AgResearch & Lincoln in a Joint Venture

Today AgResearch and Lincoln University announced their intent to develop a formal joint venture to secure many of the benefits identified in their previously proposed merger reports Scoop. "We will provide significant, additional benefits to farmers and food and textiles companies through a tight collaboration" says Professor Roger Field, Vice Chancellor of Lincoln University. "Through this collaboration we will explore a much greater contribution by AgResearch into education and PhD supervision, and a more integrated approach to extension education and technology adoption. Lincoln University will utilise AgResearch's facilities in the North and South Islands to expand its current reach and capacity into the land-based sector".   "This is an important collaboration for the whole pastoral foods and textiles value chains"says Dr Andrew West. "AgResearch is the most integrated pastoral sector research organisation in the world, with 600 scientists and technicians, 13 research farms and four major campuses dedicated solely "“ absolutely solely - to pastoral farming, dairy and red-meat food companies and woollen textiles companies, and all associated industries. This collaboration with Lincoln University will supplement those we have with The University of Otago in livestock physiology and in food, with The University of Auckland in food, with Waikato University in agritechnology and food processing technologies, and with Massey University in livestock health, in animal welfare and in food". Professor Field and Dr West stated that Lincoln University and AgResearch were exploring the joint use of research facilities and farms and co-location of activities. Work to scope and establish the detail of the joint venture is to begin in the near future.