NZ scientists make breakthrough in Facial Eczema research
A significant breakthrough in understanding facial eczema (FE) in livestock brings New Zealand closer to reducing the disease’s devastating impact on farmers, animals, and rural communities.
The chair of state-owned AgResearch Paul Reynolds has stepped down.
Reynolds served nine years on the board, five of which were as chair. Kim Wallace has stepped into the role of acting board chair.
In other changes, Hone McGregor, chair of the governance group for the Our Land and Water National Science Challenge, and former B+LNZ chair Andrew Morrison join the AgResearch Board from this month. They replace Jackie Lloyd and Rukumoana Schaafhausen.
Reynolds is being celebrated as a tireless advocate for research and New Zealand’s primary industries.
“Paul leaves an impressive legacy of having successfully shepherded AgResearch through some difficult times, and times of significant change,” says AgResearch chief executive Sue Bidrose.
“Paul comes from a background in science himself and he has always stayed true to those roots as he has led the way in governance for us at AgResearch, and for other organisations.
“He has a deep understanding of the research and primary sectors, and he has worked hard to make sure that high quality research is recognised and to the fore in whatever we have done as an organisation.
“Coming out of a challenging time of proposed changes for our people and campuses across the country several years ago, and amid some tough financial conditions, Paul has guided the organisation as we modernised our facilities, including the successful delivery our fantastic new Tuhiraki facility at Lincoln.
“Paul has also led the organisation through various reviews of the science sector and the evolution of our organisational strategies and priorities to meet the changing needs of our Government shareholders, industry partners and New Zealand as a whole. As the Government progresses the current process to transform the science sector, we are now in a much better position as we move into those reforms,” says Bidrose.
The University of Waikato has broken ground on its new medical school building.
Undoubtedly the doyen of rural culture, always with a wry smile, our favourite ginger ninja, Te Radar, in conjunction with his wife Ruth Spencer, has recently released an enchanting, yet educational read centred around rural New Zealand in one hundred objects.
Farmers are being urged to keep on top of measures to control Cysticerus ovis - or sheep measles - following a spike in infection rates.
For more than 50 years, Waireka Research Station at New Plymouth has been a hub for globally important trials of fungicides, insecticides and herbicides, carried out on 16ha of orderly flat plots hedged for protection against the strong winds that sweep in from New Zealand’s west coast.
There's a special sort of energy at the East Coast Farming Expo, especially when it comes to youth.
The avocado industry is facing an extremely challenging season with all parts of the supply chain, especially growers, being warned to prepare for any eventuality.

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