Wired for Science: Understanding the feeding habits of mealybug
Fussy children might be frustrating, but fussy mealybugs could help protect the New Zealand wine industry from grapevine leafroll-associated virus 3.
Lincoln University have appointed Dr Alan Renwick as Professor of Agricultural Economics, to further strengthen their teaching and research in this area.
Renwick is currently domiciled in Dublin, Ireland, where he is Professor of Agricultural and Food Economics at University College Dublin (UCD). He will join the Lincoln University team later this year.
“Dr Renwick has exactly the background we need to further strengthen Lincoln’s teaching and research in agricultural economics, and I am personally delighted with the appointment,” says Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Scholarship and Research, Stefanie Rixecker.
“Alan spent many years at the University of Cambridge in the Department of Land Economy, before heading the Scottish Agricultural College’s Land Economy and Environmental Research team.”
“We have managed to secure his skills from his current role in agricultural and food economics at UCD, where he is teaching into their BSc in Food and Agribusiness Management, and their Master’s in Food Business Strategy, as well as supervising research students and undertaking his own research in this field. His background will complement the team within Lincoln in an area that is key to this University, and to New Zealand as a whole.”
The role of Professor of Agricultural Economics sits within Lincoln University’s Faculty of Agribusiness and Commerce. This year the faculty has announced the appointment of Crawford Falconer of the OECD to the Sir Graeme Harrison Professorial Chair in Global Value Chains and Trade, and will see the appointment of another two professors over the coming months.
“Lincoln University has been through a period of remarkable change in the last couple of years,” says Dean of the Faculty of Agribusiness and Commerce, Professor Hugh Bigsby.
“The appointment of Dr Renwick to this senior academic role signals another step-change in the development of our core areas of expertise. The role is one of four senior positions to be appointed this year.”
The Professor of Agricultural Economics will support Lincoln’s new Bachelor of Commerce (Food and Resource Economics) and research Masters’ and PhD supervision in the field of agricultural economics, as well as supporting the faculty’s agribusiness research and teaching more generally.
“I am looking forward to joining what is already a world-renowned university with a well-established reputation with the agricultural sector in New Zealand, and helping to build this reputation in the area of agricultural and food economics through my own research, presentations, publications and commentary. It is a very exciting time to be heading to New Zealand and joining the Lincoln University team,” says Renwick.
Renwick will also play a role in OneFarm - Centre of Excellence in Farm Business Management, a joint research centre with Massey University and will work closely with the University’s Agribusiness & Economics Research Unit (AERU).
Federated Farmers says almost 2000 farmers have signed a petition launched this month to urge the Government to step in and provide certainty while the badly broken resource consent system is fixed.
Zespri’s counter-seasonal Zespri Global Supply (ZGS) programme is underway with approximately 33 million trays, or 118,800 tonnes, expected this year from orchards throughout France, Italy, Greece, Korea, and Japan.
Animal owners can help protect life-saving antibiotics from resistant bacteria by keeping their animals healthy, says the New Zealand Veterinary Association.
According to analysis by the Meat Industry Association (MIA), New Zealand red meat exports reached $827 million in October, a 27% increase on the same period last year.
The black and white coat of Holstein- Friesian cows is globally recognised as a symbol of dairy farming and a defining trait of domestic cattle. But until recently, scientists didn’t know which genes were responsible for the Holstein’s spots.
According to the New Zealand Dairy Statistics 2024/25 report, New Zealand dairy farmers are achieving more with fewer cows.

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