New Zealand hosting the RWC of biotechnology excites farmers

Federated Farmers believes NZBio winning the right to host the 2012 Agricultural Biotechnology International Conference to be the biotechnology equivalent of the Rugby World Cup (RWC). It presents an unbelievable opportunity to showcase New Zealand’s burgeoning agbiotech sector.

“The 2012 Agricultural Biotechnology International Conference is the RWC of biotechnology. It’s a real coup New Zealand will be hosting it in 2012,” says Dr William Rolleston, Federated Farmers Vice-President and its spokesperson on food production science.

“Meat industry by-product processing can increase the value of these products by up to a thousand times. This isn’t theory. Fonterra’s joint venture with Royal FrieslandCampina puts it on track to become a global leader in pharmaceutical lactose and non-lactose-excipients.

“Agricultural biotechnology will substantially magnify the $30 billion of exports currently generated by the primary sector. The primary sector itself is being showcased to RWC visitors right now through the New Zealand Agribusiness Showcase.

“Agbiotech is about the next economic leap forward. This is a future that has our leading thinkers looking to our primary industries to deliver. Instead of New Zealand trying to become something it isn’t, Agbiotech grows out of what we excel at producing.

“While the potential is vast it remains relatively untapped. The 2012 Agricultural Biotechnology International Conference could be a springboard to take Agbiotech forward, very much as the RWC is a large advertisement for New Zealand as a whole.

“This international conference is also a means to bring this opportunity home to our media, expert commentators and above all, tomorrow’s farmers, researchers and scientists.

“It’s a genuinely exciting opportunity to break down scientific barriers to show how all New Zealanders can have a stake in biotechnology’s future.

“I believe ‘smart agriculture’ will not just improve the value-environmental ratios of our primary industries, it will lift agriculture into a new future. It’s the means to take our agricultural productivity per worker from six figures to well over seven and that benefits everyone.

“Federated Farmers applauds the Government for backing NZBio’s successful bid as this conference is a step towards a more enduring and rounded economy,” Dr Rolleston concluded.