Science Media Centre

Scientists and other researchers in the nation’s primary-production sectors canvassed the role of science and innovation in Wellington during a forum which also featured warm-up head-butting by politicians preparing for November’s general election. Excerpts from recorded highlights of some presentations delivered at the Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Science forum are available for playback. Dr [...]

In the lead up to the election, the Dominion Post has quizzed National and Labour on what the key issues are in the agricultural sector. Excerpts (read in full here): Big issues loom over agriculture With Parliament rising on Thursday, and campaigning for Election 2011 getting under way in earnest, the parties were asked to [...]

In the New Zealand Herald, businessman and philanthropist Owen Glenn writes about getting the most out of innovation in Kiwi research. Excerpts (read in full here): Let’s sow the seeds for real growth I’m not one who favours either/or situations. They tend to limit possibilities and the imagination. Consequently I’m a little perturbed by what [...]

At the Agricultural and Horticultural Outlook summit in Wellington this week, politicians and scientists explored the coming challenges faced by the farming sector. Radio New Zealand has been reporting back from the gathering, where high profile individuals have raised important questions for the future of agriculture and horticulture in New Zealand. From Radio New Zealand: [...]

This week the Potato Genome Sequencing Consortium published the genome of the humble potato in the international journal Nature. The Consortium is a collection of academic and industrial research groups – including New Zealand’s Plant & Food Research -  which over the last 5 years has been working to unravel the DNA blueprint of the [...]

ONLINE MEDIA BRIEFING: Wed 6 July 10.30 AM Soil, water, energy, air, wildlife and minerals — they underpin our economy, but go largely unrecognised when it comes to tallying up the balance sheet. Recent steps by policy-makers in the UK and locally are making concrete efforts to move away from a purely economic valuation of [...]

A new Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) survey has examined the antimicrobial resistance of bacteria isloated from New Zealand food, and found little evidence of drug resistant ‘superbugs’. The survey was undertaken to establish the current extent of resistance to antimicrobial drugs in bacteria found in food-producing animals and fresh produce. Further details of [...]

Cattle infected with foot and mouth disease (FMD) are only infectious for a brief window of time, around half what was previously thought, according to a study published today in the journal Science. Outbreaks of the devastating virus, which affects cattle, sheep, pigs, deer and other animals, led to mass culling of livestock in the UK in [...]

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has released a report which suggests New Zealand should focus on producing and exporting technology which will counter green house gases from farming. The OECD’s Economic Survey of New Zealand, in addition to recommending the introduction of a capital gains tax and raising the retirement age, has [...]

ERMA has given permission for ten species of Australian dung beetles to be brought over to New Zealand, to help farmers deal with agricultural runoff and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The beetles turn manure into a sawdust-like material which aids soil fertility, and can also help prevent manure leaching into waterways as well as increasing [...]