Author Archive

AgriTechNZ recently attended dinner in Wellington with the Hon Stuart Nash, Minister for Economic and Regional Development.  It was a special opportunity to highlight the importance of agritech in supporting New Zealand’s economic growth.      

Minister Nash acknowledged the global challenges for the food and fibre sector including meeting new environmental standards and climate extremes.

“But we’re seeing that our people are responding with ingenuity.  Our agritech sector is developing innovative solutions for the primary sectors in New Zealand and the world, increasing their productivity and sustainability,” says Minister Nash.

“From pastoral farming and dairy to arable cropping, horticulture and fresh produce, viticulture and aquaculture, and more recently digital technologies, we’ve made a name for ourselves doing just about everything you can imagine.”

The Minister was particularly supportive of the role AgriTechNZ can have in telling these stories both locally and internationally.

“The global opportunities for New Zealand from agritech are enormous, particularly if we focus on international markets and tell our stories well” he says.

Minister Nash also previewed TIN Agritech Research showing the growth in the agritech sector.  During the past year, the largest 22 agritech companies had a revenue growth of eight percent and export growth of 6.4 percent.  Companies with revenues over $200 million grew at a rate of 7.7 percent, while companies with revenues of up to $50 million grew remarkably at approximately 30 percent. 

AgriTechNZ CEO, Brendan O’Connell, highlighted the shared challenge facing us all and that great things happen when we work together – the collective genius of the agritech community.  He highlighted three key areas of shared focus that can empower agritech to deliver what the world needs from agriculture:
(1) enablement of digital agriculture – through strengthened foundations and supported adoption.
(2) investment and scale to fuel the change
(3) collaboration and impact

Discover Kiwis Going Global

In case you missed our first story, meet Don Sandbrook, Clare Bradley and Aaron Pannell who share their close connection to the land and the challenges of scaling globally. 

Read more

The Future of Farming is HereDiscover the future of farming right here in New Zealand!  Meet Kiwi agritech innovators Darryn Keiller, Jason Wargent and Tijs Robinson. They’re helping change how we feed the world.
Read more

Would you like to know more? Sign up for our latest news and stories direct to your inbox! https://agritechnz.org.nz/subscribe-agritech-news/

Discover the future of farming right here in New Zealand!  Meet Kiwi agritech innovators Darryn Keiller, Jason Wargent and Tijs Robinson. They’re helping change how we feed the world.  View now.

Rolling pastures, dairy cows contentedly chewing the cud, thousands of sheep on a high country station or juicy stone fruit freshly picked from an orchard.  The new reality for farming is very different as food production transitions to an efficient indoor model using tech, data and innovation.  It’s a business model, combining ground breaking science and innovation technology that is going global.

The perfect storm

The urgency for more sustainable growth of fresh produce is being driven by changing consumer preferences, greater awareness of environmental impacts and carbon footprints.

“The need for the industry to transform is obvious.  We have to move towards a digital and data driven model that is less reliant on knowledge workers and manual labour.  It’s not just about technology, it’s about how we farm and grow our food.  We’ve got to change,” says WayBeyond’s Darry Keiller. 

“We’re trying to solve these really gnarly global problems,” he says when describing the challenge of working with the horticulture industry to sustainably grow food to feed the world.  Read more.

Baked-in benefits 

While WayBeyond is focused on bringing growers into the data age, BioLumic is shining a light on the untapped potential that exists in the crops we grow.  Their world-first tech delivers ultralviolet light to trigger biological mechanisms that increase plant growth, vigour and yields. 

“We can come up with a light recipe to unlock a plant’s potential at different stages, starting with the seed.  We call it a light recipe because it’s essentially like baking a cake.  You need to combine the right ingredients for the magic to happen,” he says, adding that it requires a paradigm shift. 

“We’re building a whole new biological understanding and biology is hard.  But you have to ride the roller coaster if you want to have a real, meaningful impact on the world,” says Jason.  Read more.

Carbon champions

Currently, most greenhouses use natural gas to generate the carbon dioxide (CO₂₎ they need to feed their plants.  But locally and worldwide, there is a push to move away from fossil based fuels to more renewable sources.  Hot Lime Labs has a solution, converting wood waste biomass into clean CO₂ for commercial greenhouses.

“We’ve jumped on the wave at the right time.  The world is looking for clean, green solutions; the climate’s not going to become more predictable, land prices aren’t going down and the demand for fresh fruit and vegetables is not going to reduce.  These trends are only going in one direction,” says Hot Lime Lab’s Tijs Robinson.  Read more.

We’d love to hear your stories!

Is connection to the land important to you? What does ‘place’ mean to you and your business? It might be where you grew up, where your business is based, or the unique characteristics of the region you live in. 

We’d love to hear your stories to help inspire other Kiwi agritech entrepreneurs.  Please contact us.

Ngā mihi

Brendan O’Connell
CEO
AgriTechNZ

Following a week of announcements on emissions reduction plans and budget allocations, the role of agritech is front and centre for New Zealand.  Funding for the Agritech Industry Transformation Plan continues with an additional $5 million investment. 

The Emissions Reduction Plan also included a $340 million commitment for the Centre of Climate Action – creating pathways for leading climate research and agritech solutions to be supported in farm adoption.  We have also been consulting with the He Waka Eke Noa partners (a primary sector leadership group making recommendations to the Government on the approach to agricultural emissions pricing) on possible methods to support the changes for reporting on farm emissions.  The common thread between these initiatives is the need and opportunity to strengthen the foundations of digital agriculture in New Zealand.  All strong strategies combine both local and global objectives – developing these digital agriculture capabilities in New Zealand equips our agritech sector with technical, cultural and social advantages to have even greater impact when their relevance and knowledge is applied globally.  We can both strengthen our primary core and create new options for weightless exports and global impact.

Next month our Executive Council will further cement our strategy with a day of focussed planning. Following this, I am looking forward to joining our dinner with the Hon Stuart Nash, Minister for Economic and Regional Development.   This is a special opportunity to engage directly with the Minister and officials to highlight the importance of agritech in supporting New Zealand’s economic growth.  We will also share insights from our latest research and showcase key initiatives promoting New Zealand agritech.  

Meanwhile, here’s my round up of everything about agritech this month!

Climate funding announcement
New Zealand’s agritech companies are helping meet the country’s climate commitments and their innovations are valued internationally which will drive agritech export growth and create future proof jobs for Kiwis.
Read more >

Auckland pre-2035 Oceania Summit coming soon!
Ahead of the Summit, join industry leaders, agritech companies, farmers and growers, regulators and policy makers to discuss agrifood tech innovation.  Join us on 31 May in Auckland.
Read more >

Digital trends transforming agriculture
The Digital Agrifood Summit 2022 takes a practical look at the digital trends and technologies transformation agriculture.  Explore the Emerging Carbon Economy on 1-2 June.
Read more >

Uptake of tech in the primary sector
Last week, during Techweek22, I joined our digital adoption project team – Tim Cutfield and Bridgit Hawkins on TechweekTV to discuss our research findings. This is now available for on-demand viewing.
View here >

Ready for the challenge to build your business?
If you’re a company, entrepreneur or scientist with an idea for a scalable business the Sprout Agritech Accelerator is for you.  Applications for the next cohort close on 4 June.
Read more >

Celebrating our agritech exporters
Entries are now open for the New Zealand International Business Awards 2022.  Agritech was well represented in Bluelab’s win last year, will it be you this year? Applications close 4 July and winners will be announced at a gala dinner on 27 October.
Read more >

Informing the future of food, agriculture and tech
Join the next Global Signals workshop with Melissa Clark-Reynolds on 9 June in Auckland.  You will receive practical tools to help you identify trends before they unfold.  Plus, learn how to link strategy and foresight.
Read more >

Attending HortConnections 2022 in Brisbane?

Callaghan Innovation and New Zealand Trade and Enterprise are delighted to invite New Zealand businesses attending Hort Connections 2022 in Brisbane to a networking morning tea. Join us to connect with other New Zealand businesses and researchers in the horticulture sector who are in Brisbane for the conference.
Learn more >

Discover AI for the environment
Also during Techweek22, the AI Forum launched their new research report, AI for the Environment in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Read more >

Nominations close next week!
Ahead of our Annual Meeting, we’re seeking nominations for our Executive Council.  Nominations close on 31 May.  We are making excellent progress for our sector and require continued energy and insights from you, our members.  Please consider putting forward the best and brightest we’ve got!
Read more >

Ngā manaakitanga me kei runga noa atu 
Go well and onwards and upwards

Sprout, New Zealand’s leading agrifoodtech accelerator and investor, is on the hunt for entrepreneurs for their next cohort!

Sprout understands the importance of developing innovation and talent in the agrifoodtech ecosystem. Their herd is a team of experts who live and breathe agriculture, food and technology. They work alongside a wide range of agrifoodtech start-ups and entrepreneurs, working on ideas like the next automated soil testing robot or a positive gut health food.

The Sprout Accelerator is 12-weeks of virtual and in person sessions. A big benefit is you don’t need to relocate, you just need to make yourself available for all the workshops and Underground events. You need to be agile, dynamic and willing to be challenged.

Sprout’s promise to you:
● Challenge you to validate your business model
● Coach you on what investors are looking for in a pitch
● Enable you to work in a cohort of entrepreneurs
● Provide tailored workshops for optimum learning
● Pair you with a specialised mentor/s
● Connect you with their vast global network.

Registrations for their next cohort are now OPEN.

If you know someone up for the challenge, find out more here.
Registrations close 4 June 2022.

• Must be from an AgriTechNZ member organisation
• Must be in the AgriTechNZ tier they are being nominated for
• Must be up to date with their AgriTechNZ membership fees

All nominations must be submitted online here by 5pm, Tuesday 31 May, 2022.

AgriTechNZ Executive Council roles and responsibilities include:

• Direct and supervise the business and affairs of AgriTechNZ.
• Attend monthly Executive Council meetings, usually two hours in duration (video conferencing available).
• Represent AgriTechNZ at industry events and as part of delegations.
• Assist with managing and securing members of AgriTechNZ.
• Participate in AgriTechNZ working groups and projects.
• Where agreed by the Executive Council, act as a spokesperson for AgriTechNZ on particular issues relating to working groups or projects.
• Be a vocal advocate of AgriTechNZ.

Online Voting

Voting will take place online in advance of the meeting. The results will be announced at the Annual Meeting. Please see the Charter for an outline of Executive Council Membership and election process. Each organisation has one vote allocated to the primary contact of the member organisation.

Annual Meeting Details

The Annual Meeting is scheduled for 3pm on Tuesday 5 July 2022 and is to be held via video conference. Register for the event here.

Notices and Remits

If you wish to propose any notices or motions to be considered at the Annual Meeting, please send them to elections@agritechnz.nz by 5pm, Tuesday 14 June, 2022.

Key Dates:

• 11 May: Call for nominations for Executive Council representatives issued to members.
• 31 May: Deadline for nominations to be received.
• 7 June: List of nominees to be issued to AgriTechNZ voting members and electronic voting commences.
• 14 July: Any proposed notices, motions or remits to be advised to AgriTechNZ.
• 5 July: Results of online voting announced at Annual Meeting.

Sharing our inspiring stories
Discover the Kiwis taking on the world in our brand new series. First up, we meet entrepreneurs Don, Clare and Aaron who share their close connection to the land and the challenges of scaling globally. Read more >

Join the conversation
How is connection to the land important to you? What does ‘place’ mean to you and your business? It might be where you grew up, where your business is based, or the unique characteristics of the region you live in. We’d love to hear your stories to help inspire other Kiwi AgriTech entrepreneurs. Read more >

Navigating Chaos
In March I joined an event hosted by Boma New Zealand, Navigating Chaos as a Ukrainian Entrepreneur, an interview with Michael Utkin, CEO of agritech business FieldBee. The extreme circumstances the FieldBee teams are working under is inspirational, clearly demonstrating how work and the lives we share it with are so interwoven. View now >

Turbocharge global connections
As borders reopen, it’s time to begin reconnecting in person. If you are considering attending Hort Connections or WineTech, this June in Australia, please let us know. Read more >

Leading the way at Dairy-Tech UK
It was great to see AgriTechNZ members, Gallagher, MilkTechNZ, Levno and UBCO leading the way at this northern hemisphere event. In preparation for future opportunities, we are delighted to collaborate with the United Kingdom Department of International Trade (UK DIT) and UK Agritech Centres to connect our ecosystems. Read more >

Take to the stage at evokeAG 2023 in Adelaide
If you have a global agrifood innovation and tech story worth telling, please submit an expression of interest by 31 May. Read more >

Foundations of digital agriculture
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor has announced support for digital farm environment plans (dFEP) from the Ministry for Primary Industries’ (MPI) Sustainable Food and Fibre Futures fund (SFF Futures). To fast track its delivery, SFF Futures is contributing to the Trust Alliance New Zealand (TANZ) led research project. Read more >

Powering up the waka
Andrew Cooke from Rezare Systems has penned an excellent thought piece on optimising a farm with digital solutions while completing necessary regulatory levy compliance tasks as efficiently as possible. Read more >

Blueprint for an industry
It’s not often you see the birth of an entire new sector, but that’s what Puro New Zealand are taking on through a SFF Futures grant from MPI. The grant will help establish an organic medical cannabis industry by developing a blueprint for other Kiwi companies. Read more >

Acquisition strengthens capability
Recently named supreme winner of the New Zealand International Business Awards, Bluelab has acquired automation company Autogrow as part of a global expansion strategy. Read more >

Keeping an eye on investments
Dunedin based member OmniEye has received $1.6 million seed funding to commercialise their on-farm camera system. Read more >

More agritech recognition
Congratulations also to all the agritech finalists in the New Zealand Hi-Tech Awards. Special mention to our members Agrisea, Cropsy, Hectre and SmartMachine. Read more >

Primary Industries Summit and Awards: exclusive ticket giveaway!
We have partnered with Callaghan Innovation to offer five member companies (who have entered the awards) a free two day summit pass, plus complimentary tickets to the Primary Industries Summit Awards on 6 July in Auckland. Contact us >

Discover Israel’s Innovation Experience
Israel 360° offers an online academy followed by a week in Israel, touring businesses, meeting investors and networking. Scholarships are available. Learn more >

Step up and represent your community
We have three Executive Council roles up for election in the next two months. Major Corporate, Other Corporate and SME positions are all due, so now is a good time to sort your membership and play a role in our sector leadership. Contact us >

Ngā mihi,

Brendan
Chief Executive
AgriTech New Zealand

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Hort Connections

Australia & New Zealand’s Premiere Horticulture Conference & Trade Show
6 – 8 June, 2022.
Brisbane Convention Centre
View agenda

WineTech

Australia’s Wine Industry Exhibition & Conference
27 – 29 June, 2022
Adelaide Convention Centre
View agenda 

If there is enough interest in either of these events, Callaghan will support Kiwi companies with either a NZ Let’s Connect event prior to the conference or an in-market Mini Mission immediately after.

What is NZ Let’s Connect?

These events are meetups for New Zealand companies attending conferences. It provides an opportunity to network prior to a conference and meet with relevant sector experts from the host city.

What is a Mini Mission?

These are customised for each event and include a one day deep dives to better understand the market. Mini Missions may include a farm or research institute visit, or in-market exploration with agencies from the host city.

If you have registered or are considering attending Hort Connections or WineTech, please let us know here!

Please respond by Friday 22 April 2022.

Can you take on the world from your own backyard?

The sheer bloody minded persistence that paved Don Sandbrook’s big break is still the key to building a global business. Greentech Robotics is on a bold mission – to future proof farming by developing cutting edge robotic capability.  Today, almost all their customers are offshore, but Greentech Robotics is still based in Palmerston North.  We asked Greentech Robotics’ Don Sandbrook how he made it work. Read more.

Shifting mindsets with the power of local knowledge.

It started as a dream, but this award winning Paeroa based family business is creating global impact.  Their tech is unique and uses brown kelp native to New Zealand.

“As a Māori-owned, intergenerational business, we have a different lens on the business than a large corporate might have. That influences our long-term vision. Māori values like kaitiakitanga, manaakitanga and whanaungatanga are part of our DNA,” says AgriSea’s Clare Bradley.

“Our values are not a PR exercise for us, they’re part of who we are. We feel it is our responsibility to look after our natural resources for future generations,” she says. Read more.

Necessity is the mother of invention!

We’re renowned for our ‘number eight wire’ mentality to problem solving.  But when FlipFarm had to think creatively to stop losing their gear and oysters they also created a system to help farmers around the world.

“We built the system for us but once we saw that it worked we knew it was going to solve a big problem for farmers around the world,” says FlipFarm’s Aaron Pannell. Read more.

We’d love to hear your stories!

Is connection to the land important to you? What does ‘place’ mean to you and your business? It might be where you grew up, where your business is based, or the unique characteristics of the region you live in.

We’d love to hear your stories to help inspire other Kiwi agritech entrepreneurs. Please contact us.

View the Hon Damien O’Connor’s media statement here.  

Subscribe to receive regular news and events updates from AgriTechNZ. 

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) is seeking feedback on proposals for the research, science and innovation (RSI) sector. In its formative stage, the Te Ara Paerangi Future Pathways Green Paper seeks to begin the conversation about the future of New Zealand’s research system.

At AgriTechNZ, we proudly connect an ecosystem of innovators, investors, regulators and researchers. We know that the success of our sector is based on an inclusive and collaborative RSI system.

The Te Ara Paerangi Future Pathways Green Paper focuses on six key areas: 

1. Research Priorities: how to better identify and deliver on whole of system research priorities.
2. Te Tiriti, Mātauranga Māori, and Supporting Māori Aspirations: how the research system can best honour Te Tiriti, give life to Māori research aspirations, and enable mātauranga Māori.
3. Funding: how to reshape the funding system for the future and to give effect to research priorities.
4. Institutions: how to increase connections, collaboration and adaptability within the system for future success.
5. Workforce: how the RSI workforce is supported, developed and funded.
6. Research Infrastructure: how we invest in, govern and run the national research infrastructure.

As part of the consultation process, we are preparing a submission and have already spoken with many stakeholders. At a high level, we expect to be commenting on these topics:
– Industry stakeholder engagement
– Skills and relationships that enable innovation
– A ‘whole of system’ perspective
– Perspectives on New Zealand’s strengths, opportunities and place in the world
– Te Tiriti partnership and it’s potential to frame a deep and unique contribution to global issues
– The global impact of New Zealand science and innovation
– Measures of success and impact from our RSI system.

If you have an opinion or would like to schedule a call with one of our team to discuss further, please email us info@agritechnz.org.nz

Ngā mihi

Brendan O’Connell
Chief Executive, on behalf of the Executive Council of AgriTech New Zealand

You can learn more about the forum here: Food, Agriculture & Livelihoods Week | World Expo (virtualexpodubai.com)

In addition, please find below the registration links for the week’s highlights;

• Cultures in Conversation | Key Ingredients 26 Feb
• Dignified Storytelling | Beyond Food, Agriculture and Livelihoods 24 Feb
• Women’s Pavilion Programme | Arab Women Leading the Way in Food Security, Nutrition, and Agriculture 20 Feb
• Next Gen World Majlis | You are What You Eat: The Role of Food in Our Lives 21 Feb
• World Majlis | Farms of the Future: Feeding the Planet with Technology 17 Feb
• World Majlis | The Value of Food: Rethinking the Cycle of Food Waste 20 Feb
• World Majlis | Food for Thought: How will We Eat in the Future? 22 Feb
• SDG | Good Food for All (Flagship) 20 Feb
• Women’s Pavilion Programme | Women’s World Majlis: From Farmer to Boss Lady: Developing a Gender-equitable Agricultural Sector 21 Feb
• Expo Live Impact Series | Solving the Cash Flow Challenge for Smallhold Farmers 17 Feb
• Expo Live Impact Series | How Products Have a Story (and why People Should Know) 18 Feb
• Expo Live Impact Series | Bringing Farmers and Growers the Right Data 21 Feb
• Expo Live Impact Series | Simplifying Agricultural Supply Chains (and How Tech Can Help) 21 Feb
• Expo Live Impact Series | Pushing the Boundaries of Agriculture 22 Feb
• Expo Live Impact Series | Innovations Bringing an End to Food Waste 23 Feb
• Food, Agriculture & Livelihoods Business Forum 21 Feb
• Sustainability @ Expo | Nature’s Harvest: Growing Sustainably for a Growing World 19 Feb

Please note that everything mentioned here is in UAE time zone (-9 hours for NZT) so 8am in the UAE is 4pm here in New Zealand. Some of these events will be uploaded to Virtual Expo Dubai so you can watch later in your own time-zone.

Access your member discount code here

Local agritec​h startup Cropsy Technologies has successfully completed its first capital raise, with the award-winning company raising $1.5 million in an over-subscribed round.  This will enable Cropsy to commercialise its world first AI-enabled crop vision system.

Cropsy combines mobile, continuous and GPS-tracked high-definition image capture, with AI-enabled software to analyse crops and aid decision making for growers.

The technology enables growers to identify pests and diseases early, for targeted spraying and reduced crop loss, as well as efficiently understanding crop growth and saving time for vineyard and orchard managers. It will boost sustainability goals for growers by ensuring resources are not applied when not needed.

Attached to a tractor and powered by the tractor battery, the system sees and understands every single plant while a grower runs their daily crop operations, profiling every leaf, fruit, shoot, cane, and trunk in real-time as the tractor passes by.

“There’s nothing better than seeing our system out there in the field, and creating tech that will be accessible to every grower,” says Cropsy’s Leila Deljkovic who met Ali Alomari, as engineering students at Auckland University. They were then joined by fellow co-founders Rory Buchanan and Winston Su.

Ali says it is humbling to be backed by New Zealand’s finest in AgTech, and their innovative, early-adopter customers who they couldn’t do their work without. 

“This capital injection enables us to reach our goal of looking after 10 million vines by the end of 2023,” says Ali.

Initially focussed on grapevines, Cropsy will expand into apples and oranges.

Would you like to know more about agritech in New Zealand?  Subscribe to receive monthly news and event updates.

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our dedicated and tireless volunteer Executive Council. They guide me and the team and put in considerable effort on behalf of the member groups they represent. They are accomplished, connected and motivated, so it’s not surprising they have achieved quite a few notable results themselves this year.

Our Chair, Kenneth Irons, was selected as the New Zealand representative on the International Standards Organisation’s advisory group on Smart Farming.

Bridgit Hawkins, Chief Sustainability Officer at CropX,  launched Fields Of Change to begin an important and long overdue conversation about women’s leadership in agriculture. 

Maria Jose (MJ) Alvarez, Investment Manager at WNT Ventures, was selected as a finalist for the Westpac and Stuff Women of Influence NZ 2021 for her work increasing diversity in tech and venture capital. MJ was also recognised as one of the Top Diverse Board-Ready Directors by the Superdiversity Institute for Law, Policy and Business and Ministry for Ethnic Communities in New Zealand.

Kylie Horomia, Head of Industry Transformation at WayBeyond, was the driving force behind the recent Global Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Census. The purpose of the Census is to understand the CEA landscape and provide growers’ insights into how their industry is tracking. Dr Haydn Reid and Te Whanau-a-Apanui are developing a spat Hatchery and working with other Iwi in the aquaculture space on the Eastern Bay of Plenty. It’s an emerging story, but one where Agritech will be super valuable, in a place where people need jobs and talent can be developed to support a new developing industry.

Finally, I’d like to thank our members who support this community and enable the development of our shared ecosystem. Through your support we are continuing to promote and advocate for the development of the sector – a collective effort with strong support from our Government partners. That support comes from the justified aspirations for the sector, but also because we continue to collaborate as a sector together.

Brendan O’Connell

CEO

AgriTechNZ

Next week, we are taking what was supposed to be a national roadshow online.  Join the Agritech Connect Seminar as we reflect on the progress made with the Agritech Industry Transformation Plan (ITP). This will be an informative session highlighting key project progress and sets the scene for the continuing shared work to build our sector. This event is a precursor to our physical  tour around the country in 2022, starting in late February.  It’s not too late to register, so please, join us Tuesday 30 November from 1:00pm-2:30 pm.  

Last week, we began surveying our membership to better understand their needs, preferences, their sector and community interests.  Insights from this survey will be used to plan member activities and representation. Your participation will impact our work so if you are a member and missed the email, please contact us. 

What makes our agritech unique?
Earlier this month, the #PoweredbyPlace campaign launched in the print edition of the Farmers Guardian, Climate change  solutions from the other side of the world.  The first video showcasing how New Zealand agritech is helping United Kingdom (UK) farmers improve their environmental footprint, is also live.  View it here and then watch our hero video here. 

In collaboration with Government agencies and agritech businesses, we are piloting offshore agritech campaigns, initially targeting the UK.  The learnings from this will then provide a blueprint for activation in other markets.     

If you haven’t already, please check out the Powered by Place toolkit with insights, messaging, images and videos to help you share the New Zealand Agritech story in your market.  You can also leverage the campaign by using the ready-to-share social tiles in your marketing with #NZAgritech or #PoweredbyPlace hashtags on social media.  The campaign toolkit includes all the assets (yes, it’s free!) and guidance on how they can be used.

Explore the toolkit

Data interoperability update 

We recently held the third session of the Agritech Leaders Data Reference Group and reviewed industry concepts for a ‘data definitions registry’ and industry statement of intent regarding data sharing.  Our Chair, Kenneth Irons, was also recently appointed by Stats NZ as the New Zealand Representative on the International Standards Organisation (ISO) Advisory Group on Smart Farming. There is a lot of activity in the domain of ‘data interoperability’ and we are forming views on what some of the ‘common ground’ activities should be for an independent organisation working in an interdependent space. We know that this is not just a local challenge and we need to connect with global systems and build on the work of others.

Read more >


Championing data collaboration
The proof is in the carcass! It was great to see the integration of ANZCO’s kill sheet data with FarmIQ systems. Every step that links insights across the sector is a step closer to a more complete data ecosystem for New Zealand. Our vision is for a digitally enabled primary sector that protects and amplifies what is best of New Zealand and adds further credibility to all our products: food, fibre and tech.

Read more >

Fastest growing agribusiness

In further member news, we congratulate Levno for being named the fastest growing Agribusiness and placing among the top 20 fastest growing businesses in New Zealand over the previous two years in the #Deloitte #NZFast50 index.

Read more >

Open innovation 

It’s also great to see open innovation and collaboration in the Sievwright Investment Entity’s investment in Machines at Work. This is first external investment in Machines at Work, and the Sievwright’s are the drivers behind global equipment business Trimax. The funds will be used to accelerate development of the company’s core technology which enables the autonomous operation of existing machinery — helping address some of the biggest challenges faced by the horticulture sector today. It’s a great partnership and example of continued confidence and investment across the sector.

Read more >

Award winning aquatech innovation 

Congratulations to FlipFarm Systems, a New Zealand company that has developed a semi-automated method for turning oyster-growing cages over with little human effort, has won the Global Seafood Alliance’s annual Global Aquaculture Innovation Award.

Read more >

Our partners at AusAgritech recently appointed Tracey Martin as their new CEO and we look forward to working together on the promotion of regional agritech strengths and opportunities.

Thank you to all members who have provided input to the recent NZTech submission on the Ministry for the Environment’s Te hau marohi ki anamata, Transitioning to a low-emissions and climate-resilient future. Your voice was heard and has joined the voices of those who  support the effective application of technology to enable our shared future. You can view further submission activity here and we will continue to highlight topics of particular interest to the AgriTechNZ community.  Given the Industry Transformation Plan’s focus on Commercialisation of Research Intellectual Property (IP), we will focus on the Te Ara Paerangi – Future pathways – Green Paper and encourage you to submit feedback as well as participate in industry discussion on the future of science and innovation.Please let us know if you would like to join a working group on this topic. 

Finally, when it comes to looking to the future we are strong advocates for the development of skills in identifying and processing signals of change. We all do a version of this as we can news and topics of interest to our sector.  Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of joining a training session with KPMG where it became apparent that there is a discipline and methodology to capturing and analysing signals that together can inform more rich assessments of possible future scenarios for our sector and business. Callaghan Innovation are continuing this and I highly recommend checking out this first newsletter, subscribing for future issues versions and joining events like this in Christchurch on Dec 9th when possible. The Global Signals newsletter and workshops are another part of the Agritech ITP and it’s exactly what our agritech companies should be seeing in their inbox on a monthly basis.

Keep well as we come to the end of what was another very strange year. We’re looking forward to an even brighter future.

Ngā mihi

Brendan
Chief Executive, on behalf of the Executive Council of AgriTech New Zealand