NZ Catchment Groups Thrive with ‘Source to Sea’ Approach
The most successful catchment groups in NZ are those that have 'a source to sea' approach.
Massey University professor Velmurugu (Ravi) Ravindran has been awarded the New Zealand Society of Animal Production’s McMeekan Memorial Award, the country’s highest honour for a production animal scientist.
The award is given only to an outstanding individual or group worthy of the honour; it was last awarded in 2013.
Ravindran, from Massey’s Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, specialises in poultry nutrition, with emphasis on nutrient metabolism, feed enzymes, feed evaluation, amino acid availability, gut flora management and early nutrition in poultry.
Senior lecturer Dr Nicola Schreurs, who nominated professor Ravindran for the award, says his strong ties with the industry have allowed for rapid advances in technology.
“The progressiveness of the poultry industry is attributable to the work that Ravi has done.
“He is also widely acknowledged as a researcher who laid the foundations for much of the current understanding of feed enzyme technology. This is becoming more critical in the current context of sustainability – maximising the utilisation of available feed resources and lowering the environmental impact from animal production.”
The McMeekan Memorial Award honours Dr Harold McMeeken, a distinguished leader in animal production research and administration in NZ and worldwide.
He influenced NZ agricultural research and the development of Ruakura as a world renowned research centre.
The Meat Industry Association of New Zealand (MIA) today announced that Chief Executive Officer Sirma Karapeeva has resigned from the role.
The winners of the 2026 Hawke’s Bay/Wairarapa Dairy Industry Awards were announced at the annual awards dinner held at Copthorne Solway Park in Masterton on Thursday evening.
Environment Southland is welcoming this week’s decision by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) to approve the release of Blaptea elguetai, a leaf‑feeding beetle that will help control the highly invasive Chilean flame creeper.
This March, the potato industry is proudly celebrating International Women’s Day on 8 March alongside the International Year of the Woman Farmer, recognising the vital role women play across every part of the sector — from paddocks and packhouses to research, leadership, and innovation.
Fruit trader Seeka posted a record profit and returns to shareholders in 2025.
Recent weather events in the Bay of Plenty, Gisborne/Tairawhiti, and Canterbury have been declared a medium-scale adverse event.

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