Lincoln Agritech’s 50th Jubilee

Lincoln Agritech Ltd: 08/10/2014

Lincoln Agritech’s 50th Jubilee: Celebrating 50 years of service to New Zealand agriculture

Lincoln Agritech Ltd celebrated its 50th anniversary on Thursday 2 October 2014. The occasion acknowledged the company’s many talented staff and their substantial contribution to New Zealand’s primary industries over the past decades, as well as showcasing a selection of inventions.

Lincoln Agritech was founded in 1964; then known as the New Zealand Agricultural Engineering Institute (NZAEI), it was formed to undertake applied research to accelerate the development and adoption of new agricultural engineering innovation by New Zealand’s primary sector. The NZ Cabinet approved the formation of the Institute at Lincoln College (now Lincoln University) in 1963 and the first staff member joined in October 1964. Financed primarily from Ministry of Agriculture grants, early research concentrated on tractor safety frame testing, fencing, carcass disposal, farm water supply and agricultural aviation. In 1979, NZAEI opened a second research division in Ruakura, Hamilton. Lincoln Ventures Ltd was created in 1994 through merging NZAEI, the Kellogg Farm Management Unit and the Centre for Resource Management. In 2012, the company changed its name to Lincoln Agritech Ltd to better reflect its unique position as an independent agritech-focused science and engineering research company owned by New Zealand’s only specialist land-based university, Lincoln University.

From early beginnings as NZ’s first research based agricultural engineering organisation, Lincoln Agritech’s role was primarily in evaluating and developing agricultural and horticultural machinery,

Lincoln Agritech has expanded to become a leading innovator for the agricultural, industrial, and environmental sectors. Numerous technology innovations have been developed at Lincoln Agritech and adopted by the primary sector in NZ and internationally. Examples include:

- A mechanical blackcurrant harvester, developed and manufactured commercially from 1973, with machines sold across NZ and internationally.

- The company pioneered water harvesting in dams and other types of storage in the 1970s to meet the growing needs of stock and irrigation, including the design of the Glenmark Irrigation Scheme in Waipara.

- In 1980, NZAEI developed a direct drilling machine called the Rotodrill in collaboration with MAF, which enabled ploughing and seeding of land in a single step.

- IRRICAD, a world-renowned software package used to design pressurised irrigation systems sold in more than 60 countries.

- Aquaflex, a soil moisture sensor sold worldwide since 1991.

- The Canterbury Water Management Strategy had its genesis with staff in the Environmental division.

- Sir William Gallagher of the Gallagher group bought a Lincoln Agritech patent (granted in 1986) and incorporated energisers into his electric fence to measure the earth return, and thus pulse strength.

A number of these inventions, as well as more recent technologies were on display at the celebratory event, held at the Lincoln Event Centre. Around 160 people attended, including the Honorable Amy Adams (Member of Parliament for Selwyn district), past and present staff and directors, Lincoln University staff, and representatives from the Lincoln and University of Canterbury Councils, as well as numerous clients and friends. Speeches were made by Adams; previous CEOs, Dr Terry Heiler and Dr Peter John; current CEO, Mr Peter Barrowclough; Lincoln University Vice-Chancellor, Dr Andrew West; and Chairman the LAL Board of Directors, Mr Ted Rogers.

Attendees were also entertained by a short video featuring a number of television clips describing various technologies aired since 1969. The event concluded with the company’s first staff member, Mr Graham Garden, and the nearest recruit, Dr Abdolabbas Jafari, cutting a celebratory cake.

The Thursday event was followed the next day by an informal BBQ for more than 80 past and present staff, held at the Lincoln Agritech premises.

Lincoln Agritech Limited is a leading edge research and development company with a track record for applying new and innovative engineering and science technologies to enhance New Zealand’s agriculture, industry and the environment. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Lincoln University.

ENDS

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