Thursday, March 28, 2024

Potatoes NZ and FAR investigate partnership

Avatar photo
Two levy-funded organisations representing arable farmers, Potatoes New Zealand and Foundation for Arable Research (FAR), are investigating options to align their research and extension programmes.
Reading Time: < 1 minute

FAR has agreed to work with Potatoes NZ to explore a potential partnership where it would manage Potatoes NZ’s research, development, and extension. 

Both groups appreciate the benefits of working together because many potato growers also grow arable crops.

“This means that in many areas activities such as extension could be pooled, reducing the costs for both organisations,” Potatoes NZ chairman Stuart Wright said.

FAR chairman David Birkett said another important benefit that could result from the proposed partnership was that it would increase their industry critical mass.

“Aligning Potatoes NZ and FAR research projects and funding would strengthen our position for leveraging further funds from external agencies for areas of research common across both crop types,” he said.

“We believe that this would result in research efficiency gains in a number of areas, including nutrient management, soils, and biosecurity.”

Both groups said a number of issues needed to be explored before a final contract was signed.

These included clarifying where overlaps started and finished, identifying potential operational issues, and ensuring that each organisation’s existing research, development, and extension programmes were not compromised in any way.

This work would occur over the next few months and if it indicated a partnership would benefit both parties, FAR could start managing the Potatoes NZ investment in April next year, they said.

Total
0
Shares
People are also reading