increase font size
MPI's PGP director Justine Gilliland
THE MINISTRY for Primary Industries has defended technology transfer to farms from Primary Growth Partnership programmes, following criticism from former Landcorp chief executive, and now Beef + Lamb Genetics chairman, Chris Kelly.
At BLG’s recent Sheep Breeders’ Forum in Dunedin Kelly said PGPs wouldn’t succeed “until we crack the technology transfer problem.” (Rural News, Oct 21).
That implies a lack of technology transferring from PGP programmes, which is not the case, says MPI’s PGP director Justine Gilliland.
“Technology transfer is one of the areas that we focus on in PGP programmes,” she told Rural News.
“In fact, many PGP programmes are actively focussed on this, such as Clearview Innovations, Transforming the Dairy Value Chain, the Red Meat Profit Partnership, NZ Avocados Go Global and the New Zealand Sheep Industry Transformation programme.
“These programmes are ensuring that growers and others have access to usable information, data, knowledge, tools and services and support to enable their businesses to succeed.
“For example, the FarmIQ System is connecting farmers more directly with their processor and consumers, as well as helping them to drive farm performance.”
Gilliland says MPI has also facilitated discussions across and among PGP programmes about technology transfer and other topics, to “leverage outcomes using the collective knowledge of programmes.”
A standard framework for technology transfer across PGPs helps information and knowledge sharing, she adds.
An MPI-commissioned independent report on PGPs by the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research earlier this year concluded that current and future PGPs will deliver about $6.4 billion/year growth in GDP from 2025, points out Gilliland.
And if all innovations are adopted widely, and aspirations of programmes reached, an extra $4.7 billion is possible.
“The PGP is making good progress in enabling technology transfer from PGP programmes to the primary industry sectors, and this is supported by increasing collaboration among and between PGP programmes.”
Testing confirms H5 bird flu in a single northern giant petrel, found dead on a remote Cape Palliser beach in the Wairarapa, says Dr Mary van Andel, the Ministry for Primary Industries' (MPI) Chief Veterinary Officer.
The apple sector is working with the Government to unlock access to two key markets that could bring millions in revenue for apple growers.
OPINION: A simpler, clearer, more effective Recognised Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme.
The country's second largest milk processor is warning against 'complacency' during a review of competition regulations in the dairy sector.
Blueberry growers are warning that fresh imports could pose a huge biosecurity risk for NZ’s horticulture sector.
Fonterra’s 2026 financial year was a year of delivery, with record volumes of milk collected, processed and shipped by the co-op.
OPINION: The Government's decision to reinstate agriculture and horticultural science as a standalone subject from Year 11 is the right one.
Dairy farmers, still holding onto their Fonterra shares despite switching milk supply elsewhere or exiting the industry, now face a stricter share sell-down requirement.
Hamilton-based agritech company Aimer Farming has completed a $3 million capital raise to support its next stage of growth, including a beef farming product due to launch in 2027.
When dairy manager Miriam Lauridsen learned the farm, she was joining held weekly health and safety meetings, she initially thought that was “a bit over the top”. Experiencing that culture changed her mind.
Nominations are open for the 2027 Fonterra Dairy Woman of the Year Award.
