AgResearch

{{Short description|New Zealand research institute}} {{Use New Zealand English|date=April 2024}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}} {{Infobox government agency | agency_name = AgResearch | native_name = Āta mātai, mātai whetū | nativename_r = | logo = AgResearch.svg | logo_width = 200 px | logo_caption = | seal = | seal_width = | seal_caption = | formed = 1992 | preceding1 = | dissolved = 30 June 2025 | superseding1 = New Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science | jurisdiction = | headquarters = Lincoln, Canterbury, New Zealand | employees = | budget = | minister1_name = | minister1_pfo = | minister2_name = | minister2_pfo = | chief1_name = Dr. Sue Bidrose | chief1_position = Chief Executive | chief2_name = Dr. Paul Reynolds, QSO | chief2_position = Chair | parent_agency = | child1_agency = | website = {{URL|https://www.agresearch.co.nz}} | footnotes = }}

'''AgResearch Ltd''' (formerly known as '''New Zealand Pastoral Agriculture Research Institute Limited''') was one of New Zealand's largest Crown Research Institutes with over 700 staff and revenue of NZ$160.7 million in the year to June 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.agresearch.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/AgResearch-Annual-Report-2013-14-PDF-2MB.pdf|title=Annual Report 2013/14|publisher=AgResearch|date=27 August 2014|pages=2, 26|access-date=21 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160130023933/http://www.agresearch.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/AgResearch-Annual-Report-2013-14-PDF-2MB.pdf|archive-date=30 January 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref> The New Zealand Government merged the institute into the New Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science on 1 July 2025.<ref name="Beehive 14 May 2025">{{Cite web |date=14 May 2025 |title=Bold science reforms to fuel economic growth |url=https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/bold-science-reforms-fuel-economic-growth |access-date=14 May 2025 |website=www.beehive.govt.nz|publisher=New Zealand Government|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250524102716/https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/bold-science-reforms-fuel-economic-growth|archive-date=24 May 2025|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Main areas of research== AgResearch existed to serve the agriculture and biotechnology sectors of New Zealand industry. This function has transferred to the New Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science.

==History== AgResearch was created along with New Zealand's other Crown Research Institutes in 1992. In AgResearch's case, this was largely by merging the pastoral agriculture-related portions of MAFTech (the research arm of the then Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries) which had predominantly carried out animal research, with the agriculture-related portions of DSIR, which had predominantly carried out research on forage plants.

AgResearch has grown over time by acquiring research organisations "down" the value stream from its initial on-farm emphasis, such as the former '''Meat Industry Research Institute of New Zealand''' ('''MIRINZ''') in 1999 and the former '''Wool Research Organisation of New Zealand''' ('''WRONZ''', which had been rebranded as '''Canesis''') in 2007.

In March 2009 AgResearch announced that it planned to merge with Lincoln University,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/business/news/article.cfm?c_id=3&objectid=10560936|title=AgResearch, Lincoln University merger planned|work=The New Zealand Herald|date=10 March 2009}}</ref> but that was subsequently changed to an intention to form a joint venture.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/SC0908/S00021/agresearch-lincoln-university-joint-venture.htm |title=AgResearch, Lincoln University joint venture |publisher=Scoop |date=11 August 2009 |access-date=25 September 2021}}</ref>

A plan called "Future Footprint" was announced in 2013 to concentrate resources at the Grasslands site in Palmerston North and Lincoln campus near Christchurch.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.agresearch.co.nz/about/future-footprint/|title=Future Footprint|publisher=AgResearch|access-date=21 September 2015|archive-date=26 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926032116/http://www.agresearch.co.nz/about/future-footprint/|url-status=dead}}</ref> This involved the transfer of about 200 staff mostly from Ruakura (Hamilton) and Invermay (Dunedin) sites.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/business/farming/agribusiness/72241451/agresearch-redundancies-expected-this-week|title=AgResearch redundancies expected this week|first=Gerald|last=Piddock|publisher=NZ Farmer|date=21 September 2015}}</ref> There were reports that a substantial number of staff left the CRI after Future Footprint was announced<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/rural/250603/fears-many-agresearch-staff-leaving|title=Fears many AgResearch staff leaving|publisher=Radio New Zealand |date=25 July 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/334725/clark-alarmist-over-agresearch|title=Clark 'alarmist' over AgResearch|newspaper=Otago Daily Times |date=28 February 2015|first=Vaughan|last=Elder}}</ref> and staff morale was poor with redundancies being considered in September 2015.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/rural/284768/agresearch-confirms-job-cut-talks|title=AgResearch confirms job cut talks|publisher=Radio New Zealand |date=21 September 2015}}</ref> About 50 scientific staff were made redundant in 2016.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/288344/agresearch-to-lay-off-5-fewer-scientists-techs|title=AgResearch to lay off 5 fewer scientists/techs|publisher=Radio New Zealand |date=29 October 2015}}</ref> The government approved the restructure in June 2016.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.radionz.co.nz/news/political/305405/$133m-agresearch-restructure-gets-go-ahead|title=$133m AgResearch restructure gets go-ahead|publisher=Radio New Zealand |date=2 June 2016}}</ref> These changes were not eventually implemented due to staff backlash and resignations so the genomics teams remain at Invermay.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.odt.co.nz/news/dunedin/facility-plan-was-disaster|title=Facility plan was 'disaster'|publisher=Otago Daily Times |date=16 February 2019}}</ref>

On 14 May 2025, Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology Shane Reti announced that AgResearch would be integrated into a new Public Research Organisation called the New Zealand Institute for Bioeconomy Science from 1 July 2025.<ref name="Beehive 14 May 2025" />

==Organisation== AgResearch's science capability is divided into six groups: Animal Productivity, Forage Improvement, Food & Bio-based Products, Animal Nutrition & Health, Innovative Farm Systems and Land & Environment. Science staff operate in five portfolio groups representing major sectors: Dairy On-farm, Dairy Pasture-to-plate, Meat & Fibre On-farm, Meat & Fibre Paddock-to-Consumer and Agricultural Policy & Maori Agribusiness.

==Locations== AgResearch has research campuses at locations around New Zealand, including: *Ruakura, near Hamilton *Grasslands and the '''Hopkirk Research Institute''', near Palmerston North *Lincoln, near Christchurch *Invermay, near Dunedin

==See also== *AgResearch Invermay *Ruakura

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Official website}} * [http://www.hopkirk.org.nz Hopkirk Research Institute] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081002021839/http://hopkirk.org.nz/ |date=2 October 2008 }} * [https://www.nzagrc.org.nz New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre] * [http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/waikato-region/page-9 history of AgResearch in Waikato from 1901]

Category:State-owned research organisations in New Zealand Category:Agricultural research Category:Science and technology in New Zealand