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.
Lincoln University and AgResearch will consider separate building options as an alternative to a much-anticipated joint facility building that never got beyond a fenced site.
However, both say collaboration on the Lincoln campus remains a priority.
The $206 million project is dead-in-the-water following Education Minister Chris Hipkins’ rejection of another revised business case seeking Government funding.
The building as currently designed cannot be built without a Crown contribution, Lincoln’s acting vice-chancellor Bruce McKenzie said in a statement.
Hipkins said in December 2018 that while he remained supportive of the joint facility project he would not endorse the business case in its current form.
“In the view of the minister, the implementation business case did not meet Treasury guidelines.”
McKenzie says AgResearch is progressing a feasibility study for a separate building. But both parties are discussing how to work together to realise the benefits of a joint facility.
“In due course the Lincoln University council will receive a series of options to consider, including options to progress a separate build project.
“As has always been a priority, Lincoln University will continue to look at ways to collaborate with partners including AgResearch to achieve the benefits of the Lincoln precinct.”
McKenzie says Lincoln has the capacity to progress its own capital works projects.
“Planning for campus wide capital projects, undertaken in 2018, continues and will be considered by the council at the appropriate time.”
An AgResearch spokesperson told Rural News the parties are working together on new plans to construct a Lincoln education, research and innovation precinct for AgResearch staff after deciding a joint facility would not be built.
“We will continue to talk to interested stakeholders about their future involvement and our strategic plans and staff relocation intentions remain unchanged.”
The 27,000sq.m building was supposed to embody the Lincoln Hub concept to foster collaboration in R&D in farming. It would have housed 700 agricultural science staff from Lincoln University, AgResearch and DairyNZ, and more tenants in future.
But the building site has largely remained fenced off, overgrown and idle since a VIP ground-breaking ceremony in August 2017.
Managing director of Woolover Ltd, David Brown, has put a lot of effort into verifying what seems intuitive, that keeping newborn stock's core temperature stable pays dividends by helping them realise their full genetic potential.
Within the next 10 years, New Zealand agriculture will need to manage its largest-ever intergenerational transfer of wealth, conservatively valued at $150 billion in farming assets.
Boutique Waikato cheese producer Meyer Cheese is investing in a new $3.5 million facility, designed to boost capacity and enhance the company's sustainability credentials.
OPINION: The Government's decision to rule out changes to Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) that would cost every farmer thousands of dollars annually, is sensible.
Compensation assistance for farmers impacted by Mycoplama bovis is being wound up.
Selecting the reverse gear quicker than a lovestruck boyfriend who has met the in-laws for the first time, the Coalition Government has confirmed that the proposal to amend Fringe Benefit Tax (FBT) charged against farm utes has been canned.
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