MEDIA RELEASE

3 June 2009

Six top NZ companies named finalists in innovation awards

Agricultural technology sector awards set the bar in innovation and commercialisation

The New Zealand agricultural technology industry continues to set the bar in product innovation and product commercialisation as evidenced by the participation of six prominent finalists in this year's national New Zealand Agritech inc. Innovation Award.

New Zealand Agritech Inc. CEO, Colin Kennedy, said the quality of the companies, their innovation and commercialisation of product and services demonstrate that the agritech industry has the potential to be one of the foremost contributor to New Zealand 's economic growth.

New Zealand Agritech Inc is the national industry and export development body for companies which supply technology to the farm. The industry accounts for more than $700 million in exports a year, and domestic sales of three billion. A solid earner, the industry is growing at between 9% and 12% per year.

The finalists for the award which recognises innovation and commercialisation of a product are:

•  Donaghys (Canterbury) for their world first development and commercialisation of LessN, a nitrogen response enhancer designed for use in New Zealand's pastoral based farming systems – increases pasture growth on half the amount of urea applied.

•  Racewell Ltd ( Waikato ) for their world first development and commercialisation of the Automated Drafting and Data Transfer via PDA and Voice Activated Over-ride system.

•  Simcro ( Waikato ) for their world first development (in conjunction with Novartis Animal Health Inc.) of OPTILINE(tm) a revolutionary new drench gun for sheep.

•  Farmworks Precision Farming Systems (Manawatu) for their world first totally integrated feed measuring system complete with on-farm wireless data network (FarmNet) and web portal capability.

•  Gallagher ( Waikato ) for their world first development and commercialisation of SmartTSi colour touch screen Farm Weighing and Data collection System, using Electronic Identification (EID).

•  Sensortec and Waikato Milking Systems NZ Ltd ( Waikato ) for their world first development and commercialisation of D-TECT, a novel mastitis alert system for dairy farms.

“ New Zealand pastoral agriculture is an efficient amalgam of ‘appropriate' technology. The average NZ farm will contain examples of biotechnology (animal and plant genetics), software (embedded in electronics or online in a farm's communications systems with suppliers and processors) satellite systems and heavy engineering.

“ If we're to transform the New Zealand economy, differentiate ourselves from our global competitors and establish a niche reputation for high quality products in certain sectors, then providing more emphasis and development for the Agritech sector is a natural choice.

“ New Zealand 's global reputation for efficient pasture farming, in particular, creates a massive overseas opportunity for New Zealand – that is, ‘ownership' of the philosophy and technology (means) that underpins this country's farming efficiencies.”

The winner of the award will receive $10,000 worth of free advertising on Sky's The Country Channel and a DVD production of their product worth $3,000.00 sponsored by The Country Channel.

The winner of the New Zealand Agritech Inc. Award will be announced at the New Zealand Agritech Inc. Annual Dinner on Thursday 11 June.

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About New Zealand Agritech Inc.

NZ Agritech Inc is a New Zealand group of diverse agricultural technology companies including suppliers of dairy and milking equipment, livestock pasture genetics for raising cattle and sheep, to animal health remedies, farm machinery, pasture grass intake and performance data, and a lot more; all of whom distribute around the world.

For more information see: www.agritech.org.nz

Contact

Colin Kennedy
CEO NZ Agritech Inc.
027 245 6060
Email: colin.kennedy@agritech.org.nz