What Would Synlait Be Worth to Fonterra or a2 Milk?
Speculation of a possible joint move by Fonterra and a2 Milk to buy Synlait raises a much bigger strategic question, says agribusiness expert Dr Nic Lees.
Moore, who begins her new role at Lincoln’s Te Waihora campus on October 12, will helm the agricultural, horticultural and conservation portfolio of land. She comes from Mapperley Stud Ltd, Matamata, where she was resident veterinarian and office manager.
Moore has an extensive background in farm management, through running her own dairy farm and seven years of sharemilking, achieving farm production records wherever she worked.
She has chaired the New Zealand Dairy Industry Awards Trust (NZDIA), and in 2009 was NZDIA National Sharemilker of the Year and an agricultural ambassador for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade to Europe.
Moore, who has Ngati Rangitihi and Cook Island ancestry, has also consulted for DairyNZ, initiating and developing a project to create a network of Maori farms in Taupo, and managed a national programme to help farmers work on agribusiness strategies.
Lincoln University deputy vice-chancellor – scholarship and research, Dr Stefanie Rixecker says this is a new leadership role for the university. “I am thrilled that Dr Moore is taking on the unique opportunity and responsibility to manage and influence a large portfolio of land to improve efficiencies and effective use of the land,” she says.
Moore says she is excited about her appointment.
“Having worked for DairyNZ and worked up the farming ladder to farm ownership, I am acutely aware of the importance of agricultural and horticultural research and development and more importantly the extension of outcomes to the farming public, the rural professionals that support these industries and the future farmers/professionals who will come through Lincoln University.”
Moore will manage Lincoln University-owned, controlled or influenced land outside of the campuses, which includes farms, orchards, forests, and conservation land.
Lincoln University owns and manages a variety of farm properties for four key reasons: education and training, providing first-hand farm experience for students; research and development; demonstration, for commercial farmers to take key learnings to apply to their own properties; scholarship support, for commercial profit to be applied to the support of future students.
Moore’s role also involves supporting the education, research and outreach objectives of Lincoln University and maintaining strong relationships with joint venture partners on specific farms such as those at Northland College, and St Peter’s School, in Cambridge.
“The research farms are pivotal in providing scientific outcomes that benefit New Zealand agriculture and this is something that I would take great pride in being a part of,” says Moore.
