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1 New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre – Business Plan

Web version – July 2010

New Zealand Agricultural

Greenhouse Gas Research Centre –

Business Plan

3rd March 2010 – updated July 2010

Dr Harry Clark, Director

Business Plan

3rd March 2010 Updated July 2010 Web version



1. Table of Contents

1. Table of Contents .................................................................................................. 2

2. Executive Summary .............................................................................................. 4

3. Purpose and Objectives ........................................................................................ 7

4. Background history ................................................................................................ 9

4.1 Methane mitigation ...................................................................................... 9

4.2 Nitrous Oxide mitigation ............................................................................ 10

4.3 Soil Carbon ............................................................................................... 10

5. Research Situational Analysis ............................................................................. 13

The Current State of the Research Environment ................................................. 13

Trends in Research Environment ......................................................................... 14

Research Definition ............................................................................................. 16

Partner Selection ................................................................................................. 16

6. Research Market ................................................................................................. 20

7. Marketing Strategy ............................................................................................. 25

8. Quality Assurance ............................................................................................... 27

Role of the Steering Group (SG) .......................................................................... 29

Role of the International Science Advisory Group (ISAG) .................................... 29

Role of the Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG) ................................................... 29

9. Governance ......................................................................................................... 31

Role of the Steering Group (SG) .......................................................................... 31

Compositions of the SG, ISAG and SAG ............................................................. 32

10. Management and Staff ..................................................................................... 33

Centre Director .................................................................................................... 33

Other Centre Staff................................................................................................ 34

Science Leadership Team (SLT) ......................................................................... 35

Support structures ............................................................................................... 37

11. Risk Strategy ..................................................................................................... 38

12. Resource Requirements .................................................................................... 40

Human Resources ............................................................................................... 40

Existing Research staff ........................................................................................ 40

Additional Capability requirements ....................................................................... 40

New Capability development ............................................................................... 41

Financial .............................................................................................................. 41



Non-financial ........................................................................................................ 43

Scientific equipment and infrastructure development ........................................... 43

13. Financial Projections ......................................................................................... 45

14. Māori Stakeholders ........................................................................................... 46

Māori Agricultural Land ........................................................................................ 46

Proposed Strategy ............................................................................................... 46

Strategy Development – Background................................................................... 47

Timeline ............................................................................................................... 47

Strategy Development Process............................................................................ 47

15. Intellectual Property Management ..................................................................... 48

16. Research Information and Data Management ................................................... 49

17. Stakeholder Relationships, Technology Transfer and Commercialisation .......... 52

Key issues ........................................................................................................... 52

Stakeholder engagement processes .................................................................... 53

Commercialisation processes .............................................................................. 55

Knowledge transfer processes ............................................................................. 58

Transfer of information for policy processes......................................................... 60

18. Growth, Communications and Branding ............................................................ 60

Growth ................................................................................................................. 60

LEARN ................................................................................................................ 61

SLMACC and agricultural GHG inventory research ............................................. 61

PGP ..................................................................................................................... 61

National and International collaboration ............................................................... 61

Global Research Alliance ..................................................................................... 61

Communications .................................................................................................. 62

Appendix 4.1 Centre partners expertise in the agricultural GHG mitigation area ..... 63

Appendix 5. Partners Memorandum of Understanding ........................................... 76

Appendix 6 Market analysis – Scientific expertise around the world ........................ 79

Appendix 10. Curriculum Vitae of the Centre Director and the Principal Investigators

................................................................................................................................ 80

Appendix 11. Initial Risk Register ............................................................................ 88

Appendix 12.2 Detailed financial projections first 5 years ...................................... 97

Appendix 12.3 Building and equipment costs for setting up the Centre ................... 99

Appendix 12.4 Infrastructure & equipment ............................................................. 100



2. Executive Summary

This business plan describes in detail how the New Zealand Centre for Agricultural

Greenhouse Gas Research proposes to achieve its goals over the coming ten years.

About half of New Zealand‟s GHG emissions come from agriculture. At the same

time, about 44% of New Zealand‟s merchandise export earnings also come from

agriculture. Cutting GHG emissions by reducing agricultural production would

therefore have a severe impact on New Zealand‟s export revenue. For economic

reasons and because the human population of the world requires agriculture to

produce food, it is the role of the Centre to find ways by which New Zealand can

meet its international GHG emission obligations without reducing agricultural output.

The changes required in New Zealand agriculture, if this goal is to be achieved, will

be profound and to achieve them will demand transformational science, effective

development of GHG mitigation products, services and approaches, and first class

transfer of adoption of mitigation technologies and new knowledge by the agriculture

sector.

The Centre is conscious that the importance of this field for New Zealand has meant

that there have been several significant contributions to GHG mitigation research

prior to the Centre‟s establishment – especially the PGgRc and the SLMACC

programmes. Nevertheless, key skills are held by only one or two researchers in

many of the specialist areas required to develop mitigation approaches. Soil carbon

research has received little investment for many years and consequently requires

invigorating. The Centre science strategy was developed in the context of this

existing research environment.

The Centre‟s research programme includes approaches to reduce methane and

nitrous oxide emissions, increase soil carbon accumulation and to develop the tools

needed to design novel, practical and credible farm systems that maintain/enhance

profitability while reducing GHG emissions. For each of methane, nitrous oxide and

soil carbon, the Centre Director and a group of senior scientists in each area

examined potential approaches to: a) manipulate the inputs of nitrogen or carbon, b)

manipulate processes that produce methane or nitrous oxide or accumulate soil

carbon, and c) manipulate the outputs by which gas is lost to the atmosphere. For

each of these areas, an exhaustive set of potential approaches was assembled and

the approaches that would have the greatest impact if they were successful and

would have the greatest chances of success were identified. It was concluded that

some areas with a likely high impact and high chance of success already had

appropriate levels of investment from other sources while other areas could have

their chance of success raised through additional investment. Further areas, while

promising, had not had sufficient resources invested to make satisfactory progress to

date and so it was considered that resources could be invested to improve the rate of

progress. Finally, the Centre will set aside a small „tactical‟ research fund of

approximately $100,000 each year to provide for such things as scientific support for

government policy development relating to GHGs and newly emerging mitigation

opportunities. Technology transfer is a key component of the Centre‟s activities and



an initial amount of $200,000 has been set aside to fund these activities. Priority

areas for this funding will be decided after further consultation with industry and

policy agencies.

To carry out its R&D activities, the Centre will initially draw on about 20 full time

equivalent research staff based in its partner research organisations. The Centre is

led by a Director who is assisted by an administration manager and a part-time

assistant/receptionist. The Centre is based in a dedicated building on the

AgResearch Grasslands campus, near Palmerston North.

The Centre has four main groups of stakeholders: farmers whose animals produce

the bulk of NZ agricultural greenhouse gases; food processing companies exporting

products for which the GHG emissions related to their production may increase costs

or affect the ability to sell their products; government officials working on policy

relating to GHGs; and the wider NZ public. Less direct stakeholders include

agricultural sector support companies that may commercialise GHG mitigation

technologies and the international GHG science community. As tangata whenua,

Māori hold a special place among the Centre‟s stakeholders and two places have

been reserved for Māori on the Centre‟s Stakeholder Advisory Group. A detailed

strategy for Māori involvement in the Centre is being developed in consultation with

MAF, who are utilising findings from appropriate studies and documents relating to

Māori land use to gain a base understanding of the current opportunities for

engagement with Māori.

The Centre will face many difficult challenges. The greatest risk that the Centre will

face, given the huge technical difficulty of substantially reducing GHG emissions

without reducing agricultural production, will be that it will be unable to achieve its

goals with the resources available. This risk will be minimised by linking to existing

PGgRc investment and to investment by the Global Research Alliance, but the

Centre acknowledges that there is a real possibility of its mission being impossible,

regardless of the resources available to it.

If its mission should prove to be possible, the Centre will have gone a long way

towards achieving it by 2020 following ten years of targeted research activities after

becoming operational in March 2010.

The Centre partners, including the PGgRc, are linked through a Membership

agreement that defines the terms under which they work together. Another important

link will be to the Global Research Alliance where Centre staff are coordinating the

Alliance‟s Livestock Research Group as well as having input into the general

development of an Alliance research strategy

The Centre Membership agreement and the draft IP management strategy define

ownership and procedures for managing intellectual property created with investment

by the Centre. These have been developed in consultation with the Centre partners,

FRST and MAF Policy in over the last six months and are now awaiting final approval

by FRST and MAF.



The retention of complete, accurate and retrievable results is integral to the research

process. Good research practice entails the retention of research data and records in

accessible form for periods of at least five years after the publication of results, or

longer depending on the provisions of the Public Records Act (2005), contracts with

R&D investors and archival/historical value. The Centre plans to use the Microsoft

SharePoint product as a repository for primary scientific data (at least until a New

Zealand-wide initiative is in place) as well as project and experimental plans,

analysed data and reports.

Effective internal and external communications will be essential to the Centre‟s

success. The diverse communication needs of the Centre‟s many stakeholders will

be addressed by a communications strategy that includes research publications,

newsletters, an annual research report, media interaction through briefings and

regular communications in the farming press, publicity material, the Centre website,

internal communications to keep partners informed, specific interactions with key

stakeholders (MAF Policy, PGgRc, PGP, MFAT) and the Centre‟s international

connections.

The financial projections in this business plan envisage an investment of $48.5

million by the Primary Growth Partnership over 10 years, divided between capital and

operating costs. In addition, the Centre is expected to align with or manage

substantial additional funds to reduce GHG emissions. These funds will be derived

from the PGgRc, SLMACC, Global Research Alliance and other sources.

This plan will be reviewed, and updated where required, every 2.5 years in alignment

with formal Centre reviews by the Crown. The financial projections will be updated

annually.



3. Purpose and Objectives

The mission of the Centre is ‘To provide knowledge, technologies and practices

which grow agriculture’s ability to create wealth for New Zealand in a carbon

constrained world’. It will do this by undertaking research and development

activities on reducing emissions of methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) and

increasing carbon sinks/reducing carbon losses in agricultural soils. Since greater

than 95% of agricultural emissions in New Zealand arise from the pastoral sector the

primary focus of the Centre‟s activities will be on the pastoral sector although it will

conduct targeted research in the arable and horticultural areas as well as in non-

pastoral livestock. The Centre‟s research focus aligns directly with Pillar 2 of the of

the Government‟s Sustainable Land Management and Climate Change (SLMACC)

initiative „Reducing emissions and creating carbon sinks‟ and the collaborative

approach aligns with Pillar 4 of that initiative („Working together‟), which builds on the

highly successful Government/industry Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research

Consortium (PGgRc). The Centre will, however, be most closely aligned with the

aims of the Primary Growth Partnership (PGP), which is a government-industry

initiative to invest in significant programmes of research and innovation to boost the

economic growth and sustainability of New Zealand‟s primary, forestry and food

sectors. PGP focuses on boosting productivity through ongoing investment in

innovation and on delivering long term economic growth and sustainability across the

primary sectors, from producer to consumer. The Centre will also lead New

Zealand‟s science input into the Global Research Alliance (GRA), including the

coordination of the Livestock Research Group. .

The underlying rationale of the Centre is that by building upon existing research and

opening up new promising avenues of research it will increase the prospects and

bring forward the date by which cost effective GHG mitigation practices technologies

and practices are a normal part of New Zealand agricultural production. Through

undertaking quality research and by close interaction with public, industry and policy

stakeholders the Centre will also become a shop window through which New

Zealand displays its firm commitment to finding a solution to the agricultural GHG

problem. The Centre will be a major source of information for all stakeholders around

the science of agricultural GHG mitigation and be the organisation which provides

them with trusted, unbiased and credible information. Through developing a generic

agricultural GHG mitigation research strategy and conducting high quality, highly

visible research programmes that align with the identified priorities of that strategy

the Centre will be well placed to attract international and national collaborators.

Full details of the science the Centre proposes to undertake can be found in a

companion document Centre Strategy and Science Plan.

Briefly, in the first 2-5 years, research into reducing enteric CH4 emissions will build

on the existing PGgRc research programme by concentrating on discovering ways to

inhibit methanogenesis in the rumen and discovering the underlying genetic basis for

differences in CH4 emissions between animals. Work will also continue on novel

feeds to reduce CH4 emissions. Emissions from waste can already be reduced using



existing technologies and the Centre will concentrate its activities on providing tools

and information to enable better decision making by farmers on the cost

effectiveness of adopting these technologies. Finally the Centre‟s funding will

supplement the PGgRc vaccine programme and support a 1 year programme which

will test a putative anti-methanogen vaccine in sheep.

Nitrous oxide research will increase funding going into discovering „second‟

generation nitrification inhibitors since these inhibitors are already a proven mitigation

technology; the Centre‟s new programme will concentrate specifically on increasing

their efficacy and longevity. Fundamental work will also be undertaken on

understanding the underlying soil and environmental factors that influence N2O

emissions. Two exciting new areas of work will commence. The first will examine the

possibility of developing germplasm that combines high dry matter production with

low N requirements so that the N concentration in plants more closely matches the N

requirements of ruminants. The second new area of work will quantify the N2O

emissions from plants themselves and study possible strategies to mitigate these

emissions.

For the first time in New Zealand a programme specifically designed to investigate

methods of manipulating the quantity of carbon stored in agricultural soils will be

instigated. A high priority initial task will be to investigate the scope there is to

increase the quantity of carbon stored in New Zealand‟s agricultural soils by

assessing the actual and potential carbon stored under a range of soil, management

and environmental conditions. Parallel programmes will seek to identify the main

drivers of soil carbon storage in grazed systems. Later in the research programme

the emphasis will shift towards designing managements practices that can change

the amount of carbon stored.

Integrated farm systems research will concentrate on developing improved tools for

farm systems analysis. The initial focus will be on improved models capable of more

accurate predictions of CH4 and N2O emission from pastoral systems.

The Centre‟s research programme will fund work that builds and supports both new

and existing collaborations worldwide. New collaborations with Wageningen

University and the University of Adelaide will be initiated and existing collaborations

with INRA, the University of Guelph and the University of Manitoba strengthened. A

specific collaboration between the Centre‟s research programme and the EU via a

Framework 7 programme „Animal Change‟ involving 15 countries has been

established.

Full details of the quantitative and qualitative goals of the Centre can be found in the

companion document Centre Strategy and Science Plan. Details of the Director

and Principle Investigators are given in Appendix 10.



4. Background history

AgResearch and its research partners in this proposal, through long standing support

from the Crown and industry particularly the PGgRc, hold the majority of New

Zealand‟s capability in agricultural GHG mitigation research. According to Scopus,

AgResearch staff were authors of 53 out of the 174 NZ-authored papers relating to

“methane” or “nitrous oxide” published in 2008 and the partners between them

produced 164 of the 174 NZ authored papers. Historically, AgResearch has been the

lead provider with respect to enteric CH4 production while Lincoln, AgResearch and

Landcare Research have together taken a lead role in pastoral N2O. Although soil

carbon research is more diverse, AgResearch, Landcare Research, Plant and Food

Research, Lincoln, Massey and Scion hold most of the relevant capability and

receive a large portion of the NZ R&D investment in soil carbon-related work.

Landcare Research led the development of the New Zealand Carbon Monitoring

System, now the basis for MfE‟s LUCAS project for carbon inventory.

4.1 Methane mitigation

AgResearch is the lead research provider to the PGgRc. Approximately 22

AgResearch FTEs are employed on the PGgRc‟s research programme.

PGgRc investment has enabled AgResearch to establish the world‟s largest

ruminant microbiology group.

PGgRc investment has enabled AgResearch scientists to be the first in the world

to explore the possibility of breeding animals with reduced CH4 emissions.

AgResearch and NIWA refined and improved the SF6 tracer method for

measuring ruminant methane emissions in grazing animals.

Landcare Research, AgResearch and NIWA scientists collectively hold the New

Zealand expertise for measuring CH4 emissions on farm at the paddock scale

AgResearch immunologists have the world‟s most advanced programme for

developing an anti-methanogen vaccine.

AgResearch is a major research provider for the MAF SLMACC programme of

work. In the last two rounds, all five medium-term contracts with a value of $0.5m

each were awarded to AgResearch-written programmes of work.

AgResearch has the best calorimetry and SF6 facilities for measuring CH4

emissions from individual animals in the southern hemisphere.

Landcare Research is leading research in developing soil biofilters to mitigate

methane emissions from effluent ponds at farm scales and is undertaking

research funded by SLMACC on enteric CH4 mitigation.

Lincoln and Massey Universities have facilities for measuring enteric CH4

emissions and staff at both universities have been principle supervisors of all

recent PhD students working in the enteric CH4 area.



4.2 Nitrous Oxide mitigation

Professors Di and Cameron of Lincoln University published the seminal paper on

the use of new nitrification inhibitor technologies during 2002, which led to the

development and application of inhibitors as nitrogen management tools in NZ‟s

dairy pasture systems. They have now published 14 papers in international peer-

reviewed journals on the topic, including a paper in Nature Geoscience.

Landcare Research has conducted research on the effectiveness of nitrification

inhibitors in dairy systems and has tested the ability of urease inhibitors to

reduce N2O emissions and NH3 volatilisation.

AgResearch, Landcare Research and Lincoln University have been contracted

by MAF and industry to undertake a national long term study examining the

effectiveness of nitrification inhibitors in reducing N2O emissions, N leaching and

increasing pasture production.

Landcare Research and NIWA scientists are collaborating to develop methods to

measure N2O at the field scale and Lincoln, AgResearch and Landcare

Research have New Zealand‟s best facilities for measuring N2O emissions in the

field and the laboratory.

AgResearch, Landcare Research, Lincoln, NIWA and Plant and Food Research

scientists have been collaborating since 1999 on the science underpinning the

New Zealand N2O inventory.

4.3 Soil Carbon

The partners in this bid have been involved in many of the major programmes on soil

carbon and hold much of New Zealand‟s capability in carbon cycling within

agricultural ecosystems.

Plant and Food Research leads the Sustainable Land Use Research Initiative

(SLURI - C02X08013) which started in 2004. SLURI brings together scientists

from Landcare Research, AgResearch and Plant and Food Research in an

integrated programme to use soils sustainably. Objective 1 addresses the

influence of land use and management on the stocks and flows of soil carbon.

AgResearch has used CRI Capability Funding to research the scope to increase

the rate of terrestrial carbon (C) sequestration by the management of temperate

grasslands. This programme is quantifying the relative contribution of shoot and

root litter to the soil organic matter pool, and the sensitivity of soil C pools to

fertiliser use, irrigation and rainfall, defoliation/grazing and new cultivars.

Land Use Change Initiative (LUCI - C02X0812) – a key focus of this Plant and

Food Research-led programme is to identify management factors that affect soil

organic matter dynamics and the rates of soil carbon accumulation or loss from

cropping systems and Landcare Research FRST (C09X0701) programme

includes a strong component of process-based modelling of changes in soil

organic carbon dynamics in pasture, forest and shrubland ecosystems.

Massey University has set up a New Zealand Centre for research into the role of

biochar in increasing the rates of soil carbon storage. Massey, Landcare



Research, AgResearch and Lincoln researchers are exploring the role of biochar

in reducing emissions of CH4 and N2O from soil.

Landcare Research developed the Soil Carbon Monitoring System that is now

adopted by MfE in its LUCAS project for reporting carbon inventory.

Full details of the expertise, capability, resources and facilities the partners have in

the GHG mitigation area have been submitted via the FRST portal as part of the

partners application to host the Centre. A copy of this can be found in Appendix 4.1.

The following two Tables are a high level summary of the expertise of the partners

and their potential to contribute to the research the Centre will undertake.

Table 1: Summary of current research activity in the agricultural GHG mitigation

research

Table 2: Potential of the partners to contribute to future research into agricultural

GHG mitigation



The host and the eight partners in the Centre have agreed a comprehensive

Membership agreement covering confidentiality, intellectual property, governance

and structure of the Centre etc. A final version of this contract has been submitted to

FRST and MAF for their approval.



5. Research Situational Analysis

The Current State of the Research Environment

For the Centre and its research, the situation can be described as shown in the table

below:

Strengths

Investment by the PGgRc has helped build and support strong capability in rumen science (for methane emission mitigation) and nitrogen cycling (for nitrous oxide emission mitigation) on which the Centre can build.

The NZ GHG emission research community is small and the researchers are familiar to each other, meaning that they can build effective working relationships quickly.

Weaknesses

Limited R&D investment to date means that key skills are held by only one or two researchers in many of the required specialist areas.

The area of soil carbon research has received little investment for many years and consequently requires more capability development than either the methane or nitrous oxide areas.

While some approaches to reduce nitrous oxide emissions without adverse impacts on productivity have already been established (and a few have been commercialised), other mitigations for nitrous oxide and approaches to mitigate methane emissions or increase soil carbon content will probably require a great deal of research work – possibly beyond that achievable with the combined investment in the Centre and the PGgRc.

Opportunities

The additional funding available through the Centre will build effectively on the foundation capability and research base established by the PGgRc.

The Global Research Alliance is now firmly established and although the operational principles are still being formulated the GRA should result in additional investment into in the Centre‟s research programmes.

Threats

Some of the techniques that may be required to research some of the Centre‟s target outcomes could be unacceptable to the NZ public – for instance, genetic modification of rumen microorganisms.



For the agriculture sector, end-users and their ability to take up information and new

technologies from the Centre:

Strengths

The NZ agriculture sector has a long history of enthusiastically taking up innovations that generate productivity benefits, reduce costs, add value to products or reduce environmental impacts.

Weaknesses

The human infrastructure required to assist the sector in taking up innovations delivered by the Centre, while strong for dairy farming, is weak for sheep and beef, and it was weakened further by the failure of the wool levy vote in August 2009.

Strong disbelief in human induced climate change

Opportunities

The emissions trading scheme, or any other policy instrument that resulted in there being a price on carbon, would provide a substantial motivation to end-users to take up outcomes from the Centre that mitigated GHG emissions, if those mitigations reduced the end-users‟ liabilities to purchase emission credits.

Threats

Delays in the implementation of policies that placed a price on carbon and an agricultural sector obligation to take financial responsibility for its GHG emissions, beyond the point when mitigation techniques became available would significantly weaken the motivation of the agriculture sector to take up new techniques.

Trends in Research Environment

While this business plan was under development, three processes were underway

that could have significant effects on the research environment: the review of New

Zealand‟s research, science and technology priorities; the taskforce reviewing the

Crown Research Institutes; and the Prime Minister‟s Chief Science Advisor‟s review

of RS&T commercialisation.

The review of New Zealand‟s research, science and technology priorities proposes

the following significant changes to the current system, according to the NZ RS&T

Priorities feedback document

(http://www.morst.govt.nz/Documents/publications/policy/NZ%20RST%20priorities%

20feedback%20document.pdf):

A change to the investment structure, to simplify the complicated combination

of portfolios that has evolved over time. This should have no impact on RS&T

investment in areas relevant to the Centre, but it may make it slightly easier

and slightly less costly for all research activities, including the Centre, to bid

for contestable funds due to the simpler framework that is proposed.

http://www.morst.govt.nz/Documents/publications/policy/NZ%20RST%20priorities%20feedback%20document.pdf





An improved definition of RS&T priorities. These are proposed to include

Biological Economy and Environment – both of which are aligned with the

Centre‟s goal of reducing agricultural greenhouse gas emissions.

Strategic research platforms. The proposal to establish long-term investments

in a set of specific strategic research platforms is well-aligned with the

proposed 10-year investment in the Centre. There may be an advantage in

re-framing the Centre as a strategic research platform (even though the

Centre is not proposed to be funded from Vote:RS&T) to avoid needlessly

multiplying the number of entity types within the NZ RS&T system. If that was

done, there would be a need to amend some administrative details relating to

the Centre. Whether or not such a change was made, the Centre should have

a strong relationship with any proposed strategic research platform that

related to increasing pastoral productivity or animal productivity (see p.14 of

the NZ RS&T Priorities feedback document).

The review of the Crown Research Institutes has been asked to provide advice on

the following (http://www.morst.govt.nz/current-work/CRI-Taskforce/CRI-Taskforce-

Terms-of-Reference/):

1. Recommendations and assessment of any alternative or additional

initiatives that could be taken to strengthen the CRI model, including the

merits of reconfiguring the number and scope of CRIs.

2. Guidelines for developing „statements of core purpose‟ for each CRI,

including how stakeholder views should be incorporated and how often

such statements should be issued.

3. Advice on how to improve the overall governance of CRIs including

consideration of how to strengthen their Boards.

4. Guidelines for reviewing performance against statements of core purpose

and other performance measures.

5. Recommendations that will ensure CRIs partner with other research

providers and with the private sector, with specific reference to:

o relationships with universities and the alignment of staff incentives,

career paths and the opportunity for staff interchange

o relationships with CoREs and the opportunity for staff interchange

o relationships with the private sector and appropriate incentives for

transferring knowledge.

6. Assessment of the current method of measuring financial performance

and viability, any views on alternative methods of ensuring financial

performance and viability, and any suitable non-financial performance

measures for individual CRIs.

7. Principles for determining core funding levels for each CRI including how

to achieve a balance between long-term capability needs while ensuring

continued short-term dynamism.

8. The impact of any changes to core funding to CRIs on wider RS&T

funding mechanisms (e.g. whether core funding to CRIs leaves a critical

mass for funding via contestable processes).

http://www.morst.govt.nz/current-work/CRI-Taskforce/CRI-Taskforce-Terms-of-Reference/

http://www.morst.govt.nz/current-work/CRI-Taskforce/CRI-Taskforce-Terms-of-Reference/



9. Relationships with international research organisations and other

international linkages.

10. How any recommended changes to the CRI model fit within the wider

RS&T system.

11. Any necessary changes to the organisational form of the CRIs including

changes to the Crown Research Institute Act (1992) or other legislation.

12. An assessment of the timing for introducing change to the CRIs.

The task force review (http://www.morst.govt.nz/current-work/CRI-Taskforce/Final-

Report/) has been accepted by the Government and its recommendations are now

being discussed and implemented. Any moves to increase the amounts of

investment that are allocated over longer time periods for which redirection will be

based on sector needs, R&D performance and likely uptake of outcomes would all be

well-aligned with the principles of the Centre‟s investment and operating approach.

Reconfiguring the number or scope of the CRIs may be beneficial in the long term

but the recent experience of Centre partner Plant & Food Research suggests that

such a process would have to be managed very carefully to prevent distractions that

could significantly slow progress on research programmes as researchers and CRI

managers are forced to focus more on their employment situations than on creating

benefit for New Zealand.

The Prime Minister‟s Chief Science Advisor‟s review of RS&T commercialisation

(http://www.pmcsa.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Report-from-14-Sept-

workshop-29-Oct-09.pdf) has canvassed a number of issues relating to RS&T

commercialisation but has not yet made specific proposals. While many of the points

made by the PMCSA are valuable, the suggestion that commercialisation for RS&T

might be more effective if it was performed by a central hub instead of

commercialisation activities attached to research organisations or consortia that are

focussed on the needs of particular industries or sectors (as at present) would not be

aligned with the approach taken by the Centre. The Centre is confident that the

strong relationship between GHG mitigation researchers and the agriculture sector

that has been fostered by the PGgRc is a model that encourages rapid and effective

adoption of GHG mitigation research outcomes – whether in the form of commercial

products or through agricultural sector practice change.

Research Definition

Some of the investment in the Centre is proposed to be used for new research. Other

parts of the investment are proposed to expand and accelerate existing research.

Please see the Science Plan for details on these points.

Partner Selection

The partners in this bid, who between them represent research and development,

education and industry are:

http://www.morst.govt.nz/current-work/CRI-Taskforce/Final-Report/

http://www.morst.govt.nz/current-work/CRI-Taskforce/Final-Report/

http://www.pmcsa.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Report-from-14-Sept-workshop-29-Oct-09.pdf

http://www.pmcsa.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/Report-from-14-Sept-workshop-29-Oct-09.pdf



• AgResearch Ltd (the host)

• DairyNZ Incorporated

• Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd

• Lincoln University

• Massey University

• National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd

• Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium

• The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Ltd.

• New Zealand Forest Research Institute Limited, trading as Scion

These research and industry partners have agreed a Memorandum of Understanding

(MoU) that commits them to work together to secure host provider status for

AgResearch and, if successful, collectively develop a strategy and business plan for

the Centre.

Appendix 5.1 contains a copy of the Memorandum of Understanding between the

partners and Appendix 4.1 details of each partner‟s current activity in the GHG

mitigation area. In brief, the key contribution and role of each partner in the Centre is

outlined in the following table:

Partner Contribution and Role

AgResearch AgResearch will be the host of the Centre and is New Zealand‟s

largest centre for pastoral agriculture research and

development. AgResearch includes teams of researchers with

skills relevant to the Centre in rumen function, rumen

microbiology, ruminant physiology, soil science, environmental

science, agricultural systems management, forage plant growth

and development, on-farm practice change, social science,

technology uptake, genomics, proteomics and metabolomics of

animals, plants and microorganisms.

AgResearch researchers will take leading roles within the

Centre in the area of methane emission mitigation and nitrous

oxide emission mitigation and will contribute to research on

increasing soil carbon sinks.

DairyNZ DairyNZ is the centre of on-farm dairy research and

development in New Zealand. DairyNZ includes teams of

researchers with skills relevant to the Centre in dairy farming

systems management, dairy cow feeding and growth, milk

production performance, environmental science, on-farm



practice change and technology uptake.

DairyNZ researchers will take leading roles within the Centre in

integrating research outcomes for the dairy industry, applying

those outcomes in dairy farming systems and in stimulating

practice change within the dairy industry.

Landcare

Research

Landcare Research is New Zealand‟s leading provider of

solutions and advice for sustainable development and the

management of land-based natural resources. Landcare

includes teams of researchers with skills relevant to the Centre

in agricultural greenhouse gas emission measurement, carbon

exchange and inventory development, soil science, lifecycle

assessment and social science.

Landcare researchers will take leading roles within the Centre in

emission measurement and soil carbon research and contribute

to nitrous oxide research

Lincoln University Lincoln University is the university within New Zealand for which

the land-based industries are most important and the home of

world-leading expertise in nitrous oxide emission mitigation.

Lincoln includes teams of researchers with skills relevant to the

Centre in nitrous oxide emission mitigation and measurement,

agricultural economics, soil science, environmental science and

agricultural systems management.

Lincoln researchers will take leading roles within the Centre in

nitrous oxide emission mitigation, in developing new capability

and capacity in GHG mitigation research.

Massey University Massey University combines leading capability in fundamental

sciences with application to the agriculture sector, and hosts the

New Zealand Biochar Research Centre. Massey includes teams

of researches with skills relevant to the Centre in soil science,

biochar production and integration into soil, and animal science.

Massey researchers will take leading roles within the Centre in

research into biochar, in developing new capability and capacity

in GHG mitigation research and in transferring management

practices that reduce GHG emissions to the agricultural sector.

NIWA NIWA‟s mission is to conduct leading environmental science to

enable the sustainable management of natural resources for

New Zealand and the planet. NIWA includes teams of

researchers with skills relevant to the Centre in climate change

impacts and adaptation.



NIWA researchers will take leading roles within the Centre in

assessing the effectiveness of mitigation outcomes on climate

change impacts in New Zealand and by linking the mitigation

research conducted by the Centre to climate change impact

research conducted in New Zealand and overseas.

PGgRc PGgRc is a research consortium that aims to decrease total

agricultural emissions of greenhouse gases by 10% per unit of

output in 2013 relative to 2004. PGgRc has formed excellent

links between the agriculture sector and GHG mitigation

research.

PGgRc will be a key conduit for industry guidance to ensure the

applicability of the Centre‟s research to the agriculture sector,

and will be an important pathway for commercialisation and

practice change to apply the Centre‟s research outcomes.

Plant & Food

Research

Plant & Food provides research and development that adds

value to fruit, vegetable, crop and food products. Plant & Food

includes teams of researchers with skills relevant to the Centre

in soil science, environmental science, plant growth and

development, genomics, proteomics and metabolomics of

plants.

Plant & Food researchers will contribute substantially to

research on soil carbon contribute to nitrous oxide mitigation

research.

Scion Scion is dedicated to building the international competitiveness

of the New Zealand forest industry and building a stronger bio-

based economy. Although the Centre‟s scope does not include

forestry, Scion includes researchers with skills relevant to the

Centre in the area of soil carbon that are also applicable to

agricultural land.

Scion researchers will contribute to research on soil carbon.



6. Research Market

There are several markets that will be important for the Centre‟s success, including:

The market for agricultural greenhouse gas mitigation R&D.

The market for agricultural greenhouse gas mitigation technologies.

The market for agricultural greenhouse gas mitigation researchers.

The first of these markets is addressed in this section of the business case. The

second is addressed in Section 17 and the third is addressed in Section 12.

With respect to agricultural greenhouse gas mitigation R&D, the market may be

conveniently separated into two main divisions: New Zealand and overseas. These

are assessed in the table below.

Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Mitigation Research & Development Market New Zealand Overseas

Market size

Almost all current agricultural CH4

mitigation GHG R&D in NZ is funded

by the PGgRc, which aims to decrease

total agricultural greenhouse gases by

10% per unit of output in 2013 relative

to 2004 and to have all farmers using

at least one GHG mitigation technology

by 20131. By the year to June 2008, the

PGgRc has grown its science team

from 12 to 43 and has invested over

$19 million in scientific programmes

aimed at reducing agricultural

greenhouse gases2. The total

investment in that year was $4.3

million3. The PGgRc contracts

AgResearch Ltd, DairyNZ Inc, Via

Lactia Biosciences and Lincoln

University to carry out research on its

behalf4. FRST also funds some work

Market size

The world‟s ruminant population includes

1.31 billion head of cattle (110 million in

North America, 358 million in Latin

America, 213 million in Sub-Saharan

Africa, 246 million in South Asia and 152

million in East and Southeast Asia). Some

327 million cattle are in the developed

world while 984 million are in the

developing world5.

According to the same source, there are

1.7 billion small ruminants (e.g. sheep,

goats, etc.), of which 400 million are in the

developed world and 1.3 billion are in the

developing world.

It is difficult to find measures of worldwide

investment in agricultural GHG mitigation

research, but this investment has

1 http://www.pggrc.co.nz/Background/AboutUs/tabid/38/Default.aspx

2

http://www.pggrc.co.nz/Portals/0/annual%20reports/PGgRC%20Annual%20Report%20final120209.pdf, p.3. 3 Ibid, p.8.

4 Ibid, p.8.

http://www.pggrc.co.nz/Background/AboutUs/tabid/38/Default.aspx

http://www.pggrc.co.nz/Portals/0/annual%20reports/PGgRC%20Annual%20Report%20final120209.pdf

http://www.pggrc.co.nz/Portals/0/annual%20reports/PGgRC%20Annual%20Report%20final120209.pdf




into N2O mitigation via Lincoln

University ($1m) and a new national

series on nitrification inhibitors has

received $1.2m of funding. Finally

SLMACC is investing close to $4m per

year in GHG mitigation related topics.

undoubtedly been small until very recently.

Partly stimulated by the Global Research

Alliance, the USDA announced on 16

December 2009 that it would expand its

agricultural climate change mitigation

research portfolio to more than $US130

million over the next four years, up from a

base level of funding of just over $US10

million in fiscal year 2009. Thus, until

FY09, the USDA may have been investing

about the same amount in agricultural

GHG mitigation research as New Zealand.

With the bulk of ruminants being in the

developing world (191 million cattle in India

and 177 million in Brazil, for instance), it is

likely that the countries that could make the

greatest difference to GHG emissions from

ruminants would be able to afford little of

the research required to reduce those

emissions6.

Market growth rate

PGgRc investment has grown since its

establishment in 2002 from $1.6 to $6

million per annum. In addition,

Sustainable Land Management and

Climate Change investment adds about

$4 million. Other industry and

Government investment in N2O brings

this total up to over $12m/annum.

Market growth rate

As noted above, the Global Research

Alliance has stimulated significant

increases in GHG mitigation research

investment by at least some of the

countries that have joined the Alliance.

5 FAO (2006) “Livestock’s Long Shadow” (pp.365-366)

6 http://www.ksre.ksu.edu/news/story/climage_change122109.aspx




Competition

To be sure of assembling the best

possible team to carry out agricultural

GHG mitigation research, the Centre

partners include almost all researchers

who have the capability to contribute to

agricultural GHG research in NZ.

In a broader sense, however,

competition to reduce NZ GHG

emissions would include research and

other measures to reduce carbon

dioxide emissions from major sources

such as transport, power generation

and industry. In practice, however, the

capital cost of replacing New Zealand‟s

vehicle fleet, building new more

efficient power stations or reducing

energy used by industry is likely to be

substantially greater than the cost of

reducing agricultural emissions, even

when both research and outcome

implementation are considered. For

example, if the Centre could breed

cows with much lower methane

emissions at, say, $1000 to $2000 per

animal New Zealand‟s whole dairy herd

(currently emitting some 17.5 Mt CO2-e

per annum7) could be replaced for

between $4 and $8 billion. This

compares to capital cost estimates for

power generation in 2003 that were

mostly in the range of $1 to $3 million

per megawatt of installed capacity8.

Even if alternative low-emission

technologies were available, replacing

Competition

A good indication of the key international

researchers in agricultural greenhouse gas

mitigation research can be obtained from

the LEARN membership list. A summary of

the membership by country is presented in

Appendix 6.1.

7 http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/climate/greenhouse-gas-inventory-overview-

2009/html/figure8.html 8 http://www.med.govt.nz/templates/MultipageDocumentPage____4117.aspx#P34_3151

http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/climate/greenhouse-gas-inventory-overview-2009/html/figure8.html

http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/climate/greenhouse-gas-inventory-overview-2009/html/figure8.html

http://www.med.govt.nz/templates/MultipageDocumentPage____4117.aspx#P34_3151




New Zealand‟s thermal generation

capacity of 2444 MW9 (representing 6.6

Mt CO2-e10) would cost between $3

and $9 billion – about three times more

expensive per tonne of carbon

emission reduced than reducing

agricultural GHG emissions.

Any conceivable expenditure on R&D

would make almost no difference to

this comparison.

Market profitability

R&D investments in agricultural GHG

research are almost always made by

agents of the ultimate beneficiaries,

such as FRST, PGgRc or MAF, rather

than the beneficiaries themselves. Cost

minimisation is an important driver for

such agents, which makes it very

difficult for research providers to price

the research based on value delivered.

Research providers therefore typically

earn the minimum profit margin on

R&D contracts that they are required to

make by their shareholders and no

more.

Market profitability

Many R&D organisations overseas are

operated on a not-for-profit basis and this

constrains the opportunities to earn profit

from contract R&D even more greatly

overseas than it does in New Zealand.

For this reason and because of the points

made under Industry cost structures below,

opportunities for the Centre to secure

contract R&D from overseas will be limited.

Industry cost structures

About 45% of R&D provider costs are

labour with operating costs making up

the bulk of the rest. Crucial and

expensive parts of the R&D process

have seen huge cost reductions over

time (e.g. the cost of sequencing the

genome of an organism such as a

Industry cost structures

With a high fraction of R&D provider costs

being labour, countries with low labour

costs but high proportions of GHG

emissions from agriculture (India and

Brazil, for instance) may develop a

competitive advantage over the NZ Centre

if they developed comparable scientific skill

9 http://www.med.govt.nz/upload/68652/table_3a.xls

10 http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/climate/greenhouse-gas-inventory-overview-

2009/html/page5.html

http://www.med.govt.nz/upload/68652/table_3a.xls

http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/climate/greenhouse-gas-inventory-overview-2009/html/page5.html

http://www.mfe.govt.nz/publications/climate/greenhouse-gas-inventory-overview-2009/html/page5.html




methanogen has decreased by a factor

of perhaps 10,000 over the past 20

years), but the benefits of those cost

reductions have been passed on to

end-users by providing more research

per dollar invested rather than being

captured by research providers.

R&D makes up a small fraction of the

cost structures of the relevant R&D

investors – the pastoral sector of

government. Total NZ investment in

R&D is about 1.2% of GDP. As noted

above, R&D cost is also likely to be a

small fraction of the cost of

implementing emission reductions.

levels in the Centre‟s key capability areas.

Importing those skills would cost so much

that the labour cost advantage would be

eliminated. The time required to develop

those skills indigenously would be perhaps

5 to 10 years, so this may be an area of

concern for the Centre towards the end of

its 10-year investment period.

Even in countries that invest far more in

R&D than New Zealand, the total R&D

investment is still a small fraction of GDP

and the cost of R&D will therefore be a

small fraction of implementing emission

reductions.

Distribution channels

The distribution channels for R&D

outcomes are discussed in Section 17

of this business plan. Distribution

channels for R&D outputs are, for non-

commercial research, scientific journals

and conferences. For commercial

research, outputs are captured as

confidential reports until IP has been

secured through patent protection, at

which time the outputs can be

published safely.

Distribution channels

The distribution channels for R&D outputs

internationally are the same as for New

Zealand. Publicly-funded R&D (as much

agricultural GHG mitigation R&D is likely to

be overseas, as in NZ) may be more likely

to be published overseas than in NZ

because NZ public investors emphasise

the need to capture benefit for NZ very

strongly while some international investors

in R&D – the EU, for instance – are happy

to see R&D benefits go to developing

countries, in particular.




Market trends

The growing importance of agricultural

GHG mitigation research to New

Zealand has been indicated by the

formation of the PGgRc, followed within

seven years by the government

announcement that the Centre was to

go ahead, followed shortly after by

intensive government efforts to develop

the Global Research Alliance on

agricultural GHG mitigation. Clearly,

there will be a long-term growth trend

for this market until such time as

successful mitigation measures

become available.

Market trends

Worldwide, livestock are estimated to be

directly responsible for 14% of GHG

emissions11 so, while reducing agricultural

emissions is important to the world as a

whole, it is only about two fifths as

important for the world as it is for New

Zealand. While it is likely that worldwide

investment in agricultural GHG mitigation

research will grow over time, it is therefore

likely to grow more slowly for the world,

relative to other GHG mitigation research

areas such as transport or power

generation, than for New Zealand.

Key success factors

To be successful in the NZ agricultural

GHG mitigation research market, the

Centre will require the following key

success factors:

Outstanding scientists.

Strong relevance to agriculture sector end-users.

Excellent links to government policy agencies relevant to agricultural GHGs (MAF and MFAT).

Key success factors

To be successful in the international

agricultural GHG mitigation research

market, the Centre will require the following

key success factors:

World-class scientists.

Understanding of the needs of international agriculture, which will differ from those of NZ agriculture in some areas.

Outstanding links to government policy agencies relevant to international agricultural GHG mitigation policy (MAF and MFAT).

Leading science input into the GRA

7. Marketing Strategy

The Centre will seek to market itself via the development of a strong brand. The

purpose of this will be to build confidence in the Centre so as to increase its revenue,

11 http://www.fao.org/ag/magazine/0612sp1.htm

http://www.fao.org/ag/magazine/0612sp1.htm



its influence in the public, science and policy arena, the reputation and influence of

New Zealand and make it highly attractive to international collaborators and potential

employees. The Centre will seek to develop a strong brand identity of its own while at

the same time acknowledging that the Centre‟s research and industry partners need

due acknowledgement for their role in making the Centre a success. The Centre also

needs to have a strong internal brand identity so that researchers working in Centre

funded programmes identify working both for the Centre and their own employer.

Developing the Centre brand, including such things as logo, colour palette etc will be

done in consultation with Centre partners and stakeholders. A professional company

(Interbrand) has been contracted to assist the Centre in this development. Further

information around marketing and communications can be found in Section 18

Growth, Communications and Branding.



8. Quality Assurance

The Centre is committed to delivering the highest quality greenhouse gas mitigation

research for the benefit of New Zealand. To achieve this, the Centre will put in place

procedures to assure quality as defined by the following axes:

1. Science quality, which consists of:

a. Proposing hypotheses, concepts and models that, when tested and

shown to consistent or inconsistent with measured data, are very likely

to expand scientific knowledge and understanding.

b. Testing those hypotheses with rigorous methods that provide reliable

and readily-interpreted data, and hence useful conclusions.

c. Synthesising those conclusions to form new understanding of the

mechanisms behind greenhouse gas generation and emission, and

soil carbon accumulation or loss in agricultural systems.

d. Reporting that understanding clearly and usefully to the scientific

community, policymakers and the general public.

2. Technology development quality, which consists of:

a. Basing proposed technologies or approaches to mitigate greenhouse

gas emission rates and increase net rates of soil carbon accumulation

on sound scientific understanding.

b. Understanding the needs of end-users who will need to adopt the

technology or approach for it to create a benefit for New Zealand.

c. Choosing to develop technologies or approaches that, if successful,

will make significant differences to New Zealand‟s greenhouse gas

inventory so that they can be linked to policy and their uptake

encouraged.

d. Choosing to develop technologies or approaches that have the best

chances of technical and commercial success.

e. Developing technologies or approaches in such a way that the

resulting products or approaches are practical, easily adopted, cost-

effective and satisfy end-user needs.

f. Testing the technologies or approaches to ensure that they deliver the

expected benefits and do not have side-effects that would make them

unsatisfactory, and to establish evidence that would encourage end-

users to adopt them.

3. Commercialisation quality, which consists of:

a. Developing relationships with potential commercialisation partners

early in the development process to gain the benefits of their insights

and ensure that technologies or approaches meet their needs.

b. Working closely with commercialisation partners during the

development phase.



c. Facilitating early uptake of technologies and approaches by

commercialisation partners, leading to rapid commercialisation of

beneficial technologies and approaches.

4. Quality strategy development and input to the policy process, which consists

of:

a. Building relationships with industry, government, scientific and other

stakeholders to understand their needs, concerns and priorities.

b. Drawing together scientific understanding with respect to greenhouse

gas mitigation (developed within the Centre and outside the Centre)

and greenhouse gas inventories (from outside the Centre).

c. Synthesising scientific understanding with stakeholder needs,

concerns and priorities to propose strategies and provide submissions

to the policy process in the area of greenhouse gas mitigation.

5. Resource quality, which consists of:

a. Identifying, developing and maintaining the best available teams to

ensure that science, technology development, commercialisation,

strategy development and policy input processes are carried out

robustly, reliably and expeditiously.

b. Identifying, acquiring and updating equipment to ensure that science

and technology development are carried out robustly, reliably and

expeditiously.

Day-to-day, the Centre‟s Principal Investigators (PIs) will be responsible to assure

science, technology development and commercialisation quality. They will be

accountable for this to the Centre Director. Over longer time periods, the Centre

Director and PIs will also be responsible to assure that strategy development and

input to the policy process are of high quality, and for resource quality through

staffing and equipping the Centre‟s research programmes. In doing this, the Centre

Director and PIs will use the definitions of the five quality axes defined above.

Principal Investigators will be empowered to take whatever actions are necessary to

address quality problems within their programmes, subject only to legal requirements

and the human and capital resource policies of the organisations within which their

programmes‟ research is conducted. With the same bounds, the Centre Director will

be empowered to take whatever actions are necessary to address quality problems

across the Centre, including (in consultation with the Steering Group) re-directing or

halting existing programmes or starting new programmes. On the rare occasions

when actions required to address a quality issue are constrained by the human or

capital policies of research organisations, the issue will be escalated to whatever

level in those organisations is required to change or suspend those policies and

thereby address the issue.



Role of the Steering Group (SG)

Month-by-month, the Centre Director will report to the Steering Group of the Centre

Partners and to the AgResearch CEO and Board on the performance of the Centre,

including specific measures of the quality axes defined above. For example, quality

as defined by item 1(d) will be measured by the number of Centre-related science

publications accepted by prestigious scientific journals and conferences. Quality as

defined by items 2 and 3 will be measured by showing the progress of each

technology outcome along a technology development and commercialisation

pipeline.

The Steering Group, in conjunction with the Centre Director and the PI‟s, will also be

responsible for reporting progress to MAF, MoRST, MFAT and the PGP against the

Centre‟s Strategic Plan; progress will be assessed annually for the whole research

programme and specific reviews of elements of the programme will be undertaken on

a regular basis. The International Science Advisory Group and the Stakeholder

Advisory Group will both have input into this process.

Role of the International Science Advisory Group (ISAG)

At least annually, the Centre‟s quality performance and its progress against the

Centre‟s Science Strategy will be evaluated by two external groups. An International

Science Advisory Group comprising respected greenhouse gas mitigation scientists

and technology developers will review and evaluate the scientific, technology

development and resource quality of the Centre.

The ISAG will:

a) provide feedback on strengths and weaknesses in science quality, direction

and achievement to the Centre Director

b) provide guidance to the Centre Director and PIs on areas of concern

c) recommend steps that the Centre Director and PIs should take to address

any concerns that the Groups may have, and

d) report confidentially to the AgResearch CEO and Board, and to the Ministry of

Agriculture and Forestry, summarising their conclusions – both positive and

negative – and recommending any actions that either or both of those bodies

should take to address any negative conclusions that the ISAG may reach.

Role of the Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG)

At similar intervals, a Stakeholder Advisory Group comprising respected New

Zealand agriculture industry and public-sector leaders will evaluate the

commercialisation, strategy development, achievement against strategy and policy

input quality of the Centre.

The SAG will:

a) provide feedback on strengths and weaknesses in industry and policy

relevance and direction to the Centre Director



b) provide guidance to the Centre Director and PIs on areas of concern

c) recommend steps that the Centre Director and PIs should take to address

any concerns that the Groups may have, and

d) report confidentially to the AgResearch CEO and Board, and to the Ministry of

Agriculture and Forestry, summarising their conclusions – both positive and

negative – and recommending any actions that either or both of those bodies

should take to address any negative conclusions that the SAG may reach.



9. Governance

The proposed structure for the Centre is shown in the diagram below:

As the Centre is set up as a unit operating within AgResearch, the Board and CEO of

AgResearch has ultimate responsible for Centre. However, a Steering Group (SG)

comprising a representative of each Centre Partner will provide advice and

recommendations to the AgResearch CEO and Board on the operation of the Centre.

The Centre Director will report to the AgResearch CEO and Board via the Centre‟s

SG. The International Science Advisory Group (ISAG) will monitor, advise and report

on the Centre‟s science quality and direction to the SG and Centre Director while the

Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG) will monitor, advise and report on the alignment

and performance of the Centre in relation to the needs of the industries that are

intended to take up its research outcomes. The roles of the ISAG and SAG are

primarily in the areas of science quality, industry relevance and research direction, so

these are detailed in the section on Quality Assurance in this business plan.

Role of the Steering Group (SG)

Month-by-month, the Centre Director will report to the Steering Group of the Centre

Partners and via them to the AgResearch CEO and Board on the performance of the

Centre, including (with appropriate quantitative measures):

Science quality.

Relevance of the Centre‟s R&D to the agriculture sector and New Zealand.

Performance to contracted goals.

Financial performance.

Host Board & CEO

Steering group (Centre Partners)

International Science Advisory

Group (shared with PGgRc)

Stakeholder Advisory

Group

Admin/business mgr & PA/administrator

Principal Investigator (PI)

Associate Investigator (AI)

AI

PI

AI AI

Programme 1 Programme 2

Finance ( AgR )

Comms & Publicity (AgR)

HR, facilities, IT (AgR)

Centre Director

Located in a building dedicated to the Centre

Virtual part of the centre – researchers located in their home organisations

FRST Contract

MAF

Agency agreement

Science Leadership

Team



Human resource development and constraints.

Compositions of the SG, ISAG and SAG

The compositions of the SG, ISAG and SAG as of July 2010 are as follows (though

all names will be subject to change over time and, in some cases, to confirmation by

the organisations that they represent):

Steering Group (SG) Chair: Mr Peter Benfell AgResearch Dr Trevor Stuthridge Scion Dr Murray Poulter NIWA Dr Richard Gordon Landcare Research Mr Warrick Nelson Plant & Food Research Dr David Johns DairyNZ Mr Mark Aspin PGgRc Dr Peter John Lincoln University Prof. Mike Hedley Massey University

International Science Advisory Group (ISAG)

Stakeholder Advisory Group (SAG)

Prof Jamie Newbold Aberystwyth University

Maori (2) To be nominated

Dr Frank O‟Mara Teagasc Dr Mark Morrison CSIRO DairyNZ Dr Tim Mackle Dr Peter Kuikman Alterra B+LNZ Mr Richard Wakelin Dr Tim McAllister AgCanada DCANZ Mr Simon Tucker Dr Richard Eckard Melbourne

University MIA

FAR Mr Dan Coup Dr Nick Pyke

Prof Keith Smith Edinburgh University

MAF MoRST

Mr Paul Stocks Mr George Slim

Prof Keith Goulding Rothamsted MFAT NZ Climate Change Ambassador

Prof Pete Smith Aberdeen University

Fert Research HortNZ

Technical Director To be nominated

Dr Jean-Francois Soussana

INRA

Prof Johan Six California University

The members of the Centre‟s ISAG will be shared with the PGgRc in order to aid

alignment of scientific advice and direction between the Centre and the PGgRc.

Although it is proposed that representatives of MAF, MoRST and MFAT sit on the

Stakeholder Advisory Group, the Centre partners are open to representatives from

these Ministries also sitting as observers on the Steering Group.



10. Management and Staff

Centre Director

Dr Harry Clark of AgResearch took up the position of Centre Director on 11th January

2010. He was appointed after an application process that was restricted to

employees of the partner organisations.

The following are the key result areas for the Centre Director.

Research Strategy and Delivery

Play a leading role in development of a coordinated national strategy for agricultural GHG mitigation research

Develop and implement the Centre‟s research strategy (and review annually) and annual research plans (consistent with the above national strategy)

Play a leading role in the developing of research strategies and plans for the proposed international „Global Research Alliance‟

Recommend a research programme to the Steering Group (for funding from the Centre‟s budget as well as to seek other investments) that is strongly aligned with the Centre‟s strategy

Ensure delivery on projects funded by the Centre and production of high quality research outputs

Personally maintain an active and successful involvement in research

Capability Development & People Management

Provide leadership to the Secretariat staff and to the Science Leadership Team

(SLT), developing strong team environments with open and two-way

communication.

Manage Secretariat staff recruitment, development and performance management ensuring the capabilities and performance are of high quality

Appoint Science Leaders (Principle Investigators) to the SLT and work closely with their line managers in their development and performance management ensuring capabilities and performance are of high quality

Develop and implement a capability strategy for the Centre to ensure the successful delivery of the national GHG mitigation strategy

Play a leading role in contributing to the development and implementation of any international capability development strategy arising out of New Zealand‟s leadership of the extensive livestock node of the GRA. Recommend remuneration adjustments for all direct reports



Working with Partners and Stakeholders

Build and maintain a strong culture of partnership in the Centre between the research partners to ensure a strongly coordinated and „best teams‟ approach

Build and maintain a strong partnership with the PGgRc and with other industry groups to ensure collective investments are well coordinated, highly relevant and focused on contributing to improved farm practices and products

Build and maintain strong relationships with government to ensure research is highly relevant to policy development, nationally and internationally

Work with investors to ensure the level of investment is sufficient to successfully implement both the national strategy and the Centre‟s strategy

Play a leadership role in communicating the importance of agricultural GHG mitigation and New Zealand‟s commitment to it

Business Planning, Finance, Reporting and Compliance

Develop and implement the Centre‟s annual business plan

Achieve revenue and profit targets

Provide monthly reports on the Centre‟s performance

Provide an annual report on the Centre‟s performance for review by the Steering Group

Ensure compliance with AgResearch‟s company policies, procedures and practices

Ensure legislative compliance including for Health and Safety

Resources, Facilities and Equipment

Manage all equipment, intellectual property, information systems, revenues and expenditures of the Centre in accordance with Centre Business Plan

Develop and recommend CAPEX proposals to the Steering Group

The Centre Director‟s line manager will be the General Manager, Agriculture &

Environment who will set and monitor key performance indicators and the Centre

Director is responsible to the Centre‟s Steering Group which will approve strategy and

plans and review performance on behalf of partners and stakeholders.

Other Centre Staff

To assist the Director the Centre has recruited an Administrator/Business Manager

and a half time Personal Assistant. These staff will report to the Centre Director.

Once the nature of the Centre‟s input into the GRA has been finalised it is proposed

that a further staff member will be recruited to handle GRA and LEARN activities.

The Administrator/Business Manager will be responsible for the following;



contractual arrangement with partners and funders

coordination of all documentation required for reporting to funders of Centre programmes

project management of centre contracts

administrative tasks relating to the Centre‟s obligations around the LEARN network

the Centre‟s PhD and Post-Doctoral science fellowships

Centre‟s and LEARN‟s websites

organisation of Centre and LEARN workshops and associated activities

ensuring that all data generated by the Centre‟s research programmes are handled in accord with the Centre‟s Knowledge Strategy

administration and business issues in relation to the Centre‟s interaction with the Global Research Alliance.

Science Leadership Team (SLT)

The development and delivery of high quality science programmes will be a critical

success factor for the Centre and a SLT will be formed to oversee this. This will

comprise the Director and a small group of Principle Investigators (PI); the Director

will nominate the PI‟s who will be approved by the Steering Group. The PI‟s will all

have excellent science credentials accompanied by strong leadership,

communication, strategic and inter-personal skills. The SLT play a key role in the

development, implementation and monitoring of all of the Centre‟s science

programmes and strategies. The following people have been identified as PI‟s

although their appointment is subject to confirmation by the Steering Group.

Dr Graeme Attwood completed his BSc and MSc degrees in microbiology at the

University of Waikato in New Zealand, before completing a PhD at the University of

Adelaide on genetic vectors for rumen anaerobes. After a postdoctoral position at

the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana working on rumen bacterial cellulases

he returned to New Zealand to continue work in rumen microbiology with

AgResearch in Palmerston North. He leads the projects which have recently

completed sequencing the Butyrivibrio proteoclasticus and Methanobrevibacter

ruminantium genomes and is currently investigating the fibre-degrading activities of

the uncultured, plant-associated rumen microbiome using metagenomics and

directed cultivation approaches.

Mr Dave Clark is a Principal Scientist at DairyNZ. Current research interests include

improving the profitability of once-daily milking, the economic and environmental

sustainability of intensive dairying and pasture assessment using satellite technology.

He has published in dairy farm systems and modelling, enteric methane, ryegrass

endophyte, supplementary feeding with crops and pasture agronomy.

Dr Cecile de Klein, a senior scientist with AgResearch, has been working in the N2O

research area for almost 20 years. She is an internationally recognised expert and

was a lead-author of the N2O chapter of the 2006 Revised Guidelines for

Greenhouse Gas Inventories of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Cecile has been the convenor and chair of the national N2O research network,

NzOnet, since 1999 and currently leads various research projects on improving the



NZ N2O inventory methodology. She also leads several N2O mitigation projects

including one of the 4 national field trials investigating the effect of nitrification

inhibitors on pasture response and N2O emissions. Cecile is also Programme Leader

for the Pastoral Research Programme – Environment, a large cross-organisational

R&D programme focused on the development of farmer-friendly tools and

technologies for reducing contaminant losses to water.

Prof. Hong J. Di is a Professor of Soil and Environmental Science in the Agriculture

and Life Sciences Faculty, Lincoln University. His major research interests include

the mitigation of N2O emissions and nitrate leaching in grazed pastures. In the past

few years he and his colleague Professor K.C. Cameron have been involved in

research that has lead to the development of new nitrification inhibitor technologies

for mitigating nitrate leaching and N2O emissions in grazed pastures. He is a Fellow

of the New Zealand Society of Soil Science, a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of

Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences. In 2008 he was made an Officer of the New

Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) in the Queen‟s Birthday Honours for Services to

Agricultural Research.

Dr Peter Janssen is an internationally recognised expert in isolating so-called

unculturable bacteria. His research team made recognised advances in solving the

“Great Plate Count Anomaly”. After 10 years at the University of Melbourne, where

he was an Associate Professor and Reader, he took up a position at AgResearch

where he switched his attention to the rumen. He has established methods for

investigating the microbial ecology of the rumen microbial ecosystem, and for

isolating novel rumen microbes. In addition, he is part of the leadership group within

the ruminant methane research mitigation programmes, helping co-ordinate the

genomics, chemogenomics, and ecology projects within PGgRc-funded research

initiatives.

Prof. Frank Kelliher is Principal Scientist at AgResearch and Professor of Soil

Science, Lincoln University. Over 25 years, his research has developed

understanding of greenhouse gas emissions and measurement methods. He has

contributed significantly to the development of New Zealand‟s agricultural

greenhouse gas emissions inventories and inventory uncertainty assessment. Frank

is Chair of the soil carbon network, CarbonNet.

Dr David Whitehead leads a programme with a focus on measuring, process-based

modelling, spatial scaling and mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions from terrestrial

systems at Landcare Research. David‟s research speciality is the regulation of water

use and carbon sources and sinks in ecosystems and he has worked in forest and

pasture systems. David received a certificate acknowledging his contribution to the

Nobel Peace Prize awarded to the IPCC in 2007.

Full CV‟s for the PI‟s and the Centre Director are presented in Appendix 10.



Support structures

The Centre will be managed as a unit within AgResearch and the Director will be

supported by its processes and procedures. These include

Facilities – administrative and research

IT resources and knowledge management

Human Resources

Learning and development support for staff

Financial management

External communications and marketing

Legal services

For the dedicated Centre staff (the Director, Administrator/Business Manager and the

Personal Assistant) and the dedicated Centre buildings and equipment, some of

these items are included separately in the Centre‟s budget and the remainder are

included as part of the AgResearch overhead charge on these staff. For the

researchers working on Centre projects, these costs are included within the project

budgets.

The performance of all AgResearch staff is monitored and reviewed through a formal

Performance and Planning process which includes setting, monitoring and reviewing

a series of key performance indicators. All of the partners in the Centre have similar

procedures in place. In addition to this internal review process conducted by the

partner organizations for all staff associated with Centre programmes the SLT will

monitor the performance of staff funded by the Centre and discuss with this their

employing organization. The performance of the Director will be reviewed by the

Steering Group. The Science Advisory Group will also play a key role in monitoring

performance of the Centre‟s research activities.



11. Risk Strategy

The main risks relevant to the Centre are summarised in the issue tree shown below:

A risk register has been developed for the Centre and will be reviewed by the

Director each month. The PGgRc also maintains a risk register and the Director will

consult regularly with the Manager of the PGgRc to ensure that both organisations‟

risk assessments are aligned and that any significant differences are explainable by

differences in the organisations‟ circumstances.

The likelihood of occurrence, impact and residual risk after mitigation for the risks in

the register are assessed on a scale from 1 to 5. The likelihood scale is derived from

Table 4 of the IPCC Guidance Notes on Addressing Uncertainties

(http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/wg1/ar4-uncertaintyguidancenote.pdf).

The impact scale is specific to the Centre.

Risks

Failing to be financially

viable

Poor budgeting

Poor financial

management

Poor contracting

arrangements

Failing to achieve the

Centre's goals

Goals are not realistically

achievable

Technical reasons

Economic reasons

Legislative / regulatory

reasons

Other reasons for lack of

outcome adoption

Resources used

unproductively

Poor project management

Poor resource allocation

Distraction by non-core

activities

Poor choices of project

direction

Poor co-operation inside

and outside the Centre

Lacking required skills &

infrastructure

Failing to acquire required

skills

Failing to develop required

skills

Failing to acquire required

infrastructure

Insufficient resources

available

Funds

Staff

Operational continuity

Data management

Natural disaster

Critical staff

Damage to reputationMedia policy

R&D quality

Legal liability

Ethical practices

Legislative and regulatory

compliance

IP management

Contracting practices

http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/wg1/ar4-uncertaintyguidancenote.pdf



Scale value

Probability of occurrence at least once during the remaining life of the Centre

Impact

1 Exceptionally unlikely (<1%) Slight (can be ignored if it occurs) 2 Very unlikely (<10%) Small (can be dealt with at a cost

<$5000) 3 Unlikely (<33%) Moderate (can be dealt with at a cost

<$50,000) 4 About as likely as not (between 33%

and 66%) High (can be dealt with at a cost <$500,000)

5 Likely (>66%) Extreme (cost to address an occurrence of >$500,000)

The residual risk after mitigation is assessed as the residual expected value of the

impact over the remaining life of the Centre (initially assumed to be 10 years).

The initial risk register is shown in Appendix 11.1.



12. Resource Requirements

Human Resources

The Centre will be run as a unit inside AgResearch and the only employees it will

have are the Centre Director, an administrator/business manager and a part time

personal assistant. Their roles have been described in detail in Section 10,

Management and Staff.

Existing Research staff

To deliver to the research the Centre will contract scientists employed by the Centre

partners and other organisations inside and outside New Zealand with the

appropriate skills. The PI‟s (see Section 10, Management and Staff) will play a key

role in selecting the science staff needed. As the staff needed will change during the

lifetime of the experimental programme no specific details can be given about the

number and competency of the scientists involved. However, they will be researchers

with proven and ability in their field of expertise. A „best teams‟ approach will be

taken at all times when developing the research teams needed to deliver to the goals

of each project. As scientists delivering to the Centre‟s research programmes will be

employed by their own research organisations, staff development in general will be

handled by these organisations although the Centre Director and the PI‟s will work

with individuals researchers working in Centre programmes to identify training and

development needs.

Additional Capability requirements

In some cases, additional senior capability will not be required to carry out the work

for Centre because it will be possible to carry out the work by increasing the research

capacity – that is, by developing new junior researchers and technical staff that will

leverage existing senior capability (see New Capability Development below).

In other cases, human capability already exists within the partner research

organisations that could make valuable contributions to GHG mitigation research.

Some of this capability is under-utilised (and under-funded) in their current research

areas, but is not currently engaged in GHG mitigation research. Where it will be

valuable to do so, the partner research organisations will bring these people into

GHG mitigation research,

Where additional senior capability is required and does not exist within the partner

research organisations, there may be a need to recruit existing senior researchers

from overseas. If so, each such researcher will be recruited by the research

organisation that will employ them. In doing so, they will consult with the Centre

Director to ensure that new recruits:

Add to and complement existing capability available to carry out research for

the Centre.

Do not unnecessarily duplicate existing capability within the Centre.



Are being recruited by the most appropriate of the Centre‟s partner research

organisations.

Bring essential new skills to the Centre.

Will assist in new capability development (see the following section).

New Capability development

Increasing the pool of researchers with skills in the GHG mitigation area is a major

objective for the Centre. To achieve this objective the Centre has commenced the

development of a policy on capability development. Briefly, capability development

will have three elements:

1. The provision of short term scholarships to promising undergraduate students with the aim of encouraging them to undertake post graduate studies

2. The provision of well-funded PhD stipends to high quality undergraduate 3. Employing high quality post doctoral fellows on 2-3 year contracts

In the first five years the Centre has a target of providing 15 honours scholarships, 9

PhD scholarships and creating 15 postdoctoral fellowships. The indicative costs of

this over the first five years are estimated to be an average of $800,000 per annum.

The partners will not charge overheads on these scholarships/fellowships. To ensure

that the people taking up these positions are fully resourced the

scholarships/fellowships will be attached to the funding allocated to Centre research

programmes. The Centre‟s PI‟s will oversee the recruitment process and the SLT will

take responsibility for quality assurance around any appointments.

In addition to the general capability strategy the Maori strategy will also have a

capability element (for details see Section 14, Maori stakeholders).

Financial

The following table provides a high level summary of the operating revenue and

expenditure for the first 5 years of the Centre‟s operation. At present the only

revenue the Centre has is $4.85m per annum (exclusive of GST) from the crown via

the Primary Growth Partnership (PGP). No attempt has been made in this budget to

anticipate revenues from other sources, although the Centre will seek additional

revenues from other sources, including the Global Research Alliance, to grow the

total R&D investment to the level required to address the agricultural GHG mitigation

challenge. As well as further increasing the real amount of research carried out by

the Centre, those additional revenues will also compensate for the increasing

nominal cost of research over time due to salary and operating cost inflation. The

administrative costs of the Centre set out in the following table do not include the

costs of assisting in administration of the LEARN network, assisting in the

development of Global Research Alliance and any Centre involvement in SLMCC

administration and reporting. We will enter into negotiations with MAF so that these

aspects of the Centre‟s administration can fully costed and the expenditure

recovered. Given that there is considerable uncertainty around the extent of the



Centre‟s involvement in a number of areas a full review of the administrative needs

and associated costs will be conducted after the Centre‟s first full financial year of

operation (i.e. June 2011).

2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

Admin 218,945

477,669

502,284

528,295

555,784

Research 1,538755

4,372,331

4,347,716

4,321,705

4,294,216

Infrastructure

3,092,300

Total 4,850,000 4,850,000 4,850,000 4,850,000 4,850,000

(All figures GST exclusive)

Detailed financial projections are provided in Appendix 12.2.

In compiling these budgets the following assumptions have been made around the

Centre‟s salary, overheads and running costs:

Salary increase for the Director, administrator/business manager and PA will be 4% per year, the average increase in salaries within AgResearch for the last 5 years and includes both promotion and „add to base‟ adjustments to salaries. As a government organisation AgResearch is subject to government guidelines on pay increases for public sector employees and future pay increases may well be less than those experienced over the last 5 years.

Overhead costs will increase by 5% per year; this is the average for the last 5 years.

General operating costs will increase by 2% per year; this is the average for the last 5 years.

The assumed rates of increase for salary, overheads and operating costs are simply

based on past trends and are conservative. In the event that the actual rates of

increase are smaller than those assumed here, this will mean more funds will be

available for research. On the other hand, if the Centre does not maintain

remuneration at an appropriate market level, it will be unable to retain the quality of

staff that it will require to achieve its mission.

With regard to the science that the Centre funds the Centre will contract for a specific

amount of science to be delivered each year for a fixed amount of money. The

contractee will therefore take responsibility for building in any increase in costs by

adjusting the amount of science they undertake. Pricing of all science contracts will

be undertaken by the partners using their standard commercial costing templates

which ensure costs are covered and margins achieved.

With regard to infrastructure, the Centre has budgeted specifically for infrastructure in

the 2009/10 financial year in order to rapidly build the infrastructure base for GHG

mitigation research in New Zealand. These infrastructure funds will be expended

before 30 June 2010. The Centre‟s research projects are otherwise fully-costed and



therefore include the costs of building and maintaining research infrastructure owned

by the partner research organisations.

With regard to the costs of running the Centre‟s governance structure the following

assumptions have been made

1. Members of the Steering Group will meet all their own costs

2. Corporate members of the Stakeholder Advisory Group will meet all their own

costs but travel and subsistence costs will be paid for members not

representing an organisation.

3. Travel and subsistence costs will be paid for members of the International

Science Advisory Group.

AgResearch will receive the annual funding from the PGP fund monthly in advance

from the Foundation for Research Science and Technology (FRST). The Centre will

then negotiate delivery contracts with research groups from inside and outside the

partners. All financial transactions, financial information management and financial

reporting will be handled through the AgResearch accounting system by specialist

AgResearch accounting staff.

Non-financial

The Centre will be located at the AgResearch Grasslands campus in Palmerston

North. The Centre will be housed in an existing building; the costs of upgrading and

equipping this building have been incorporated into the 09-10 Centre budgets. In

addition plans will be developed for the construction of a new building more suited to

the needs of the Centre. The construction of this building will proceed once the future

size and structure of the Centre becomes clearer. The costs for developing the new

building concept have been included in the 09-10 Centre budgets. In addition to a

building the Centre will also purchase video conferencing equipment, audio-visual

and computing equipment.

See Appendix 12.3 for all costs associated with converting and equipping the

Centre‟s premises.

All other facilities needed by the Centre will be provided by AgResearch. This

includes information services, information technology, human resources, accounting

services and communications.

Scientific equipment and infrastructure development

The Centre will act as a funding body and in general will not be responsible for

capital equipment purchases. Capital equipment will be purchased by the partner

organisations and depreciation costs included in the costs of the work the partners

undertake on contract for the Centre. The exceptions to this are some targeted

infrastructure and capital costs in the 09-10 financial year. This capital spending is

designed to directly support the Centre‟s vision and mission and comprises some

large ticket items that the partners would have difficulty supporting plus some smaller

items critical to the success of the Centre‟s research programmes. Foremost among



these are a new building at AgResearch Grasslands to house what will be the largest

CH4 measurement facility in the Southern Hemisphere, an upgraded N2O

measurement facility at Lincoln and an expansion of the Landcare Research N2O

measurement capacity in Palmerston North. In the first year money has also been set

aside for the development of the Centre‟s Maori, IP, information management and

communications and marketing strategies.

Appendix 12.4 contains full details of the proposed science equipment and

infrastructure spending in the 2009-10 financial year.



13. Financial Projections

See section 12 and Appendix 12.2



14. Māori Stakeholders

Māori Agricultural Land

Māori own about 1.5 million hectares of land. Land use/vegetation cover includes

grazed pasture, exotic forest (in future up to 40% of the national total), and

indigenous vegetation. Hence there is potential for GHG emissions particularly from

livestock operations, and also carbon sequestration in biomass and soils. Currently

about 15 percent of the country‟s total dairy milk solids production and over

20 percent of the national sheep and beef production comes from Māori land.

Climate variability and change presents risks and opportunities for Māori land

owners, and research investment targeted at this resource can assist in adaptation

strategies and capability building to manage GHG emissions.

Collectively-owned Māori land is mainly administered by trusts (and incorporations)

rather than owner-operators and cultural influences play a more dominant role with a

stronger inter-generational focus. These characteristics raise a range of issues

around governance and management including restrictions on the transfer of land

titles which constrain the use of Māori land as loan security and a greater emphasis

on production and operational cash flow rather than capital gain.

Māori land titles (approximately 27,000) have multiple owners that can often number

in the thousands; and about two thirds of these titles do not operate within a

management structure. Approximately 60 percent of the titles are under 5 ha in size,

and just 1,500 entities (each with more than 100 ha of land) collectively account for

almost 85 percent of all Māori land. Incorporations (40) with more than 2,500 ha, and

large Trusts (100) with more than 1,500 ha manage more than 50 percent of Maori

land. Additionally, there are significant variations in land tenure patterns between

Māori Land Court districts and between local authority districts reflecting the past

history of land alienation or land use.

Proposed Strategy

The Centre will engage with Māori in three areas:

1. Engagement that positively contributes to the governance of the Centre through

representation on the Stakeholder Advisory Group. It is proposed that Māori have

two representatives on this body.

2. Support growth in Māori research capability/capacity in mitigation research

through scholarships and grants.

3. Integration of Māori information and research needs into the research portfolio.

The Centre will engage with Māori with interests in the pastoral sector.



Strategy Development – Background

A detailed strategy for Māori involvement in the Centre will be developed in

consultation with MAF, who will utilise appropriate studies and documents relating to

Māori land use. If further data are required in order to develop effective Māori

involvement with the Centre, these will be developed by securing the viewpoints,

opinions and priorities of a sample of Māori involved in the pastoral sector in relation

to the work that the Centre will undertake over the next five years will be elicited, and

a process to ensure meaningful and relevant involvement in the Centre will be

outlined.

Timeline

The strategy will be finalised by 30 June 2010.

Strategy Development Process

1. Search existing climate change/GHG research initiatives to identify possible

alignment with the Centre.

2. If further data are required beyond those currently available, the Centre will draw

on the views and opinions of Māori and others with an interest in Māori

involvement in New Zealand‟s pastoral industry. Interviews and focus group/hui

will be conducted to identify issues facing Māori in the agricultural sector and to

determine priorities and processes needed for Māori involvement in the Centre.

3. Confirmation of the protocol with the AgResearch‟s Māori Advisory Forum.



15. Intellectual Property Management

It is envisaged that the Centre has a key role in managing intellectual property on

behalf of the owners of this intellectual property (IP). An outline of how this could

work is included in the Membership agreement. This does not attempt to cover IP

issues in relation to the GRA since detailed discussions have not taken place

between the GRA partners on the approach the GRA will take to IP.

Any royalty revenue that may be earned as a result of IP commercialisation will

accrue to the IP owner(s) and, unless specifically provided for in an agreement to

commercialise any particular IP, the disposition of these royalties will be at the

discretion of the IP owner(s). The Centre may propose from time to time that the IP

owners re-invest some or all of their royalties in more research and development by

the Centre, but the choice to do so will be entirely a matter for the owner(s) of each

item of IP.

The specific requirements that MAF may have with respect to IP that MAF will own

as a result of investing in the Centre‟s R&D are set out in Centre‟s R&D funding

contract.



16. Research Information and Data Management

1. The retention of complete, accurate and retrievable results is integral to the

research process. Good research practice entails the retention of research

data and records in accessible form for periods of at least five years after the

publication of results, or longer (very likely) depending on the provisions of

the Public Records Act (2005), contracts with R&D investors, potential third-

party re-use and archival/historical value. The centre will be guided in this

respect by any appropriate international and national standards and best

practise with respect to data management. It will substantially rely on

processes and resources with AgResearch to facilitate this activity. This

allows for:

re-use of data by third parties, maximising public value yielded from research

spending through the Centre

Participation in national and international e-collaborations

re-analysis of primary data in the light of new evidence or hypotheses,

verification of the research, such as might be required to refute allegations of

falsification of data.

2. The Centre will be the central repository for all research and related

information generated by the research providers from Centre funded

programmes. This will facilitate access by any approved party to a complete

set of curated data. It will also negotiate with MAF as to whether the Centre

becomes a central repository for a broad range of MAF funded research

programmes e.g. SLMACC and the Global Research Alliance. These data

curation facilities will be hosted by AgResearch thus providing long-term

protection of the data, beyond the current proposed lifetime of the Centre.

3. Primary data will be stored in electronic form – as electronically scanned lab

book pages, spreadsheets or in the form of other more specialised data files

or databases as may be appropriate to the particular research being

conducted. Each set of data will be accompanied by the meta-data (or

semantics) required to interpret it. These meta-data would include the details

of the experimental conditions and materials used, instrument set-up

information and any pre-processing that was applied to the data before they

were recorded. As part of best practise in data management the mechanisms

for storage and long-term protection of data will be reviewed on an ongoing

basis to ensure compliance with appropriate government and international

requirements, such as Dublin Core metadata initiative. Metadata will facilitate

discovery of the data by stakeholders (and others) in the Centre as well as

provide for effective future data re-purposing purposes. As co-ordinated New

Zealand-wide initiatives are developed to manage scientific data (such as the

Semantic Data Modelling project funded by MoRST (see

http://reannz.co.nz/assets/Uploads/News/Semantic-Data-Modelling-Pilot-

RFP-FINAL.DOC)), the Centre will participate in those initiatives and align its

http://reannz.co.nz/assets/Uploads/News/Semantic-Data-Modelling-Pilot-RFP-FINAL.DOC

http://reannz.co.nz/assets/Uploads/News/Semantic-Data-Modelling-Pilot-RFP-FINAL.DOC



practices with the recommendations that those initiatives put forward. Given

the nature of the data, interaction with other spatial data initiatives such as

Natural Resources Sector SDI will be a particular focus.

4. The Centre will also be the custodian of the research outputs generated by

the Centre partners and it will be the central location to which stakeholders

can turn for the most relevant and up-to-date information concerning

greenhouse gases and related matters. Information and data will be made

available to approved stakeholders through web-based tools that will promote

the discovery of data assets.

5. The Centre will be the key facilitator of interactions across science providers

and it will have a role to support appropriate collaboration systems. These

systems should facilitate meeting management, conference bookings, data

sharing, document management and sharing, social networking, calendar

management and so on. Any solution provided must also support the

requirements of legislation pertaining to public records, specifically the Public

Records Act (2005). In addition the solution must support easy access from

external parties. (For the avoidance of doubt the centre is not expecting to

provide any substantial computing resources, rather these are the

responsibility of the research partners who make up the Centre.)

6. It is proposed that an Information Management environment be developed for

the Centre using the Microsoft SharePoint system. SharePoint is used

extensively in AgResearch and widely in the research and government

environments. It has a rich set of resources to support collaboration and, with

bespoke additions, will be compliant with Records Management requirements

(a minimum legal requirement) as well as meet the requirements of the

centres information management policies as outlined herein. As part of the

proposed implementation, the AgResearch help-desk will provide training to

external parties who will utilise this system. Some development work will be

required to meet the specific needs of the Centre.

7. A SharePoint site has already been created for the Centre and has been used

in developing the Centre strategy, science plan and business plan, so many

of the senior researchers who will be involved with the Centre are already

familiar with it. SharePoint is suitable for storing data in a wide variety of

formats and it will therefore be a satisfactory repository for primary scientific

data well as project and experimental plans, analysed data and reports. Use

of such technology will ensure that research outputs are appropriately future-

proofed and it will also assist in the centre being of key part of any future

federated infrastructure.

This section of the business case has provided a brief overview of key issues

related to the Centre‟s Information Management approach. Work has begun

on the development of a detailed Information Management Strategy and



associated policies. This process will include consultation with key

stakeholders and will consider a range of issues including:

Consideration of who the wider stakeholders are and their data access

requirements

Consideration of use of metadata to aid discovery of information managed by

the Centre

development of policies that assist stakeholders to understand their

obligations regarding depositing information in the Centre

include an emphasis on sustainable information management systems.

include protocols for data storage and access that will ensure compliance with

the Centre‟s contractual and legal obligations, best practise in the

management of scientific data storage And consideration of NZ e-

government initiatives such as NZGOAL etc.



17. Stakeholder Relationships, Technology Transfer and

Commercialisation

Key issues

The key to achieving an effective mitigation outcome from the Centre investment is to

recognise the crucial factors involved and focus on getting them correct. These

factors are:

Excellent science-based results that present sound value

propositions

End users who understand where methane, nitrous oxide and soil

carbon relate to their businesses

Efficient processes that link science-based results with end users.

Firstly the solution must be soundly science-based and have been developed

through application of multiple disciplines extending from fundamental sciences

through to applied systems integration. The science strategy will create this excellent

solution. The emphasis must be on win-win situations, i.e. those that

maintain/increase profitability while reducing GHG emissions.

Secondly the end user must understand their farm system in such a way as to

recognise the mitigation solutions when presented and see their relevance. With

sufficient understanding of their own business in GHG and productivity terms the

farmers will be able to rapidly assimilate the solution into their businesses. This

activity has already commenced across industry and government and the Centre will

play a role in continuing this advance in understanding.

Thirdly connecting science-based results with end user understanding requires many

effective channels and approaches that can cater for the diversity of farm enterprises,

geography, climate and markets of New Zealand agriculture. Throughout all of this

complexity there must be recognition and support provided to all the players involved

in converting this knowledge into an effective mitigation outcome.

The Centre recognises that it will be one of several players in this activity but the

Centre will be a critical player and will rise to this challenge by applying excellent

processes and capabilities to the three factors, both directly and through the support

of industry-based farm systems research. Science excellence will be encouraged and

supported through regular input from the International Science Advisory Group

(ISAG). As the science develops, the Centre will be aided by input from the industry

Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) and end user groups that can work with scientists to

fine-tune mitigation solutions. The involvement of end users will be a critical factor in

effective technology transfer.

Perhaps the greatest challenge for the Centre will be clearly demonstrating to

farmers that mitigation solutions are profitable and therefore that the solutions being

promoted are relevant to their everyday business; this will be an essential

prerequisite for rapid and widespread adoption. The Centre will partner with farmer



organisations, principally through the PGgRc, to develop this understanding and

ensure that scientific solutions are relevant to farm businesses. This will require a

commitment from the sector to engage with the Centre and this commitment has

already been demonstrated by the involvement of both DairyNZ and PGgRc in the

Centre partnership. It is also recognised that there is considerable activity already

developing (such as through SLMACC & PGgRc) and the Centre will link with these

to create the most effective technology transfer processes.

The processes that the Centre itself will put in place to address these issues are

addressed individually in the following sub-sections. Stakeholder engagement is

considered first because that will define the needs of each stakeholder group and

thereby guide the attributes that must be possessed by products that are to be

successfully commercialised, knowledge that is to be successfully transferred to end-

users or information that is to be successfully incorporated in policy.

The Government‟s Sustainable Land Management and Climate Change – Plan of

Action includes the development of a technology transfer implementation programme

to encourage and accelerate the uptake of new greenhouse gas mitigation

technologies and land management practices by farmers as they become available.

A technical working group, the Research, Innovation and Technology Transfer

Working Group (RITTWG) has also been established under the Plan of Action by

MAF. This is intended to be the principal mechanism for working in partnership with

the sectors; local government and Maori and engaging on the research and

technology transfer process and priorities needed to underpin the Sustainable Land

Management and Climate Change Plan of Action research12. The Centre will work

closely with the SLMACC technology transfer programme and consult with RITTWG

to ensure the Centre develops technology transfer activities are aligned and support

the methods and goals of both.

Stakeholder engagement processes

The Centre‟s top-level engagement with stakeholders will take place through the

Strategic Advisory Group (SAG) as it will include representatives of a wide range of

end-user organisations across the agriculture sector. However, the SAG will not be

able to provide the detailed input required to design commercial products,

transferable knowledge packages or information for policy. Additional processes will

therefore be used to supply that detailed input, specialised for each stakeholder

group as shown in the table below. Some of these activities are also discussed in the

business plan section on the Communications Strategy; however the crucial part of

the stakeholder engagement process is that it is essential to hear and understand

what stakeholders are saying and thinking about in addition to informing them of the

Centre‟s activities. The latter activity is the focus of the Communications Strategy.

12 See http://www.frst.govt.nz/files/SLMACC%20RfP%20-%200809.pdf, p.7

http://www.frst.govt.nz/files/SLMACC%20RfP%20-%200809.pdf



Stakeholder group

Engagement processes to be used to hear and understand stakeholder concerns to be addressed by GHG mitigation products, approaches and policies

Dairy farmers The Centre will work with the DairyNZ consulting team to meet with dairy farmers at field days and extension events.

The Centre will be a regular participant as part of AgResearch‟s and/or DairyNZ‟s presence at the National and South Island Field Days events.

The Centre will ensure that communications of Centre activities in the rural media, AgResearch or other partners‟ publications provide pointers to the Centre website, the e-mail addresses and telephone numbers of appropriate Centre staff to capture feedback on relevance and application issues for dairy farmers.

Sheep & beef farmers

The Centre will work with the Beef + Lamb NZ regional team and the regional sheep and beef councils to meet with sheep and beef farmers at field days and extension events.

The Centre will be a regular participant as part of AgResearch‟s and/or B+LNZ‟s presence at the National and South Island Field Days events.

The Centre will ensure that communications of Centre activities in the rural media, AgResearch or other partners‟ publications provide pointers to the Centre website, the e-mail addresses and telephone numbers of appropriate Centre staff to capture feedback on relevance and application issues for sheep & beef farmers.

Deer farmers, pig farmers and poultry farmers

The Centre will work with Deer Industry New Zealand, the Pork Industry Board, the Egg Producers‟ Federation and the Poultry Industry Association of NZ to meet with deer, pig and poultry farmers at field days and extension events.

The Centre will be a regular participant as part of AgResearch‟s presence at the National and South Island Field Days events.

The Centre will ensure that communications of Centre activities in the rural media, AgResearch or other partners‟ publications provide pointers to the Centre website, the e-mail addresses and telephone numbers of appropriate Centre staff to capture feedback on relevance and application issues for deer, pig and poultry farmers.

Food processing companies

The Centre will work with DCANZ and MIA to meet with processing company representatives at the annual meetings of those industry associations.



Stakeholder group

Engagement processes to be used to hear and understand stakeholder concerns to be addressed by GHG mitigation products, approaches and policies

Government officials

Senior Centre staff will meet with MAF, MFAT and MfE officials quarterly to update them on the Centre‟s progress towards its goals and to develop an understanding of trends and developing issues relating to: o The Emission Trading Scheme (ETS). o New Zealand‟s GHG inventory. o The United Nations Framework on Climate Change

(UNFCCC), its Kyoto Protocol and subsequent international agreements.

o The Global Research Alliance for agricultural GHG mitigation.

o The development or introduction of hazardous substances and new organisms that may be useful to mitigate GHG emissions.

o Any other relevant policy-related issues in a timely manner.

Wider New Zealand public

The Centre is conscious that the wider public is interested in agricultural GHG mitigation and that public needs influence the acceptability of technologies, approaches and policy measures to address GHG emissions. Therefore:

A period will be set aside at each of the Centre‟s annual conferences to engage in an open public session.

The Centre‟s website will contain material that is specifically designed to engage the public and it will include contact information to allow interested members of the public to communicate with the Centre (as well as the Centre communicating outwards to the public through its Communications Strategy).

Commercialisation processes

Many of the Centre‟s deliverables are likely to take the form of products or services

that can be used to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The processes to

commercialise these products or services will be custom-designed to suit the specific

needs of each and the ownership of the Centre‟s IP by MAF will be an important

factor in designing those processes. Some general principles can, however, be

drawn from the Centre partners‟ wide experience in commercialisation that will assist

in designing successful processes for broad categories of product types. Some

examples are shown in the table below.



Product or service category

Comparison with existing commercial products and the most likely commercialisation approaches to be considered first

New plant cultivars

Forage cultivars with lower nitrogen content could reduce N2O emissions or cultivars with higher digestibility might reduce CH4 emissions from ruminants.

AgResearch has considerable experience in commercialising ryegrass and clover cultivars through its Grasslanz Technologies subsidiary. Grasslanz works either non-exclusively (as was done with the AR1 endophyte, for instance) or exclusively (as was done with the AR37 endophyte) with seed companies to convert newly-developed forages into commercial seed products. AR1 and AR37-based products now dominate the New Zealand market in proprietary ryegrass seed.

Plant & Food Research also has considerable experience in commercialising plant cultivars such as Zespri GoldTM and JazzTM apples by working exclusively with New Zealand companies to develop the cultivars and then create commercial value from them.

The Centre will seek to use these successful models to commercialise any R&D outputs that take the form of plant cultivars.

Animal vaccines

Vaccines are a promising approach to reduce the number of methanogens in a ruminant.

AgResearch has successfully commercialised vaccines both to protect animals against illness (e.g. CampyVax3) and to improve or control animal fertility (e.g. AndroVax). These vaccines were commercialised by its AgVax Developments subsidiary and are now sold by Schering-Plough, which now owns the AgVax business after buying Intervet which, in turn, had bought AgVax from AgResearch for about $14 million in 2006.

The Centre will therefore seek to use this successful model to commercialise any R&D outputs that take the form of a vaccine.

Animal bolus An intra-ruminal slow-release bolus may be another promising approach to reduce the number of methanogens in a ruminant.

AgResearch developed the Time Capsule bolus to protect animals against facial eczema for extended periods and licensed it for manufacture to Agrifeeds, which now markets the product through veterinarians to farmers.

The Centre will therefore seek to use this successful model to commercialise any R&D outputs that take the form of a bolus.



Product or service category

Comparison with existing commercial products and the most likely commercialisation approaches to be considered first

Elite animals (product) and gene tests (service)

Specially-bred elite animals are a promising approach to reduce the emission of CH4 and/or N2O from animals – especially where low-emission animals can be distinguished from high-emission animals using gene tests.

AgResearch has played a part in successfully commercialised elite animals such as those with the Inverdale and MyoMax genes. In this case, Catapult Genetics (now Pfizer Animal Genetics) marketed gene tests for the desirable traits, animal breeders formed partnerships with the gene test marketing company to supply the resulting elite animals to farmers and a business unit of AgResearch carried out the gene testing.

The Centre will therefore seek to use this successful model to commercialise any R&D outputs that take the form of gene tests or elite animals.

The Centre will monitor successful R&D commercialisation approaches for products

or services similar to those that have the potential to reduce GHG emissions or

increase soil carbon accumulation and take all successful approaches into account

as alternatives for consideration.

The Centre will take the following commercialisation steps, starting when it becomes

apparent that an emission reduction could potentially be achieved through a product

or service. The process could be halted at any stage if the status of the process was

found to be unsatisfactory, or it could return to an earlier stage if a difficulty is

encountered that requires this.

1. Define the form of the product or service (e.g. forage, vaccine, bolus, elite

animal or some other approach).

2. Identify an appropriate commercialisation pathway and commercialisation

agent, based on the successful approaches used in the past where

appropriate, and put in place a commercialisation agreement between IP

owners and the commercialisation agent. The remaining steps will be carried

out together with the commercialisation agent.

3. Carry out an intellectual property (IP) ownership analysis to ensure that the

Centre and any potential commercialisation agent has:

a. Freedom to operate.

b. Appropriate protection for any IP that is required for the product or

service.

4. Carry out a market analysis to determine the specific market needs, including

compatibility with existing GHG mitigation policy instruments, for the product

or service.

5. Having secured any required IP and if the market analysis provides sufficient

confidence that the product or service will be commercially successful, design



the product or service to meet market needs and therefore be most

successful.

6. Assess what, if any, policy instruments might be put in place to encourage

uptake of the product or service and work with officials to discover if the

benefits of the mitigation product or service would justify the use of such

policy instruments.

7. Trial the product or service to provide proof of efficacy and evidence for

marketing to end-users

8. Develop a marketing plan for the product or service.

9. Develop a manufacturing and distribution plan for the product or service.

10. Manufacture, distribute and market the product.

This proposed commercialisation process is similar to that used for many new

technologies with the exceptions that:

a) alignment with existing policy instruments for GHG mitigation will be an

essential element of the commercialisation process, and

b) there may be a possibility of introducing new policy instruments that would

particularly encourage uptake of the product or service.

Knowledge transfer processes

Some of the Centre‟s deliverables will take the form of knowledge that would help

end-users reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The processes to transfer this

knowledge will be custom-designed to suit the specific needs of knowledge package.

Some general principles can, however, be drawn from the Centre partners‟ wide

experience in knowledge transfer that will assist in designing successful processes

for broad categories of knowledge types.

In particular, the AgCelerate® approach developed and used for the past six years

by the AgResearch Social Systems team (http://www.agresearch.co.nz/agcelerate/)

has proved to be particularly effective in transferring knowledge to agricultural end-

users. AgCelerate® follows a cycle that includes the following steps:

1. Behaviour change diagnosis

2. Knowledge and skill needs analysis

3. Design

4. Implementation

5. Evaluation

6. Follow up

Following the sixth step, the process returns to behaviour change diagnosis to

identify if further behaviour change is required. AgCelerate® focuses on the

interpersonal relationships in which behaviour change occurs, as opposed to the use

of communications or the media to develop general awareness of an issue.

Case studies in which the AgCelerate® approach was used successfully include:

http://www.agresearch.co.nz/agcelerate/



Pasture Quality Workshops. Nearly 2500 sheep and beef farmers throughout

New Zealand attended Beef + Lamb New Zealand‟s one-day Pasture Quality

Workshops, sponsored by Wrightson and supported by Round-Up. At the

workshops, farmers were provided with the principles and given tools to

assess and manage pasture quality. The workshop concept was developed

by the AgCelerate® through talking with farmers to determine their pre-

existing understanding of pasture quality, preferred methods of obtaining new

information and the challenges and successes they had experienced in

implementing strategies to improve pasture quality. This information was then

used to guide the workshop design and also to design the Q Graze software

that helped farmers understand the possible consequences of implementing

various on-farm strategies. Facilitators from Wrightson Solutions and

AgResearch were trained by the AgCelerate® team to deliver the workshop

throughout the country. Of a sample of farmers interviewed 4-6 months after

the workshops, 68% had made or intended to make farm management

changes to improve the quality of their pastures. (see

http://www.socialsystems.co.nz/pdf/agcelerate.pdf).

Sheep Reproduction and Lamb Growth workshops. In 2003 and 2004, the

animal health company AgVax Developments asked the AgCelerate® team to

design and implement workshops for their veterinary clients. The objective of

each workshop was to give vets the confidence to extend their business

services outside those that they traditionally offered. The workshops focussed

on giving the vets the opportunity to learn strategies to overcome any barriers

they faced in offering a new service and to provide them with confidence

when discussing the technical areas of sheep reproduction and lamb growth

with their clients.

In addition, other Centre partners have considerable experience in transferring

knowledge to farmers and land users. For example:

Landcare Research‟s Visual Soil Assessment provides land managers with a

simple tool to assess and monitor soil quality. Visual soil properties are

diagnostic of soil quality, and provide an effective and immediate way to

assess soil quality quickly and cheaply in the field.

DairyNZ‟s Farm Enviro Walk combines a self-assessment checklist that a

farmer can use to walk his/her farm to assess potential issues and problems

with a notebook they can use to write notes about steps they can take to

address any issues they find and a comprehensive Technical Support Manual

that provides in-depth information about effluent, nutrient and land

management issues.

The experiences of the other partners have shown that the basic approach of

diagnosing the required behaviour change, analysing the needed knowledge and

skills, designing, implementing, evaluating the technology transfer that has been

achieved and following up are all good practices that are broadly effective.

http://www.socialsystems.co.nz/pdf/agcelerate.pdf



To transfer knowledge of approaches to reduce GHG emissions that will arise from

the Centre, it will be important to add the following elements to the standard

AgCelerate® cycle:

The impact of the proposed knowledge in reducing GHG emissions or

increasing soil carbon accumulation.

Alignment of the knowledge transfer with existing policy instruments for GHG

mitigation, and

The possibility of introducing new policy instruments that would particularly

encourage uptake of the new approach.

The pastoral, dairy, sheep, beef, deer, horticulture, pig and poultry industries all have

different characteristics and needs that must be satisfied by a successful technology

transfer activity. The organisations that are familiar with those characteristics and

needs will be important elements in the knowledge transfer activity. For example, in

transferring knowledge to dairy farmers, DairyNZ will be a vital contributor. Similarly,

HortNZ involvement would be important when transferring knowledge to the

horticulture industry. In addition to involving the most appropriate organisations for

each industry, the approach used will be customised to meet their differing needs.

Finally, as with commercialisation, the Centre will work closely with the SLMACC

technology transfer programme and consult with RITTWG to ensure the Centre‟s

knowledge transfer activities are closely aligned with the methods and goals of both.

Transfer of information for policy processes

The quarterly meetings that are proposed to engage senior Centre staff with MAF,

MFAT and MfE officials to update them on the Centre‟s progress towards its goals

and to develop an understanding of trends and developing issues (see the

subsection Stakeholder engagement processes earlier in this section) will also serve

as an opportunity to transfer information to those officials for use in policy.

To provide more formal and considered contributions to policy processes on request,

the Centre will develop a series of written reports to answer specific questions and

provide background briefing information to MAF, MFAT, MfE and Treasury.

18. Growth, Communications and Branding

To achieve its vision and mission the Centre will have to develop strategies around

how it intends to grow, how it intends to communicate with stakeholders and how it

intends to brand itself. These will be developed over the coming months and only

high level principles are presented at this stage.

Growth

There are several readily identifiable ways in which the Centre can grow in size and

influence and so achieve its goals.



LEARN

This network now has over 500 members in 70 countries and has a successful

scholarship scheme. An identified weakness however is that it needs to be much

more active with regard to producing information that is beneficial to its membership.

An opportunity therefore exists for the Centre to take over the day to day running of

LEARN activities. These will include administration of the scholarship scheme,

maintenance of the membership database, introduction and production of LEARN

newsletters, maintenance and population of the LEARN website, organisation of

LEARN international workshops and using the LEARN membership and brand to

assist in the development of the Global Research Alliance concept. The Centre

Director is currently in discussions with MAF Policy in relation to finalising the role of

the Centre with respect to LEARN.

SLMACC and agricultural GHG inventory research

The SLMACC fund is a major funder of agricultural GHG mitigation research,

including tech transfer activities. Integration of the SLMACC R & D portfolio with the

activities of the Centre is essential. The Centre Director will commence discussions

with MAF Policy in relation to how best to progress this in January 2010.

PGP

Opportunities exist for the Centre to partner with industry to expand the size of its

research portfolio by bidding into the general PGP fund. The Centre will actively

engage with industry to vigorously pursue this opportunity.

National and International collaboration

The mitigation strategies developed by the Centre will guide other New Zealand

investments in the agricultural GHG area and the Centre will look where ever

possible for these investments to be channelled through the Centre so that other

funders can take advantage of the Centre‟s reputation and its project management,

contractual management and reporting infrastructure. The Centre will look at

innovative ways of co-funding programmes to encourage this. New Zealand‟s high

international standing in the agricultural GHG mitigation area will also be exploited by

the Centre to promote New Zealand involvement in international science

programmes. Australia and Europe are the initial targets.

Global Research Alliance

This presents a unique growth opportunity for the Centre. As details on how the

Global Research Alliance will operate are still being formulated the Centre‟s strategy

will be to fully engage with New Zealand policy agencies and assist them in

developing the operating principles. In particular the Centre will work closely with

policy officials in its role as the coordinator of the Alliance‟s Livestock Research

Group. Additionally, the Centre will coordinate the involvement of New Zealand

researchers in the other areas covered by the Global Research Alliance. This will

ensure that researchers are aware of, and take advantage of, opportunities for



collaboration in the Arable Research Group and cross-cutting themes of soil carbon

and nitrogen cycling and inventories/measurement.

Communications

Effective internal and external communications are a key to the Centre‟s success. It

has multiple stakeholders with diverse needs and these needs have to be addressed

if the Centre is to achieve its mission and vision. A communications strategy is under

development and will be in place by August 2010. This strategy will consider such

things as

Research publications arising from Centre funded programmes

Centre publications - newsletters, annual research report etc

Media interaction - media briefings, regular communications in the farming press etc

Publicity material

Website – design, content, links

Internal – keeping the partners informed, communication with governance groups

Key stakeholder interaction – MAF Policy, PgGRc, PGP

International connections

A detailed communications and branding strategy is currently under development via

the contracting of two experienced media companies, Interbrand and Green Eggs.

This contract, the cost of which has been included in the 2009-10 budget was, after

consultation with the communications staff of the Centre partners, competitively

tendered in March 2010.



Appendix 4.1 Centre partners expertise in the agricultural GHG mitigation area

Collaborating

or partner

organisation

Existing research activity (FRST and other

contracts) in agricultural GHG area

relevant to the Centre

Proposed contribution to Centre’s activities – expertise,

capability, facilities and equipment

Key contact

person in

collaborating/

partner

organisation

AgResearch

Ltd

PGgRc – lead provider with contracts to the

value of $6,5m/annum in the CH4 mitigation

area.

SLMACC- Contracts worth approximately

$2m/annum in the GHG mitigation area

MAF/PGgRc/industry -National nitrous oxide

trials contracts worth approx $1m/annum

MAF & FRST GHG inventory funding –

contracts worth approximately $2m/annum

SLURI, LUCI + Capability fund investment –

approximately $1m/annum investment in soil

carbon research

Enteric CH4 from ruminants – world leading research expertise

and facilities for measuring emissions from individual animals

Nitrous oxide – research expertise in N2O emissions

processes and state of the art facilities for measuring

emissions from grazed pastures

Soil carbon – research expertise in quantifying and modelling

soil carbon pathways in grazed systems. Soil physics,

chemistry & microbiology capability

Dr Harry Clark

DairyNZ Ltd

FRST Dairy systems for environmental

protection

MAF Efficient cows to mitigate GHG

emissions

MAF – Sustainable Land Management

Mitigation & Adaptation to Climate Change –

Dairy herds, up to a total of 2000 cows.

Research milking and housing system, including metabolism

stalls.

Dedicated feeding system for 300+ calves or 80 cows

Dairy systems management expertise and DairyNZ Whole

Farm Model

Dave Clark



subcontract with AgR (Farm Management

and GHG for pastoral sector)

Landcare

Research

C09X0701 Reducing greenhouse gas

emissions from the terrestrial biosphere

(FRST)

Expertise and capabilities

Carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide exchange

measurement – plot and paddock scale using chamber

technology

Carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide emissions

measurement – paddock scale using micrometeorological

techniques

Changes in soil carbon with land use change, nutrient supply

and soil warming, for improved predictions of changes in soil

carbon stocks

Use of models to estimate carbon dioxide, methane and

nitrous oxide emissions (including spatial and temporal

variability) for forecasting emissions under future scenarios and

verifying mitigation techniques

Spatial scaling of emissions estimates from plot-based to

national and regional estimates, with provisions of uncertainty

Modelling of impacts of mitigation technologies under likely

future scenarios, including future climatic change, and changes

in land use and management

Assessment of community perceptions to mitigation options

Determination of incentives and barriers to adoption of

mitigation options

Development of integrative economic modelling to quantify

effects of policies on mitigation options

Facilities and equipment

Dr David

Whitehead



Trace gas analysis in IANZ-accredited laboratory facilities

Tuneable diode laser instrumentation for carbon and oxygen

isotopic analyses and nitrous oxide in air

Micrometeorological instrumentation for carbon dioxide and

methane exchange at field plot scales

Chamber systems for measuring soil respiration and nitrous

oxide and methane exchange

NZ-DNDC and CenW models for greenhouse gas exchange

Controlled growth room facilities for experimental material

Soil and land-use databases for modelling and integrating data

at large spatial scales

C09X0705 Reducing nitrous oxide emissions

from the terrestrial biosphere (FRST)


See above


Chamber systems for measurement of nitrous oxide

Field facilities for measuring efficacy and mitigation potential of

nitrification inhibitors

Extrapolation of nitrous oxide emissions from plot

measurements, to paddock and regional scales using NZ-

DNDC model

Leadership of global network of nitrous oxide modelling

capability

Professor

Surinder Saggar

C09X0805 Ammonia from animal excreta

(SLMACC)


Ammonia emissions measurement using micrometeorological

techniques

Processes and pathways of indirect nitrous oxide emissions


Dr Johannes

Laubach



Micrometeorological instrumentation for ammonia exchange at

field plot scales

C09X0804 review of soil carbon

methodologies (SLMACC)


Assessment of methodologies for measuring changes in soil

carbon storage, including uncertainty and costs

Traditional sampling methodologies and emerging

technologies using remote sensing


Techniques for measuring carbon content in soils using

traditional sampling methods

Instrumentation for remote sensing and mapping of soil carbon

at paddock scales

Dr David

Whitehead

C09X0806 Mitigation technologies for

methane (SLMACC)


Culture and identification of soil methanothrophic organisms (in

collaboration with overseas scientists)

Quantification of methane oxidation by soils and soil-

atmosphere methane fluxes

Understanding of processes regulating methane uptake by

soils

Methane emissions measurement and modelling

Biofilter design and operation


Methanotroph laboratory – automated facilities for anaerobic

culture of soil methanotrophs and measurements of methane

exchange

Dr Adrian

Walcroft

LCR0701 Resilience of carbon storage to

climate change in forest ecosystems


Measurement and modelling carbon dynamics in soil organic

Dr David

Whitehead



(Marsden Fund) matter

Interpretation of processes regulating carbon exchange in

laboratory and field data


Tuneable diode laser instrumentation for carbon and oxygen

isotopic analyses in air

Chamber systems for measuring soil respiration

CenW model for soil carbon dynamics

Controlled growth room facilities for experimental material

Soil warming field site for long-term soil carbon dynamics

C09X09092

Development of forest productivity surfaces

(SLMACC)

Modelling to estimate the mitigation (carbon sequestration)

potential of exotic and indigenous systems under likely future

scenarios, including future climatic change

Dr Miko

Kirschbaum

A14445/MAF POL 0809-11325

Effect of DCD application to N fertiliser and

animal urine on greenhouse gas emissions

(MAF POL)

Field trials to examine the mitigation potential of DCD

application to nitrogen fertiliser and animal urine on

greenhouse gas emissions in Manawatu

Dr Surinder

Saggar

MAF POL 0809-11057 (continued) Updated

estimates of pasture digestibility, M.E. and N

content (MAF POL)

MAF POL 0910-11531 (09-06)

Nitrous Oxide Methane Inventory Research –

Accurate Spatial and Temporal Values (MAF

POL)

Provision of spatially referenced estimates of pasture quality to

improve estimates of nitrous oxide and methane exchange

Interpretation and use of remotely sensed data (aerial

photography and satellite imagery) in relation to greenhouse

gas emissions and removals

Dr Anne-Gaelle

Ausseil

Lincoln

University

1. Nitrous Oxide

Total value of current research contracts in

1. Nitrous oxide:

1.1. Contribution to the Centre‟s activities: Lead and co-

Professor H.J.

Di (Science)



this area valued at $9.2M.

Funder Project

FRST Re-designing nitrogen

management for

environmental integrity

Ravensdown Nitrification Inhibitors

research

MAF Effect of Timing of

DCD on N2O

Emissions

Landcare

Research

Reducing

Greenhouse Gas

Emissions from the

Terrestrial Biosphere

MAF Incorporation of

Nitrification Inhibitor

DCD into the 2009

National Inventory

MAF (sub-

contract from

AgResearch)

Effect of nitrification

inhibitor on N2O

emissions from a

range of soils

P21 (sub-contract

from AgResearch)

Delivering

environmental

solutions for

sustainable

ordinate the collaborative research programme to mitigate

agricultural nitrous oxide emissions.

1.2. Expertise: Track record of developing mitigation

technologies for agricultural nitrous oxide emissions.

20 Key Peer Reviewed Publications on N2O Mitigation and

Associated Benefits:

Awards for Research Work in the area of N2O Mitigation:

Professor Di and Professor Cameron were appointed by Her

Majesty the Queen as „Officers of the NZ Order of Merit‟ (2007)

for „Services to Agricultural Research‟ and in particular for their

work in developing nitrification inhibitor technology to mitigate

N2O emissions from grazed pasture soils.

1.3 Capabilities:

Key Researchers:

Professor Hong Di ONZM, FNZIAHS, FNZSSS, Professor of

Soil & Environmental Science

Professor Keith Cameron ONZM, FNZIAS, FNZSSSS, Head of

the Centre for Soil & Environmental Research

Associate Professor Rob Sherlock MNZIC, MRSNZ, Head of

the Department of Soil & Physical Sciences

Dr Tim Clough Associate Professor in Soil & Physical

Sciences

Dr Jim Moir, Senior Lecturer in Soil & Environmental Research

8 experienced technicians working in this area

10 PhD students working in this area

Extensive national and international networks and

collaborations in this area.

Dr Peter John

(Management)



productivity outcomes

for NZ's pastoral

industries

Landcare Nocturnal warming &

GHG emissions

MAF Policy LEARN Fellowship

Programme: Nitrous

oxide emissions from

grassland soils as

affected by nitrogen

application rates and

soil moisture content at

different times of the

year

Landcare

Research

N2O Mitigating

Technologies

TEAGASC Environmental

Emissions from

varying cow urine load

to soil and the effect

of dicyandiamide

(DCD) under Irish

dairy farming

conditions

ISAT Use of molecular

techniques to study

ammonia oxidisers

1.4 Facilities and equipment

Dedicated GC laboratory for nitrous oxide analysis

incorporating 5 GCs. (All of Lincoln University and most of

AgResearch gas samples are currently analysed in this lab.)

Extensive lysimeter facilities with gas capture capacity to

measure N2O emissions from soil, urine and fertiliser (over 150

lysimeters).

Extensive gas-capture chambers and field facilities.

New 180-cow Dairy Research Farm and established 670-cow

Commercial Demonstration Dairy Farm where nitrous oxide

mitigation research trials are being carried out.

Extensive chemistry laboratories and growth chamber facilities

for associated work.

Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer for 15N labelled research

work

Soil molecular biology laboratory with real-time PCR and

associated robotic equipment dedicated to work in this area.

2. Soil carbon

2.1. Proposed contribution to Centre‟s activity:

2.2. Expertise

7 Key Peer Reviewed Publications on soil carbon dynamics

and sequestration:

2.3. Capabilities

Key researchers

Professor Leo Condron FNZSSS, Professor of

Biogeochemistry

Dr Tim Clough, Associate Professor in Soil & Physical



MAF (sub-

contract from

AgResearch)

Effect of DCD on EF3

and EF1 in

Canterbury Lismore

soil

MAF/PGGRC/Ind

ustry

Mitigation of Nitrous

oxide emissions using

nitrification inhibitors

MAF (sub-

contract from

AgResearch)

What is the effect of

repeated DCD use

MAF (sub-

contract from

AgResearch)

Determination of the

N2O emission factor

from animal excreta

and urea fertilizer

MAF Nitrous oxide – novel

mitigation

methodologies

MAF Biochar in grazed

pasture systems

2. Soil Carbon

AgResearch Assessment of carbon

sequestration in grazed

pasture soils

Sciences

Dr Jim Moir, Senior Lecturer in Soil & Environmental Research

2.4. Facilities and equipment

Extensive gas-capture chambers and field facilities, including

access to long-term pasture field trials at Winchmore and

Lincoln

Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometer for 13C labelled research

work.

Access to dedicated molecular biology laboratories in the Bio-

Protection Research Centre and AgResearch.

3. Methane

3.1. Contribution to Centre‟s activity

Co-ordinate and house the advanced study of the primary

influence on methanogenesis – rumen function - in free grazing

ruminants under the unique highly managed and high quality

pasture systems characteristic of the South Island. This would

be combined with research

3.2. Expertise

The only NZ research group with direct experience in rumen

function assessment in free grazing cattle and sheep. This

group pioneered the measurement of rumen pH, temperature

and pressure in free grazing cows and sheep in commercial

environments, and has worked extensively in rumen

methanogen assessment since 2007.

3.3. Capabilities

Key researcher

Jim Gibbs, Senior Lecturer in Livestock Health and Production



AGMARDT Impacts of long-term

irrigation and fertiliser on

pasture soil carbon

3. Methane

MAF GHG Projects 2007/08 – Alternative

Rumen Methane Assessment and Pasture

Quality on South Island Dairy Farms

The most experienced rumen fistulate studies research group

(researchers, technicians and students), and the leading in

vivo rumen research group in NZ as part of the largest single

ruminant nutrition group in NZ.

The only research group with experience in, and publication of,

a method of direct, in situ rumen methane concentration

measurement in ruminants.

3.4. Facilities and equipment

NZ largest group of rumen fistulate animals – calves, lactating

cows, dry cows, bulls, and ewes – in situ among herds and

flocks of both commercial (eg LUDF) and research farms (eg

LU „Johnston Memorial Lab‟).

Purpose built methane collection equipment for free grazing

ruminants – collection canisters, halter recovery systems, etc.

Existing laboratories for the outfitting and collection of rumen

methane emissions from free grazing ruminants

Access to the uniquely high quality South Island dairy pastures

with the rumen fistulate animals via the location of the animals

on existing South Island farms.

Existing, dedicated and advanced laboratories for rumen

microbiology research, with specific experience in microbial

community profiling of methanogens, and quantitative analysis

of rumen methanogens.

Associated conventional animal handling housing,

experimental rooms and laboratories (eg „Johnston Memorial

Lab‟) and ample dedicated research land for dairy, beef, sheep

and deer systems to be appropriately studied.

Artificial rumen systems.



Massey

University

FRST – Biochar feeding to ruminants

MAF – Biochar Technologies for GHG

reduction

MAF/NZFMRA – GHG Professional

Development

Provimi – Feed conversion and N nutrient

use

NZAID – Soil carbon measurement

No-Till Assoc/ Nufarm – Soil carbon

measurement

Research Capability -Rumen physiology, plant physiology,

pasture agronomy, dairy cow nutrition, soil drainage, soil

biochemistry, soil organic matter, biochar technologies.

Facilities/Equipment – Animal physiology unit, feed analysis

laboratory, soil and plant analysis laboratories, field near infra

red spectroscopy, research farms.

Professor Mike

Hedley

Professor

Jacqueline

Rowarth

NIWA

FRST Drivers and mitigation of global change

programme (C01X0703)

MAF SLMACC Paddock to regional ghg

management and mitigation of N2O emission

FRST Algal biofuel energy from wastewater

(C01X0809)

Expertise in greenhouse gas concentration and isotope

measurements at the animal, paddock and regional scales,

supported by field equipment and comprehensive gas analysis

laboratory. Capability in the development and application of

gas and meteorological measurement techniques and

associated modelling.

Expertise in the treatment of farm waste, emissions estimates,

emissions capture and run-off.

Expertise in developing algal biofuel energy sources from

wastewater.

Murray Poulter

Pastoral

Greenhouse

gas Research

Consortium

FRST Contract Meth0701

Expertise across Pastoral Livestock farming , Dairy, Sheep,

Beef, Deer and supporting industries (fertiliser , rural

infrastructure)

Understanding and application of science to the pastoral sector

Mark Aspin

Consortium

Manager

SLMACC contract Meth0801 Access to commercial farming entities , demonstration,

application and transfer of knowledge to farming businesses

SLAMCC contract Meth0802 Funding from Industry bodies and consortium participants.



Developed Intellectual property through investment in Methane

and Nitrous Oxide mitigation research since 2002 ($24m from

2002-2009) across a broad range of science disciplines.

Science Advisory Groups, Commercialisation Advisory Groups

can be a basis to develop similar structures for GHG centre

Plant and &

Food

Research

Main staff and laboratories based at Lincoln, Palmerston North

and Hawkes Bay, strong capability in soil carbon and nitrous

oxide, P&FR holds the largest national dataset of soil C stocks

in agriculturally important soils. PFR has a significant

modelling capability and a track record of developing models

and converting them into decision support systems. Life Cycle

Assessment capability takes inputs from a complex scenario,

including GHG factors, to develop a process that can be used

to identify “hot spots” requiring reduction or mitigation attention.

Dr Derek Wilson

FRST – LUCI, Land Use Change Initiative Develop new soil organic matter model, understanding of N

transformations and losses in grazed systems

FRST – SLURI, Sustainable Land Use

Research Initiative

Supporting information to the Centre activities, including

quantifying the rate of soil C change, identifying the processes

that regulate soil C quantities, and the effects of soil C on soil

functions

FRST – LMI, Land Management Index In depth capability to use the LMI and develop it further as a

predictive tool and for decision support.

FRST – Understanding of Vadose Processes Nitrogen transformation processes in the vadose zone, and

their contribution to nitrous oxide losses

Scion

„Improvement of Carbon Assessment in

Planted Forests‟ (MfE)

Core expertise: Soil carbon inventory approaches,

Scion has experience and capability in the development and

undertaking of soil carbon research and empirical studies on

Dr Peter Beets



the impacts of land use and land use change on soil carbon.

Scion has experience in soil carbon methodological

developments, development of inventory systems, and has

specific expertise in effects of afforestation and forest

management impacts on soil carbon. Scion has capability in

soil and organic matter/nutrient cycling processes.

Protecting and Enhancing the Environment

through Forestry (FRST -C04X0806)

Core expertise: Soil biological and microbial processes.

Scion has experience and capability in soil biological and

microbial processes related to carbon cycling, stocks and

fluxes, soil biotechnology techniques for characterising soil

biological communities, and specific expertise and track record

in the application of NMR to soil organic matter studies

Dr Peter Clinton

Waste to Resource (FRST C04X0301)

Core expertise: soil biological and physical processes

Evaluation of the biological impacts of wastes on aquatic and

terrestrial ecosystems. Modelling the effects of complex

organic molecules (pesticides) within the soil system, and the

effects of biochar amendments on soil processes.

Ms Lisa Langer

Waste 2 Gold (FRST C04X0704)

Core expertise: Conversion of wastes into useful products such

as energy, biofuels, biopolymers, and slow release fertilisers.

Modelling, measurement and quantification of greenhouse gas

emissions from farms, ponds, soils and landfills in real time

using a proprietary technology called TOGA (Titimetric and Off-

Gas Analyser).

Familiarity with chemical techniques, including ICP-MS, 13C,

NMR, GCMS, HPLC, fluorescence, FTIR and UV spectroscopy

that can be used to characterise organic and inorganic

compounds

Dr Daniel Gapes



Expertise in deconstruction of wastes using oxidative and

reductive thermochemical pre-treatment processes to convert

organic wastes into readily degradable feedstocks that can

then be used to develop other products.

Mitigation of Climate Change and the Role of

Forests (FRST C04X0706)

Core expertise: Plant residue decomposition

Effect of environmental variables on the decomposition rates of

coarse woody debris

Dr Thomas Paul



Appendix 5. Partners Memorandum of Understanding

DATED: August 11th 2009

PARTIES: AgResearch Ltd

DairyNZ Incorporated

Landcare Research New Zealand Ltd

Lincoln University

Massey University

National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd

Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium

The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Ltd.

New Zealand Forest Research Institute Limited trading as Scion

Introduction

The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry through FRST has issued a Request for Proposals for the establishment of a Centre for Agricultural Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Research and the promotion of research outputs, funded through the Primary Growth Partnerships programme. This Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) acknowledges the commitment of the Parties to work together in good faith in tendering for the contract to establish the Centre.

The purposes for establishing a Centre and related programmes are to benefit New Zealand farmers by developing cost effective GHG mitigation solutions and to enhance New Zealand‟s international reputation as a leader in the field of agricultural GHG mitigation research.

This collaboration led by AgResearch will recognise the distinctive capabilities of the individual Parties and the benefits of a collaborative approach which will be detailed in a Proposal in response to the MAF Request for Proposals. The collaboration will provide the breadth and critical mass necessary to:

a) Establish and operate the Centre and b) Through the Centre:

Undertake research funded by vote MAF under the Centre contract

Coordinate further bids for research funding from vote MAF and other sources in the area of mitigation of agricultural greenhouse gas production in New Zealand.



Identify and promote opportunities and solutions for New Zealand associated with the mitigation of agricultural greenhouse gas production in New Zealand.

The parties acknowledge that their mutual objectives are to:

a) Develop a Centre that will provide leadership in “mitigating greenhouse gases” across New Zealand

b) Coordinate ongoing development of a national research strategy

c) Manage projects which are directly contracted through the Centre

d) Undertake appropriate co-ordination activities both within New Zealand and internationally

e) Manage appropriate reporting of progress against strategy and communications both within New Zealand and internationally

f) Operate the Centre as a collaborative research alliance for undertaking research into greenhouse gas mitigation.

Establishing the Centre

In regard to preparation of the Request for Proposals:

a) A team will be formed comprising senior managers from each of the Parties to coordinate the bid for Centre funding and if successful to establish the Centre.

b) AgResearch will lead the bid and if successful host the Centre and, in consultation with the Centre partners, appoint the Research Director and administrative support.

c) The intention is that the other parties will be subcontracted by AgResearch to undertake research and will participate in the management of the Centre through a management committee.

d) The Parties may agree from time to time to include other parties in the management of the Centre and in research overseen by the Centre.

Confidentiality and conflicts of interest

All Parties receiving confidential information (“Recipients”) agree to keep all information obtained from other Parties (“Disclosers”) in relation to the business and affairs of the Disclosers strictly confidential and shall not use or disclose that information to any person, other than employees of and advisors to the Recipients (provided that such persons are made fully aware of the confidential nature of the information and are bound



to keep the information confidential), except as may be required by law or where the information enters the public domain other than due to the breach by any Recipient of its obligations under this MOU. In the event that this MOU be terminated, this clause shall survive this agreement.

If any Party enters into discussions with any other person in relation to participating in

another bid for the Centre funding, that Party shall immediately advise the other Parties and may, if the other Parties require, be excluded from further participation in the AgR led bid.

All communication in regard to the Proposal content will be via AgResearch and with the

knowledge of the other Parties. Should a Party wish to communicate externally with respect to the Proposal then that shall only be with the agreement of AgResearch and other Parties.

General

The Parties agree to act in good faith to give effect to this MOU. However, except for clause 0 which shall bind the parties, this MOU is not intended to be legally binding.

Any announcements relating to the proposed collaboration or its activities shall be made at

such time and in such form as agreed jointly by the Parties. Unless otherwise agreed, each Party shall meet its own costs associated with the

negotiation and execution of this MOU and the preparation and submission of the Proposal.



Appendix 6 Market analysis – Scientific expertise around the world

The following table, taken from the LEARN membership list, gives an indication of the number of

researchers around the world with expertise/interest in the agricultural GHG mitigation area.

Country Number Country Number Country Number

Argentina 14 Iraq 1 Philippines 5

Australia 34 Ireland 10 Portugal 5

Austria 2 Israel 2 Rwanda 1

Belgium 4 Italy 5 Saudi Arabia 1

Bhutan 1 Japan 5 Senegal 1

Bolivia 1 Jordan 2 Serbia 1

Brazil 30 Kenya 4 Solomon Islands 1

Cambodia 2 Kyrgyzstan 2 Somalia 1

Canada 12 Latvia 1 South Africa 4

Chile 8 Malaysia 5 South Korea 2

China 11 Maldives 1 Spain 9

Colombia 11 Mexico 16 Sri Lanka 9

Democratic Republic of the Congo 1 Myanmar (Burma) 1 Sweden 8

Denmark 2 Nepal 7 Switzerland 2

Dominican Republic 1 Netherlands 4 Taiwan 1

Egypt 2 New Zealand 71 Thailand 7

Eritrea 1 Nigeria 5 Turkey 3

Ethiopia 5 Norway 1 Turkmenistan 1

Finland 1 Pakistan 5 Uganda 3

France 8 Papua New Guinea 1 Ukraine 2

Germany 6 Paraguay 3 United Kingdom 26

Ghana 1 Peru 8 United Republic of Tanzania 2

Hungary 1 Papua New Guinea 1 United States 28

India 31 Paraguay 3 Uruguay 20

Indonesia 9 Peru 8 Venezuela 1

Iran 4 Philippines 5 Viet Nam 3



Appendix 10. Curriculum Vitae of the Centre Director and the

Principal Investigators

Curriculum Vitae:

Full name: Harry Clark Present position: Section Manager, Climate Land & Environment Present employer: AgResearch Ltd Present work address: Grasslands Research Centre Tennent Drive, Private Bag 11008, Palmerston North

Academic qualifications: (including year awarded)

PhD University College of North Wales, Bangor (1986)

BSc Hons (First Class) University College of North Wales, Bangor (1982)

Years as a practising researcher: 22

Professional positions held:

January 2005 – Present Section Manager, Climate Land & Environment,

2002 – 2004 Team Leader, Methane Measurement & Mitigation,

1995-2002 Senior Scientist, Climate Change team, AgResearch

1991-1995 Research Fellow, AgResearch

1985-1991 Sheep Specialist, MAFF, UK

Present research/professional speciality:

Mitigation of methane emissions by diet manipulation

Exploiting animal to animal variation in methane emissions

Development of improved methods for measuring CH4 emissions from individual animals

Number of refereed publications in last 5 years: 35



Curriculum Vitae

Full name: Dr David Whitehead Present position: Programme Leader and Science Team Leader Present employer: Landcare Research Present work address: PO Box 40, Lincoln 7640, New Zealand

Academic qualifications:

PhD Environmental Physiology (University of London, 1976)

BA (Hons) Biology (University of York, 1972)


Professional positions held: 2006– Science Team Leader, Landcare Research, Lincoln

1992– Scientist and Programme Leader, Landcare Research, Lincoln

1979–92 Scientist, Forest Research Institute, Rotorua and Christchurch

Present research/professional specialities: Measuring and modelling biophysical processes regulating water use and carbon

sources and sinks in ecosystems Integrating water use and greenhouse gas exchange in terrestrial systems Science/policy interface in global change issues

Number of refereed publications: 139



Curriculum Vitae

Full name: Professor Hong J. DI

Present position: Professor of Soil and Environmental Science

Present employer: Lincoln University

Present work address: Department of Soil and Physical Sciences, Faculty of

Agriculture and Life Sciences, PO Box 84, Lincoln

University, Lincoln 7647, Christchurch, New Zealand.

Phone: 03 325 2811 ; Fax: 03 325 3607 ;

Email: [email protected]


1991 Ph.D. (Soil Science) Lincoln University, New Zealand.

1988 M. Appl. Sci. (Soil Science) 1st Class Hons. University of Canterbury, New

Zealand.

1983 B. Ag. Sci. (Soil Science) Hebei Agricultural University, China.

Years as a practising researcher: 18 (post PhD)


2005 - present: Professor of Soil and Environmental Science, Lincoln University

1995 -2004 Associate Professor; Senior Lecturer; Senior Research

Scientist/Lecturer; Research Scientist; Lincoln University.

1993 - 1995 Research Fellow, Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, University of

Western Australia.

1991 - 1993 Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Lincoln University.


Nitrate leaching, nitrous oxide emissions.

Mitigation of nitrous oxide emissions and nitrate leaching using nitrification inhibitors.

Soil molecular microbiology and microbial ecology.

Leaching, degradation and modelling of organic contaminants.




Curriculum Vitae

Full name: Francis Maurice Kelliher

Present position: Principal Scientist and Professorial Research

Fellow

Present Employer: AgResearch

Present work address: Private Bag 4749, Christchurch 8140

Academic qualifications: PhD

Years as practising researcher: 25


2008–present Principal Scientist, AgResearch

2007–present Professor, Department of Soil and Physical Sciences, Lincoln

University

1992–October 2008 Research Leader, Landcare Research

1994–2007 Lecturer, Soil and Physical Sciences Group, Lincoln University

Present research/professional specialities:

Soil Science

Agricultural GHG inventory development

Number of patents: 1

Number of refereed publications: 105 (4,239 citations, Hirsch number = 34)



Curriculum Vitae

Full Name: Dr Cecile De Klein

Present Position: Senior Scientist


Present Work Address: AgResearch, Invermay Agricultural Centre

Private Bag 50034

Mosgiel

Academic Qualifications: Msc. Utrecht University, The Netherlands (1988)

PhD. Utrecht University, The Netherlands (1994)

Years as a practicing researcher: 19

Professional Positions Held (years, position, institution, activity)

2002 – present: Senior scientist, Team Leader – N2O team; AgResearch, Climate,

Land & Environment group.

1995 – 2002: Scientist, AgResearch. Land & Environmental Management Group.

1993- 1995: Postdoctoral Research Fellow, ADAS, Cambridge, UK. Development

of methods for measuring N2 and N2O fluxes from soils.

1989-1993: Research Assistant, Dept. of Plant Ecology and Evolutionary

Biology, Utrecht University, The Netherlands. PhD research on

denitrification in grazed grasslands in The Netherlands.


Number of patents: 0 Number of significant publications not included in the

above: 40



Curriculum Vitae

Full Name: Dr Graeme Attwood



Present Work Address: AgResearch, Grasslands, Tennent Drive, Palmerston

North


BSc, University of Waikato 1983, Biology (Microbiology/Biochemistry major)

MSc, University of Waikato 1985, Microbiology (First Class Honours)

PhD, University of Adelaide 1991, Development of vectors for rumen anaerobes

Employment Record

1986-1991: Research Associate, PhD studies. University of Adelaide, Waite

Agricultural Research Institute. PhD Thesis "Development of vectors for

transformation of the rumen anaerobes Bacteroides and Selenomonas".

1991-1993: Visiting Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Animal

Sciences, University of Illinois; Characterisation of cellulase genes from

Clostridium cellulovorans and Ruminococcus albus.

1993-1999: Research Scientist, AgResearch, Grasslands, Palmerston North.

Nutrition and Behaviour Group, Rumen Microbiology unit.

1999-2002: Senior Research Scientist, Rumen Microbiology, AgResearch

2002-2004: Team Leader, Rumen Microbial Genomics, AgResearch.

2004- present: Programme and Team Leader, Rumen Microbial Genomics,

Ruminant Nutrition & Microbiology, Food & Health Group.

Number of refereed publications (Last 5 years) 29

Patent and patent applications 7



Curriculum Vitae

Full name: Mr Dave Clark Present position: Principal Research Scientist Present employer: DairyNZ Present work address: DairyNZ, Private Bag 3221, Hamilton


B. Agric. Sci, Massey University 1972

M. Agric. Sci, Massey University, New Zealand 1974, in ruminant nutrition


Professional positions held: (years, position, institution, activity)

1974-77 Scientist, Aorangi Research Station, DSIR Grasslands 1978-85 Scientist, Ballantrae Research Station, DSIR Grasslands 1985-86 Visiting Scientist, Hill Farming Research Organisation, Scotland 1986-87 Scientist, Ballantrae Research Station, DSIR Grasslands 1987-91 Scientist-in-charge, Aorangi Research Station, DSIR Grasslands 1992-00 Principal Scientist, Feed Production, Dairy Research Corporation 2000-07 Principal Scientist, Forage and Farm Systems, Dexcel

2007-Present Principal Scientist, Forage and Farm Systems, DairyNZ


Current research includes a continuing commitment to seeking farm systems solutions to reduce the impact of environmental pollutants, specifically nitrogen and greenhouse gases, that result from dairy farm intensification. This is accomplished by the Resource Efficient Dairying experiment, contract research for the Pastoral Greenhouse Gas Research Consortium and the evaluation of nitrification inhibitors in farm systems. Other research involves the development of economically viable farm systems using once daily milking and the discovery of markers for cows tolerant of once daily milking; project management of the “Pastures from Space” research that aims to deliver real time pasture cover data to NZ dairy farmers; and the extension of feed and farm systems research to the dairy industry.


Number of patents: 0

Number of significant publications not included in the above: 75



Curriculum Vitae

Full Name: Dr Peter Janssen



Present Work Address: AgResearch, Grasslands Research Centre

Private Bag 11 008

Palmerston North

Academic qualifications

1990 DPhil, University of Waikato, Hamilton, NZ

1985 MSc (First class honours), Microbiology, University of Waikato, Hamilton, NZ

1983 BSc, Biology, University of Waikato, Hamilton, NZ

Professional positions held

2007-now: Senior Research Scientist, AgResearch Ltd.

1997-2006: Lecturer, Senior Lecturer, Associate Professor and Reader,

Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of

Melbourne, Australia.

1993-1996 Research group leader, Max-Planck-Institute for Terrestrial

Microbiology, Marburg, Germany.

1991-1993 Alexander von Humboldt Fellow, University of Konstanz, Germany.

1989-1991 Postdoctoral Researcher, Thermophile Research Unit, Hamilton, NZ.

Present research/professional speciality

Internationally recognised expert in isolating so-called unculturable bacteria.

Establishing methods for investigating the microbial ecology of the rumen system,

and isolating novel rumen microbes. Thermo-dynamics of rumen micro-organisms

Total years research experience 21 years

Total number of peer reviewed publications and patents

Journal articles 106

Books, book chapters, books edited 15

Patents 2



Appendix 11. Initial Risk Register

The risk register for the Centre will be revised regularly as described in Section 11 of this

Business Plan. The initial risk register is shown on the following pages. Definitions for the

assessment scales used in this risk register are provided in Section 11. Broad risk

categories are shown in the register as well as the specific risks of which they are comprised

but only specific risks are evaluated for likelihood, impact and residual risk.

If an update changes the likelihood, impact or residual risk estimates from the previous

evaluation, the previous estimate will be listed in parentheses beside the new estimate.

Similarly additions to the register since the previous evaluation will be indicated clearly.



Risk No.

Description Likeli-hood

Impact Mitigations or Controls Residual Risk

1. Failing to be financially viable

1.1 Poor budgeting 2 4 Set the Centre and individual project plans and budget based on the Centre and project scopes, including milestones against which progress on each project‟s critical path can be verified.

Maintain frequent communication with all participants in each project to identify problems early.

Establish contingency plans to deal with foreseeable problems.

Establish rigorous change management control to allow some flexibility balanced with control of scope creep.

3

1.2 Poor financial management 2 4 Appropriate financial performance indicators will be put in place, per AgResearch best practice.

AgResearch management will be kept informed by monthly reports on financial performance.

Comprehensive risk identification and management programme in place.

Periodic independent internal audits (to provided by PriceWaterhouseCoopers, per AgResearch Internal Audit policy)

3

1.3 Poor contracting arrangements 2 4 Comprehensive partnership agreement signed with partners before the Centre‟s establishment.

Management processes are transparent, demonstrating continuous commitment to benefiting partners.

Project management to proactively identify and address potential problems or concerns.

All progress reports and relevant communications shared with

3



Risk No.



stakeholders.

2. Failing to achieve the Centre’s goals

2.1 Goals are not realistically achievable

2.1.1 Technical reasons – it may be scientifically impossible to deliver a substantial reduction in GHG emissions without greatly reducing agricultural productivity.

2 5 A regular scientific review of progress and the state of scientific understanding will be conducted for each project and for the Centre as a whole.

This will form the basis of a Go/No-Go review will be held for each project annually and for the whole Centre every three years. An estimated low likelihood of technical success will be one of several potential reasons why a project may be terminated before completion or the Centre may recommend to its stakeholders that it be disestablished.

3

2.1.2 Economic reasons – it may be technically possible to reduce GHG emissions without greatly reducing agricultural productivity, but the cost of doing so may be unacceptable.

2 5 A regular review of the most likely costs of implementation and adoption of the Centre‟s outcomes, taking into possible current and future policy instruments. will be conducted for each project and for the Centre as a whole.

This will form the basis of a Go/No-Go review will be held for each project annually and for the whole Centre every three years. An estimated low likelihood of economic practicality will be one of several potential reasons why a project may be terminated before completion or the Centre may recommend to its stakeholders that it be disestablished.

3

2.1.3 Legislative / regulatory reasons – it may be technically possible and economic to reduce GHG emissions without

2 5 A regular review of the potential regulatory barriers to implementation and adoption of the Centre‟s outcomes will be conducted for each project and for the Centre as a whole.

This will form the basis of a Go/No-Go review will be held for

3



Risk No.



greatly reducing agricultural productivity, but the actions required to do so may be contrary to law or regulation – for instance if doing so required the release of GMOs and such a release was illegal.

each project annually and for the whole Centre every three years. An estimated high likelihood that regulatory barriers could not be overcome will be one of several potential reasons why a project may be terminated before completion or the Centre may recommend to its stakeholders that it be disestablished.

2.1.4 Other reasons for lack of outcome adoption – it may be technically, economically and legally feasible to reduce GHG emissions without greatly reducing agricultural productivity, but there may be other barriers to adoption.

2 5 A regular review of the potential other barriers to implementation and adoption of the Centre‟s outcomes will be conducted for each project and for the Centre as a whole.

This will form the basis of a Go/No-Go review will be held for each project annually and for the whole Centre every three years. An estimated high likelihood that other barriers to adoption of the Centre‟s outcomes could not be overcome will be one of several potential reasons why a project may be terminated before completion or the Centre may recommend to its stakeholders that it be disestablished.

3

2.2 Resources used unproductively

2.2.1 Poor project management 2 3 Establish scope for each project in consultation with all stakeholders.

Set the project plan and budget based on the scope, including milestones against which progress on the project‟s critical path can be verified.

Maintain frequent communication with all participants in the project to identify problems early.

Establish contingency plans to deal with foreseeable problems.

Establish rigorous change management control to allow some

2



Risk No.



flexibility balanced with control of scope creep.

2.2.2 Poor resource allocation 2 3 Maintain frequent communication with all participants in the project to identify problems early.

Principal Investigators will assess performance of research staff day-by-day and re-allocate staff as required to ensure they are used most effectively

2

2.2.3 Distraction by non-core activities

3 2 Most staff will be allocated to Centre projects or other GHG-related projects (e.g. those carried out through PGgRc) with relatively high time commitments (> 0.5 FTE each), thereby assuring that Centre activities are most important for them rather than being secondary to other activities.

2.2.4 Poor choices of project direction

2 5 A regular scientific review of progress and the state of scientific understanding in the field will be conducted for each project and for the Centre as a whole.

The recommendations arising from each review will be used to change project direction as required to maximise the chance of achieving the Centre‟s goals.

3

2.2.5 Poor co-operation inside and outside the Centre

3 4 Management processes are transparent, demonstrating continuous commitment to benefiting partners.

Project management to proactively identify and address potential problems or concerns.

All progress reports and relevant communications shared with stakeholders.

2

2.3 Lacking required skills & infrastructure

2.3.1 Failing to acquire required skills

4 3 Clear job descriptions defined early in the process.

All partner organisations invited to contribute suitable

3



Risk No.



candidates for Centre roles (e.g. PI, AI) on a permanent or secondment basis.

Plan remuneration and career advancement opportunities sufficient to attract the interest of high performing individuals.

Develop international networks in key science skill areas for the Centre to identify and recruit any skills that the Centre does not currently have available in NZ.

2.3.2 Failing to develop required skills

5 3 Two universities are included among the partners, both of which have excellent records of developing skilled scientists through under-graduate, post-graduate and post-doctoral studies.

Skill development plan in place to identify, recruit and train young people for the Centre‟s requirements and New Zealand‟s broader needs in the Centre‟s areas of work (see Sections 10 and 12).

3

2.3.3 Failing to acquire required infrastructure

3 2 All the partners have reliable processes in place for acquiring scientific equipment, buildings and laboratories.

Where equipment is required that cannot be purchased, the partners have teams of engineers and technologists in-house or available on contract who have excellent records of developing customised equipment to meet the needs of GHG research. Recent examples include technology to automatically monitor nitrous oxide emissions from pasture and an automatically controlled and monitored fermenter.

2

2.4 Insufficient resources available

2.4.1 Funds 4 5 It is very likely that achieving the goals of the Centre will require more funds than the Centre will have available.

Links to existing PGgRc investment will help mitigate this risk

5



Risk No.



somewhat.

However, it is likely that to have the all the funds needed, the proposed Global Research Alliance will be essential, hence the high residual risk for this item.

2.4.2 Staff 4 4 Clear job descriptions defined early in the process.

All partner organisations have committed to provide the staff required to carry out the planned projects.

Plan remuneration and career advancement opportunities sufficient to attract the interest of high performing individuals.

2

3. Operational continuity

3.1 Data management 3 3 Many of the partners are public organisations and are obliged to comply with the Public Records Act.

Additional processes being put in place to manage research data are described in Section 16.

1

3.2 Natural disaster 3 5 All of the partner organisations have best practices in place to manage natural disasters. A recent example in which those best practices were effective in AgResearch was during the 2004 Manawatu floods.

2

3.3 Critical staff

4. Damage to reputation

4.1 Media policy 3 3 The Centre will follow AgResearch media policy, which restricts public comment on research to those who are specifically authorised to make such comment.

In the case of the Centre, this will be the Director and PIs.

Media training will be provided to Centre participants who are expected to deal with the media regularly.

AgResearch‟s Communications team will advise and support

2



Risk No.



the Centre as required.

4.2 R&D quality 3 3 A regular scientific review of progress and the state of scientific understanding will be conducted for each project and for the Centre as a whole.

This will form the basis of a Go/No-Go review will be held for each project annually and for the whole Centre every three years. An estimated low likelihood of technical success will be one of several potential reasons why a project may be terminated before completion or the Centre may recommend to its stakeholders that it be disestablished.

2

5. Legal liability

5.1 Ethical practices 2 3 All animal experiments will require ethical approval from the ethics committees currently used by the partner organisations.

If human behaviour research is required (e.g. to study technology adoption requirements) then ethical approval will be required for this work also.

General ethical behaviour will be managed in accordance with the codes of conduct maintained by the Centre partners.

2

5.2 Legislative and regulatory compliance

2 3 Establish regulatory requirements well ahead of time with the assistance of appropriate Government departments.

The partners have internal or retained external legal expertise to advise on compliance with laws and regulations.

The partners have management processes in place to ensure compliance with laws and regulations. Where the adequacy of these management processes may be in doubt for any of the partner organisations, potentially risky activities (e.g. development of GMOs) will be restricted by the Director to those partner organisations for which he/she has no concerns

2



Risk No.



that management processes are adequate.

5.3 IP management 2 5 The partners have internal or retained external expertise to advise on good IP management practice.

The partners have management processes in place to ensure good IP management practice. Where the adequacy of these management processes may be in doubt for any of the partner organisations, potentially risky activities (e.g. development of GMOs) will be restricted by the Director to those partner organisations for which he/she has no concerns that management processes are adequate.

3

5.4 Contracting practices 2 5 The partners have internal or retained external expertise to advise on good contracting practices.

The partners have management processes in place to ensure good contracting practices.

3



Appendix 12.2 Detailed financial projections first 5 years

P&L

2009/10 2010/11 2011/12 2012/13 2013/14

part year

Revenue 4850000 4850000 4850000 4850000 4850000

Centre Admin

Salaries

116,518

274,430

290,896 308,350 326,851

Overheads

28,943

102,103

108,229

114,723 121,606

Legal

9,470

14,205

14,489

14,778 15,074

Phones

3,409

10,227

10,432

10,640 10,853

Photocopier

1,894

5,682

5,795

5,911 6,030

Travel - NZ

15,152

22,727

23,182

23,645 24,118

- Overseas

9,470

14,205

14,489

14,778 15,074

Vehicle Running Cost

2,273

6,818

6,955

7,094 7,236

Entertainment

3,788

11,364

11,591

11,823 12,059

Training

3,788

11,364

11,591

11,823 12,059

Depreciation (laptops)

1,515

4,545

4,636

4,729 4,824

Recruitment

22,727

-

-

-

-

Total Admin

218,945

477,669

502,284 528,295 555,784

Research *

AgResearch

858,750

2,595,000

2,500,000

2,325,000 1,720,000

Landcare

100,000

425,000

450,000

500,000 500,000



Plant & Food

50,000

150,000

150,000

Lincoln

200,000

600,000

700,000

750,000 750,000

NIWA

65,000

60,000

Massey

80,000

Scion

GNS Science

35,000

80,000

80,000

Tactical Research Fund

100,000

100,000

100,000

100,000 100,000

Maori PhD Scholarships

100,000

100,000

100,000 100,000

Unallocated research costs - allocated depending upon priorities

30,005

227,131

231,812

510,083 1,086,862

IT costs for Knowledge Management

20,000

35,200

35,904

36,622 37,355

Total Research

1,538,755

4,372,331

4,347,716 4,321,705 4,294,216

Infrastructure

Total Infrastructure costs 3,092,300

Profit / Loss 0 0 0 0 0

*Note - Research amounts do not show the redistribution of funds to other parties within

subcontracts and so will not necessarily reflect the amount of funding received by each of the

partner organizations.

Salaries increased by 4%/annum; Overheads increased by 5%/annum, general inflation

assumed to be 2%



Appendix 12.3 Building and equipment costs for setting up

the Centre

Description Cost Comments

Conversion of existing building to house Centre staff & provide a high quality focus for the Centre 275,000

Costs only indicative at this stage

Laptops and associated accessories (4) 12,500

Meeting room VC system (1) 21,000

Desktop VC system (4) 8,000 AgResearch 2, Partners 2

Printer 4,000

Data projector (HD) 2,500

Phones (desk and cellular) 2,500

Website development 12,500

Information management system development 25,000

Preparation of Strategy & Business Plan + science strategies 250,000

Preparation of communications & branding policy 50,000

Legal costs associated with partner & FRST contract preparation 30,000

Planning new Centre 30,000

Preparation of concept & costings for a Centre building

Total 723,000

Contingency (10%) 72,300

Total $795,300



Appendix 12.4 Infrastructure & equipment

Organisation Item Description Cost Comments

AgResearch National CH4 measurement centre, Grassland's campus Palmerston North

GHG Centre animal facility at AgResearch Grasslands to house all New Zealand's cattle & sheep calorimeters. This will be the Southern hemispheres largest facility for measuring CH4 emissions from ruminants and will showcase NZ commitment in the CH4 area. Current building & equipment house is no longer large enough for the quantity of work funded.

800,000 Building plans being prepared & the work can be completed by June 30 2010

AgResearch Calorimeters 8 sheep and 2 cattle calorimeters + a Servomix analyser & associated sensors, pumps and ancillary equipment

325,000 Extra facilities needed to support new funding from Centre + new funding from SLMACC/PGgRc

Massey University

Calorimeters Upgrading of 2 sheep calorimeters 65,000 Urgently needed to support teaching programmes in ruminant nutrition. Massey will contribute a further $65000

Lincoln University

National N2O measurement Centre

New Zealand does not have enough measurement capacity in N2O + the major centre for N2O measurement at Lincoln is located in a building desperately in need of an upgrade. This investment will add to the N2O measurement capacity and provide NZ with a high quality focal point for N2O measurement. It will comprise a building upgrade, the purchase of a new GC & the upgrading of existing GC's

525,000 Building plans being prepared & the work can be completed by June 30 2010. All equipment can be purchased and commissioned by June 30th 2010

Landcare Research

GC for N2O analysis Gas Chromatograph, ShimdzuGC-2010AF & Auto sampler

150,000 Urgently needed to support Centre, SLMACC & new national series of N2O trials

Plant & Food Automated field N2O Comprises automated N2O chambers + N2O 150,000 Urgently needed to support



measurement system analyser. Allows real time measurement of N2O in the field

work on N2O emissions from cropping systems trials. Plant & Food will contribute $175000

AgResearch Quantitative PCR systems for soil microbiology

Roche qPCR light cycler + -80 freezer 85,000 Urgently needed to support Centre nitrous oxide and soil carbon programmes. AgResearch will contribute $60000.

NIWA algal harvesting & waste CH4 measurement

Algal harvest and concentration tanks and a transfer pump + Ten 5 m x 5 m GHG Collection covers including gas flow measurement and telemetry

50,000 Will support new Centre programme on waste CH4 emissions & feeding algae to ruminants

Landcare Research

Soil respiration system Multi-chamber, automatic soil respiration system 80,000 Will support the new Centre soil carbon programme

Waikato University

Eddy correlation 67,000

TOTAL 2,297,000

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