$15m for new biological research partnerships   28 Oct 2014

$15m for new biological research partnerships

Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce and Primary Industries Minister Nathan Guy today announced the Government will invest more than $15 million over a maximum of seven years to support four research partnerships that will benefit New Zealand’s primary industries.

“These investments will enhance industry involvement and collaboration on strategic research, and improve the performance of key parts of our primary industries leading to increased exports,” Mr Joyce says.

The funds are being allocated from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment’s Biological Industries Research Fund, as determined by the independent MBIE Science Board.

The new Pastoral Genomics Ltd ‘Commercialising Forage Biotechnologies’ Partnership, led by a joint venture between DairyNZ, Beef+Lamb NZ, Grasslands Innovation, NZ Agriseeds, DEEResearch, AgResearch, and Dairy Australia, will receive $3.11 million for one year to improve the pastoral system and enhance on-farm efficiency.

Pipfruit New Zealand Inc will receive $4.35 million over seven years for the ‘Apple Futures II’ Partnership, which aims to secure market access for apples to high-value Asian markets by developing new knowledge of pest and pathogen infestation and infection processes.

New Zealand Winegrowers will receive $3.50 million over seven years for the ‘Resilient and Profitable Wine Industry’ Partnership, which aims to increase vineyard longevity and profitability.

An investment of $4.35 million over seven years will be made in the ‘Meat Industry Research and Innovation’ Partnership, led by the Meat Industry Association Inc. The research will include finding ways to increase the quality and shelf-life of chilled meat exports, and improve the productivity and profitability of export meat processing.

Government funding will be matched by industry funding on a one-to-one basis.

“These projects will see industry partnering with research organisations to jointly find solutions for challenges to increase export revenue for the benefit of New Zealand,” Mr Joyce says.

“The primary sector makes up 73 per cent of our merchandise exports and is the powerhouse of New Zealand’s economy. This investment in research and development will play a big part in achieving our goal of doubling the value of primary exports by 2025,” Mr Guy says.

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