US adviser names Pasture Meter NZ's top innovation

A Massey University-developed technology has been named the leading New Zealand agricultural innovation by a top-ranking United States Government adviser.

In an interview on 3 News Alec Ross, senior innovation adviser to United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, named the C-Dax Pasture Meter as New Zealand’s innovation highlight.

“There’s one that’s really interesting called the Pasture Meter. It’s fascinating. It takes 200 measurements per second to identify how much grass is in the paddock and to more effectively distribute dairy cows. And it’s being used all over the world right now and it’s adding, I’ve heard, up to $57,000 per dairy farmer in revenue. So this is a big deal. It’s the everyday innovations that can change the world.”

He was speaking ahead of last week’s Project Revolution conference in Auckland.

The C-Dax Pasture Meter was devised at Massey’s Centre for Precision Agriculture by Professor Ian Yule and two former PhD students, Dr Robert Murray and Dr Hayden Lawrence.

Last year the Pasture Meter won the innovation in environment and agriculture award at the New Zealand Innovators Awards.

The Centre for Precision Agriculture, led by Professor Yule, is dedicated to creating practical land management solutions through the use of precision technology tools.