolio of Intellectual Property and work closely with industry partners to convert Intellectual Property into usable products.
Many products in the market today have been developed by AgResearch and sold by our partners. These include pasture plant varieties, animal health products, textile and carpet products and processes, sophisticated software and other technologies for use on-and off-farm.
The Commercial Services Group supports all the business activities within AgResearch. It works with the three science and technology groups to grow contract research and development revenues, negotiate and develop contractual arrangements underpinning commercial science endeavours, identify and protect our IP, and seeks to commercialise our scientific discoveries and technological developments. Business development involves seeking licenses for the company’s IP and forging commercial partnerships with key industries and companies to facilitate the rapid transfer of our discoveries to market.
AgResearch uses a range of commercial vehicles, including subsidiary companies, associate companies, unincorporated joint ventures, incorporated joint ventures and partnerships, as routes to commercialisation for its technologies.
DIRECTORY
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
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Dr Andrew West
Chief Executive Officer
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Dr Travis Glare
General Manager
Science Strategy Services
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Dr Jimmy Suttie
Science & Technology General Manager
Applied Biotechnologies Group
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Peter Benfell
Science & Technology General Manager
Agriculture & Environment Group
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Dr Robert Finch
Science & Technology General Manager
Food & Textiles
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Dr Ian Boddy
General Manager
Commercial Services
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Geoff Balme
Chief Financial Officer
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Dr Phillip Lindsay
Chief Information Officer
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Allanah James
Group Manager
Corporate Affairs
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Ellen Dunster
Group Manager
Human Resources
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Scott Mataga
Company Secretary
General Manager
Legal Services
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY SECTION MANAGERS
Food & Textiles
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Dr Kerst Stelwagen
Dairy Science & Technology
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Dr Warren McNabb
Food, Metabolism & Microbiology
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Dr Peter Ingham
Textile Science & Technology
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Lorraine Greer
Textile & Material Testing Unit
Agriculture & Environment
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Dr Glyn Francis
Biocontrol, Biosecurity &
Bioprocessing
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Dr Greg Lambert
Agricultural Systems
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Dr Harry Clark
Climate, Land & Environment
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Dr Wayne Hein
Animal Health
Applied Biotechnologies
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Dr Theresa Wilson
Animal Genomics
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Dr Jenny Juengel
Reproductive Biology
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Dr Vish Vishwanath
Reproductive Technologies
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Dr Allan Pearson
Growth & Development
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Dr Syd Easton
Forage Improvement
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Dr Chris Jones
Forage Biotechnology
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Dr Anette Becher
Bioinformatics, Mathematics & Statistics
COMMERCIAL TEAM LEADERS
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Margot Buick
Food & Textiles Group
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Dr Gavin Sheath
Agriculture & Environment Group
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Dr Richard Curtis
Applied Biotechnologies Group
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
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Sam Robinson (Chairman)
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Andrew MacPherson
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Danny Chan
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Richard (Dick) Davison
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Graham Fraser
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Susan Huria
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Dr Robert Welch
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Dr Jane Adams
Campus Addresses
AgResearch Ruakura
Ruakura Research Centre
East Street
Private Bag 3123
Hamilton 3240
Phone +64 7 856 2836
Fax +64 7 838 5012
AgResearch Grasslands and Hopkirk Research Institute
Grasslands Research Centre
Tennent Drive
Private Bag 11008
Palmerston North 4442
(Grasslands)
Phone +64 6 356 8019
Fax +64 6 351 8032
(Hopkirk)
Phone +64 6 351 8600
Fax +64 6 353 7853
National Centre for Biosecurity and Infectious Disease (NCBID) - Wallaceville
Ward Street
PO Box 40063
Upper Hutt 5140
Phone +64 4 529 0300
Fax +64 4 529 0413
AgResearch Lincoln
Lincoln Research Centre
Cnr Springs Road and Gerald Street
Private Bag 4749
Christchurch 8140
Phone +64 3 321 8800
Fax +64 3 321 8811
AgResearch Invermay
Invermay Agricultural Centre
Puddle Alley
Private Bag 50034
Mosgiel 9053
Phone +64 3 489 3809
Fax +64 3 489 3739
AgResearch Company Profile
Produced by AgResearch Corporate Affairs
Contact AgResearch Corporate Affairs Manager,
Allanah James
Phone +64 3 321 8800 or 029 9833989
Email allanah.james@agresearch.co.nz
www.agresearch.co.nz
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