50 years of

Lincoln Agritech
1964-2014
A celebration of New Zealand
Agricultural Engineering and Innovation

1
 The blackcurrant
harvester.

2
Contents

2
Introduction by the
CEO of Lincoln Agritech Limited

4 Introduction by the
Vice-Chancellor of Lincoln University

THE DECADES

6 1963-69
Formative years

10 1970-79
Rapid expansion

16 1980-89
Oil shocks, extension and funding constraints

24 1990-99
A more commercial focus

30 2000-today
Challenging times

41 The final word

1
Introduction
by the CEO of
Lincoln Agritech Limited

It is with great pleasure that we bring you

this commemorative booklet celebrating
Lincoln Agritech (and its predecessors) in
its 50th year of operation. In 1964, the New
Zealand Agricultural Engineering Institute
(NZAEI) was formed to undertake applied
research and development to support
agritech innovation by New Zealand’s
primary sector. The New Zealand Cabinet
approved the formation of the Institute at
Lincoln College (now Lincoln University)
in October 1963 and the first staff member
joined in October 1964. Financed primarily
by Ministry of Agriculture grants, early
research concentrated on tractor safety
frame testing, fencing, carcass disposal,
farm water supply and agricultural
aviation. In 1994, Lincoln Ventures Limited
was created through merging the NZAEI
with Lincoln University’s Kellogg Farm
Management Unit and the Centre for
Resource Management. In 2012, the
company changed its name to Lincoln
Agritech Limited to better reflect its position ensure applied research is taken up by the
as an agritech-focused science and sector. None of them, or Lincoln Agritech,
engineering research company owned by has become rich off their inventions, but
New Zealand’s only specialist land based we would like to think our inventions and
university, Lincoln University. research have enriched the country.

The success of Lincoln Agritech comes There have been many successes and
from the scores of dedicated staff who some failures. While most will be forgotten
have worked here over the years with a over time, many of these were cutting edge
passion for the discovery and introduction and made a significant difference in their
of new agricultural and environmental day. The early days of NZAEI saw a strong
technologies, and who have been striving to emphasis on extension with demonstrations

2
at field days commonplace – something We have some really smart technology
that seems to have dwindled with changes under development and we have very
in science funding in recent decades. This capable staff. I have never been more
booklet brings together some of those excited about Lincoln Agritech’s future than
stories long forgotten, or never known, to I am today. We look forward to supporting
share and celebrate what we have achieved. New Zealand’s primary sector and
Staff, both past and present, can be proud environment through another 50 years.
of their contribution through research to
the technological advances in agriculture,
industry and the environment that have
Peter Barrowclough
emerged from Lincoln Agritech and its
Chief Executive
predecessors.

The company continues to perform

strongly 50 years after its inception and
currently employs over 40 staff, including
scientists, research engineers and software
developers. It conducts applied research
and consultancy for the agricultural,
industrial and environmental sectors, with
current research focused on sensor and
measurement technologies, groundwater
research, precision agriculture, including
agricultural spray drift, and irrigation
software design (IRRICAD). 

Business Manager, Kevin Hurren, and Chief

Executive, Peter Barrowclough, unveil the new
company name and logo.

3
Introduction
by the Vice-Chancellor
of Lincoln University

Farming doesn’t succeed by biology alone. 

Soils, freshwater, sunlight, mico-organisms,
plants, livestock and people are all
important components, but on their own they
are insufficient.  Also essential is human
ingenuity in the form of inventions that allow
us to plough or direct drill soils; protect
and then harvest plants; contain, protect
and then milk, shear or slaughter livestock;
and measure, model and manage all these
processes. This is achieved through the
application of technologies and engineering,
activities that have been absolutely
essential to agriculture since its invention
in Mesopotamia c.10,000 years ago at the
end of the last ice age.  Agri-technologies,
as we now call them, ended humanity’s
nomadic, hunter-gatherer existence and helping people feed the world, protect the
allowed the development of villages, then future and live well speaks highly of the
towns, then cities – ultimately leading to the staff who have worked for this venerable
industrial revolution and then the information institution over that time. They have been,
revolution.  Without agricultural technologies and continue to be, special people whose
and agricultural engineering, our species skills and contribution are needed both
would still be wandering the planet in a in New Zealand and globally.   In fact, the
largely unsophisticated manner and at times intensity of that need is mounting. Therefore,
in a state of privation. I am confident – as is Lincoln University
- that in 50 years’ time people will be
That is how important the role of agri-
celebrating a centenary of contribution by
technologies and agri-engineering is –
Lincoln Agritech Limited.  Fifty years is just
absolutely vital.  Lincoln Agritech Limited
the start.
is New Zealand’s specialist agricultural
technology and engineering research
and development company, owned by the
country’s specialist land-based University.  Dr Andrew West
Celebrating 50 years of contributing to Vice-Chancellor

4
Dean Waller and John
Milne work on testing
tractor safety frames.
5
1963-69
Formative years

In 1963, the New Zealand Cabinet adopted Nothing changes

a proposal to establish an agricultural
Experience has shown that it is difficult
engineering testing and research institute
at Lincoln College (now Lincoln University). to adhere to a planned research and
Detailed proposals were approved in August testing programme because of the
1964 and a Management Committee met number and variety of short-term
for the first time on 12 October 1964. The testing and consulting projects, and
first staff member, Graham Garden, was
ad hoc research and development
appointed in October 1964, with further
tasks, with which the Institute is
staff appointed in 1965. The New Zealand
Agricultural Engineering Institute (NZAEI) confronted, often at short notice.
activities were formally initiated in a (John Burton, Director 1969)
ceremony at Lincoln College on 15 April
1965.
included carcass disposal, farm water
The Management Committee was a sub-
supply and agricultural aviation. Projects
committee of the College Council and
were almost entirely funded by an annual
NZAEI staff were permanent employees of
grant from the New Zealand Department
the College. The Management Committee
of Agriculture. As the decade progressed,
Chair was Mr John Boyd-Clark and the
work extended to fertiliser spreaders, milk
first NZAEI Director was Professor John
meters, row crop production, farm transport
R. Burton, who was formally appointed on
vehicles, field drainage, fence post testing
5 March 1965. There were eight inaugural
and the construction of farm dams for stock
staff members, increasing to 15 by 1969.
supply and irrigation. By 1966, soil and
Lincoln College staff from the Agricultural
water research had started and this greatly
Engineering Department worked closely
expanded as staff numbers increased. The
with NZAEI staff on joint projects.
same year also saw the beginning of work
The main areas of activity were testing,
research and development, and information Clockwise from top left:
and extension within the broad field of
Fertiliser spreader testing in the still air lab.
agricultural engineering in New Zealand.
John Boyd-Clark, Chair of the Management
Driven by tractor fatalities and Government Committee 1964-1980.
legislation to fit all tractors with safety Terry Heiler at the NZAEI newsletter stand at
frames, the major focus for the fledging National Machinery Field Days in 1969.
Institute was to develop tractor safety The new workshop block completed in 1966.
frame testing methods. Other early projects Vehicle fertiliser testing.

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7
1963-69

on introducing precision farming methods NZAEI staff were not immune to the lighter
aimed at increasing mechanisation, side of life, however. In 1968 at the official
particularly for horticulture. opening of Lincoln College’s Hilgendorf
Wing by Governor-General, Sir Arthur
The recruiting period for staff, buildings Porritt, two NZAEI staff members (Garden
and equipment was largely complete by and Harwood) used a remote controller to
March 1966. The Institute’s first building, manoeuvre an unmanned tractor sedately
the workshop block, was completed in past the Vice-Regal party. Alarm ensued
early 1966. In 1967, the Government when the machine began to weave
approved extensions to the workshops, a eccentrically and a policeman, jumping on
stress-analysis lab and a still-air shed for the tractor, found no steering wheel. The
fertiliser distribution research. However, a wayward machine finally stopped close to
shortage of accommodation and equipment the official car. Strong words ensured that
through insufficient finances hampered the future pranks be notified to security police
Institute’s ability to deliver the increasingly prior to the event!
wide range of testing and projects requested
by Federated Farmers, government
departments and other agricultural
organisations. At the close of the decade,
building and equipment were noted as
‘inadequate’ and a ‘major limiting factor’ to
Accolades
the Institute’s activities.
A significant event was the attendance
Information and extension with the farming
of Principal Research Officer, Mr E.
community was an important aspect of the
M. (Mike) Watson, at the International
Institute’s work. This was facilitated through
a newsletter series and a membership Standards Organisation meeting in
scheme (94 members by 1969), as well Paris on safety frame testing. The
as participation of staff in field days, talks results produced by the NZAEI were
to farmers’ groups and training courses. enthusiastically accepted and have
A television sequence depicting the
formed a basis for further research
Institute’s safety frame testing was aired
in America… and has been a
in Christchurch in June 1966 – the first of
numerous broadcasts about the Institute’s tremendous factor in the international
work. recognition and reputation of
the Institute.
(J. Boyd-Clark, 1969)

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Clockwise from top left:
Rex Gibbs at work in the project lab.
NZAEI signage.
Journal of Agriculture (August 1965) article
introducing the new NZAEI and director,
Professor John Burton.
Milk meter testing, 1967.
This accident was not fatal; the tractor was
fitted with a safety frame.

9
1970-79
Rapid expansion

Notable features of the NZAEI in the 1970s implement for precision seed bed
were an increase in staff numbers (33 in formation.
1971 to 40 by 1979) and a widening sphere • Introduction of a seed calibration service
of interest. Work on soil and water projects to help growers optimise precision drills.
continued to expand. Testing and consulting The Institute raised beet seed on Lincoln
services were increasingly in demand by College’s cropping farm and by 1971 this
government departments and commercial government certified seed provided the
organisations – projects included bulk of the New Zealand supply.
mechanised production and cropping,
• Work on herbicide drift from aerial
tractor safety frame testing, irrigation
spraying – in particular forestry spraying
design, aerial application of insecticides and
– with the NZAEI completing a number of
fertilisers, and low cost fencing. Extension
trials for the Agricultural Chemicals Board.
work also increased with numerous
requests for field days, demonstrations and • Testing the application of fertilisers and
conferences, input into radio and television pesticides – both aerial top dressing
broadcasts and for bulletins, journal and and bulk fertiliser applicators – led to
press articles. increased interest in machines that
applied pesticides directly to the ground
Due to these increasing demands, but and the Institute initiated a calibration
with a capped budget, a technical sub- service for these machines.
committee was established in 1972, • Development of a self-propelled side-roll
including representatives from MAF and irrigator with commercial units produced
other associated research organisations, to by several companies, including Harvin
prioritise and manage the Institute’s work Industries (Christchurch).
programme.
• Fencing research emphasised low cost
Examples of the extensive range of work fencing systems, plus testing strength
carried out at NZAEI during the 1970s
included:
Clockwise from top left:
• Testing tractor noise levels, with NZAEI The blackcurrant harvester.
advocating fully enclosed cabs to mitigate Les Anstice and the orchard cab, protection from
against permanent ear damage for chemical spraying.
drivers. The side-roll irrigator.
• Development of a fully mechanised Terry Heiler in action.
method for growing fodder beet (the Geoff Warren tests the fence batten machine.
Dutch harrow) by adapting a European Mechanical raspberry harvesting.

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11
1970-79

and durability of posts and wires. NZAEI At no other period have the
developed and patented a fence batten ground rules relating to agriculture
machine to fit vertical wires to a fence,
engineering research and
later manufactured and sold by Aitchison
development been changing at
Industries. By 1978, this research
extended to include electric fences. such a rapid rate.

• Work on farm waste management, (GT. (Tony) Ward, Director, 1973)

particularly for dairying, included slurry
irrigation, lagoon systems for disposing
of waste, and investigating groundwater was recognised by the New Zealand Institute
contamination by nitrogen and organic of Engineers for providing the practical
matter from slurry lagoons. training required for professional engineers
• Publication of the Field Drainage Guide to to be registered. It also became responsible
encourage good drainage practice. to MAF for training newly qualified Ministry
• Initiating a frost protection programme agricultural advisory officers and was
using water sprinklers in lieu of traditional gaining a reputation as an academic centre,
oil burners, initially for kiwifruit in Hawkes contributing to supervising PhD and Masters
Bay. projects from the Agricultural Engineering
Department at Lincoln College.
• Completion of the design for the
Glenmark Irrigation Scheme for Waipara Founding Director, Professor John Burton,
County Council. This was followed by resigned in 1970; his replacement was
water resources surveys of the Opihi Professor (Gerald) Tony Ward (PhD Ag.
River catchment and Hurunui River. Engineering, University of Durham), who
Although the workshop, measurement lab arrived from McGill University (Montreal)
and still air lab were completed in the late in June 1971. Under Tony’s guidance,
1960s, the remaining Institute facilities and and through appointments of additional
staff continued to be housed in temporary staff, the Institute grew its reputation in
accommodation and this remained a specialised areas of irrigation and water
continuing source of frustration throughout resource management growing “probably the
the decade. strongest team of specialists in hydrology
and its related disciplines available to
The growth of the Institute’s reputation any institution in this part of the world” (J.
saw numerous distinguished engineers Boyd Clark, 1971). The Institute developed
visiting NZAEI. By the mid-1970s, the photographic techniques for measuring drop
Institute was contributing to training size distribution of water discharged from
professional engineers and scientists and irrigation sprinklers under still-air conditions.

12
Clockwise from top left:
The bale buggy.
Subsurface drainage guide.
The raspberry harvester.
John Milne and Lins Kerr test safety
frames in the NZAEI workshop.
Aerial fertiliser spreader trials in the
still air lab.

13
1970-79

This, plus meteorological data, was used In 1977, there was a change to the
in computer models to predict the effect of management structure and an independent
wind on sprinklers under field conditions. Director, staff member Mr Mike Watson, was
New work also focused on sprinkler and appointed to the Institute (formerly Burton
trickle irrigation – the latter introduced to and Ward were jointly Professors in Lincoln
New Zealand after a trip by NZAEI staff to College’s Dept Agriculture Engineering as
Israel and Australia. well as NZAEI Directors).

The mid-1970s saw rising costs and Most significantly, 1979 saw the
fluctuating export returns for the farming establishment of a sub-station at Rukuhia,
sector as well as the energy crisis. Hamilton under the management of Mr
This drove research into labour saving John Maber. Hamilton was selected for its
techniques for the sector and Institute staff proximity to a wide range of agricultural
focused on promoting mechanisation and industries and the existence of an agriculture
developing the associated engineering research centre. Five staff transferred,
hardware. A black currant harvester joining three engineers already stationed
was designed and trialled in 1971 that there. No additional government money
straddled the bushes and used (patented) was forthcoming to establish the unit and
oscillating, rotating fingers to shake off all expenses were paid from existing NZAEI
the black currants. Additional machines resources. The office is still operating today.
were constructed in 1973 and a licensing
agreement negotiated with Peco Limited
for commercial manufacture of further
machines. A canopy growing system for Awards:
raspberries, boysenberries and apples, as
well as prototype harvesters for these crops • Dutch harrow - Canterbury A&P
and for field tomatoes, were developed. Show, 1967
The Institute also surveyed and tested • Blackcurrant harvester – Silver
methods of conserving hay and tested a Medal, Canterbury A&P Show, 1972
number of hay handling systems. Staff used
• Precision drill calibration rig –
these tests to develop their own self loading
Canterbury A&P Show, 1972
‘bale buggy’, introduced in 1977; the buggy
was commercialised and sold through a • Fence batten machine – Field Days,
number of companies including Stephen 1975
Engineering (Rangiora) and Duncan • Raspberry harvester – Field Days,
Industries (Taupo). 1975

14
Above:1971 NZAEI staff
Back row (L to R)
Andy Dakers, Martyn Stolp, Mel Cole,
Gordon Winters, Graeme Harrington,
Keith Humphries, Dick Harwood,
John van Boven
Middle row (L to R)
Russell Horrell, George Davies, David
Painter, Terry Heiler, Jim Chapman,
David Jamieson, Fred Lees
Front row (L top R)
Graham Garden, John Dunn, Bev
Atkinson, Tony Ward, Polly Sebeck,
Max Webb, Bob Gilbert

Right: New Zealand Herald (5 January

1980) article reporting the new NZAEI
Hamilton sub-station and its manager,
John Maber.

15
1980-89
Oil shocks, extension
and funding constraints

In December 1980, Mr John Boyd-Clark The newly established Hamilton sub-

OBE retired having served as Chair of station concentrated research efforts on
the Management Committee since the horticultural spraying and agricultural
establishment of NZAEI in 1964. Sadly, aviation, as well as providing engineering
he died a few months later. Professor advice and assistance to farmers,
Tony Ward was appointed Chair. The manufacturers and scientists in the region.
Management Committee, comprising Agricultural spray safety, including personal
representatives from farming, agricultural protective equipment, spray application
machinery industry, government procedures, and evaluating rotary atomisers
departments, Lincoln College and the for spray droplet generation was a priority.
University of Canterbury, continued to direct A major development was the design and
the work undertaken by Institute staff. In manufacture of a rotary orchard sprayer, a
1983, Dr Terry Heiler was appointed Director New Zealand first, which was subsequently
of the Institute. commercialised and sold by Modern Farm
Aids Limited. By the mid-1980s, work
The early 1980s saw economic uncertainty had expanded into optimising helicopters
and constrained government expenditure. and fixed wing aircraft for fungicide and
The 1981 Annual Report noted the last insecticide spray application to horticultural
grant received for building construction crops, as well as measuring spray droplet
was in 1968, with the total amount received size as a key factor for spray efficiency.
since 1964 only $53,400. Staff remained Extension training courses on pesticide
housed in a variety of temporary buildings application technology were regularly held
and limited laboratory working space was around the country by NZAEI staff.
hindering the execution of some projects.
After continued lobbying by successive The Institute continued to provide tractor
Directors, the Ministry of Agriculture and safety frame testing services for the
Fisheries (MAF) approved a one-off $1 Department of Labour, as well as testing
million grant to fund a new office building
and extension to the still air lab for testing
full-size fertiliser spreaders and irrigation Clockwise from top left:
equipment. The buildings were opened The NZAEI stand at National Field Days.
on 31 July 1985, with the office building The new NZAEI building, opened in 1985.
appropriately named the Boyd-Clark Professor James Stewart (Lincoln College)
building. Lincoln Agritech staff are still presiding over the opening of the new office block
and extension to the still air lab.
housed in the building today.
The controlled droplet rotary orchard spray
applicator.
NZAEI directors, Terry Heiler and Mike Watson.

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17
1980-89

fertiliser spreading equipment. By the AEI’s 25-year contribution to irrigation

mid-1980s, work into frost protection development was recognised by the US
systems expanded rapidly from taking
Irrigation Association in 1987 with Dr
meteorological measurements in the
Terry Heiler receiving the prestigious
Hawkes Bay to evaluating wind machines,
sprinkler frost protection systems, and a fog Crawford Reid Memorial Award in
generating frost protection machine called recognition of ‘significant achievement in
the Frostrocket. An electric fence earth promoting proper irrigation techniques
voltage monitor developed by Institute staff and procedures and bringing about major
was commercialised by Gallagher and sold
advances outside the USA’.
internationally.

The oil crisis in the late 1970s saw the start

of a substantial new project focusing on
ethanol production funded by the Liquid for handling, storage and processing
Fuels Trust Board (the equivalent of around horticulture and agriculture commodities.
$10 million today, over the life of the project). Projects included de-stoning and grading
NZAEI and Lincoln College staff worked apricots, a patented hygienic inspection
collaboratively on the project, with the first window for dairy and brewing vats and
full year of beet harvesting and handling tanks, and scallop weighing trials. A
in 1980, and a total of 1500 tonnes of survey of kiwifruit packhouses saw
beet harvested. By 1982, between 12-16 a substantial increase in work by the
staff (all funded by the Liquid Fuels Trust Institute for the kiwifruit industry, including
Board) were working on the project, with grading, handling, storage and transport.
much effort directed toward designing and A de-awning machine for grass seed was
constructing a process plant on site at designed and installed at a Canterbury
Lincoln College.

Horticultural mechanisation remained a

focus with work progressing on raspberry, Clockwise from top left:
grape, blackcurrants, tomato, kiwifruit
The Lincoln canopy system for growing apple
and apple mechanised management and trees.
harvesting. NZAEI was awarded a contract The Rotodrill direct seed driller.
to develop an apple harvester for apples Evaluating chemical spray drift from fixed wing
grown on the Lincoln canopy system. aircraft.
Frost protection studies.
A growth area in latter years of the Ross Thompson working with a red clover
decade was the development of services harvester.

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19
1980-89

seed-cleaning plant and a royalty-based Prophetic

profit-sharing arrangement negotiated,
“It would be a real shame if the Institute,
earning NZAEI/LVL more than $0.5 million
by the time the royalty contract was MAF and the DSIR were all competing
terminated in 2008. for the same research dollar.”

Research and development into a ‘Rotodrill’ (Dr Terry Heiler, Director, 1985)
rotary cultivator began in 1978 and
continued into the 1980s. The machine was
engineered to sow seed and fertiliser into
Canterbury Plains as well as a number of
a series of parallel slots in a single pass,
other catchments, and numerous irrigation
and was used to introduce grass species
feasibility studies were completed.
into native and tussock grassland. Two
commercial units were in use by 1981, With the explosion of new techniques for
with the manufacturer, Henry Engineering, sprinkler irrigation, including big guns,
receiving an award at the Hamilton National rotating and fixed booms and centre pivots,
Field Days in 1981. A second prototype problems of poor subsurface uniformity
incorporated a number of features from the were emerging. This saw the genesis of
original Rotodrill into a modified imported work investigating the physics of water
machine and this demonstrated superior entry into and infiltration through soil, work
performance in field trials. that later expanded into important research
programmes for the Institute and is still of
The greatly increased level of responsibility
critical significance today.
for regional water resources and
slashing of government subsidies led to NZAEI was developing strong computing
increased opportunities and demand for capability and a computer-aided design
Institute expertise in all aspects of water package for horticulture irrigated systems
management. Following the successful was initiated in the mid-1980s. The software
Glenmark Irrigation Scheme, a major allowed high quality irrigation system
irrigation feasibility study was initiated in the designs to be produced and costed,
Hakataramea Valley in South Canterbury in
1981 and a water resource study competed
Clockwise from top left:
for the Rangitata area in 1986. Other
Neil Pasco extracting sugar from beets in the
work included flood plain management ethanol plant.
planning for regional councils, a computer One of the many NZAEI publications.
model was developed to model the effects
Vince Bidwell overseeing operations at the
of irrigation on water resources on the beet ethanol plant.

20
21
1980-89

including the hardware componentry. for the next three years, equating to a 40%
IRRICAD was launched in Australia in 1988, reduction in real terms from the 1983/84
where it quickly became a market leader. A grant level given these years of rampant
popular feature was the regular IRRICAD inflation. The end of the decade represented
training courses run by the company – still the last financial year applicable to the
offered today. grant funding environment. Consequently,
NZAEI put increasing emphasis on contract
The preparation of farm engineering research and special projects for private
design manuals was maintained during the industry and government departments. The
decade and included publications for farm total income for the company in the 1989/90
waste management, sprinkler irrigation, financial year was $2.1 million, 32% being
fencing, and training courses on new derived from commercial contract work.
spraying equipment and techniques. During Staff numbers had dropped to 36 by the
the early 1980s, the Institute maintained end of 1989 and some staff were reduced
production of four newsletters per year to monthly contracts. In light of the changing
to a mailing list of greater than 800. Staff nature of the Institute and further funding
regularly contributed to the NZ Farmers changes forecast for 1990, the Management
Weekly trade magazine and presented at Committee reduced its numbers from 11 to
National Field Days in Hamilton and at local five members.
demonstrations at Lincoln. Two television
programmes were produced in 1980 – one
on fruit production and the canopy system
for growing fruit, and the other on tractor
fuel conservation. However, by 1989 More awards
increasing commercialisation initiatives
• Electronic stock scale – Field Days,
and user-pays research funding caused an
1980
abrupt reduction in scientific and extension
publications, and an increase in confidential • Rotodrill (Direct Drilling Machine) and
reports to clients. Henry Engineering – Field Days, 1981
• Inspection window – Prototype
By the mid-1980s, the Institute staff Certificate of Merit, Field Days, 1986
numbered 53, but the chilly winds of
• Educational Aids Competition ‘Tractor
government funding cuts began to bite
Facts’ – Blue Ribbon Award, American
in the latter half of the decade and by
Society of Agricultural Engineers,
1988 New Zealand agriculture was facing
1987
depressed economic circumstances. In
1985, the Institute’s MAF grant was frozen

22
Clockwise from top left:
An apricot grading table.
Viewing through the NZAEI
inspection window.
Cover page from one of the
many NZAEI publications.
Field work in tussock high
country.
An early kiwifruit harvesting
prototype.

23
1990-99
A more commercial focus

1990 saw Lincoln College become a other foundation Board members were LU
fully independent university. In 1991, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Bruce Ross,
Lincoln University (LU) Council requested LU Registrar, Allan Sargison, former
a reorganisation of the University’s trading Chancellor, Sir Allan Wright, as well as Syd
and units and NZAEI became the single Bradley, Bruce Ash, and Bob Dewar.
largest entity of the LU LINLINK group.
NZAEI’s Director, Dr Terry Heiler, was With a new commercial focus, LVL aimed
appointed Director of LINLINK Services Ltd; to provide a major interface between the
other participants included the Agribusiness University and the commercial and industrial
and Economics Research Unit, Blood world. Four LVL divisions were formed
Typing Unit, Farm Advisory Service, Kellogg to deliver research and development,
Farm Management Unit, Plant Protection consultancy, project management
Research Unit, Wool Measurement Service and IP development services: Lincoln
and Lincoln International Shareholdings. Environmental, Lincoln Technology
(including agrichemicals, postharvest,
The Institute was renamed the AEI to reflect and sensor development), AEI Software
off-shore expansion – a Melbourne office (IRRICAD) and Lincoln Software. Staff
was opened and staffed by Mr Trevor Pratt continued to work collaboratively with
in order to explore opportunities and secure LU staff as well as pursuing their own
Australasian contracts. The office remained research and consultancy interests. In 1997,
open until 1992. there was further restructuring of Lincoln
University’s trading ventures, with Lincoln
In December 1993, AEI merged with a University Holdings Limited established to
number of Lincoln University business oversee the performance of LVL, Lincoln
units (Centre for Resource Management Hospitality, Lincoln International and the
Consulting, Centre for Resolving University’s commercial farms.
Environmental Disputes, Kellogg Farm
Management Unit) to form Lincoln Ventures The early 1990s saw a significant
Limited (LVL). Dr Peter John was appointed restructure of the science system in New
as its establishment chief executive and Zealand. The Government withdrew non-
staff were employed by the company, and contestable input funding and introduced
not Lincoln University. The limited liability competitive funding rounds administered
company was (and Lincoln Agritech through the Foundation of Research,
Limited remains) wholly owned by Lincoln Science and Technology (FRST). The
University, governed by a Board of Directors. Department of Science and Industrial
The inaugural Chair was Lincoln University Research (DSIR) was disbanded and the
Council member, Mrs Pansy Wong, and Crown Research Institutes (CRIs) created in

24
Lincoln University Outlook article announcing
the establishment of Lincoln Ventures Ltd

25
1990-99

its place. This represented a major change device had been initiated in the 1980s and
to the way LVL was funded and ushered in incorporated new techniques in electronics.
the era of writing regular funding proposals A joint venture with Streat Instruments
in an increasingly competitive process. In was established in 1996 to produce a first
1992 and 1993, LVL secured FRST funding prototype of the moisture sensing device, for
totalling $1.3 million and $1.5 million, timber drying. The LVL-patented Aquaflex
respectively, representing approximately half soil moisture measurement technology was
the company’s total annual income. completed in 1997. By 1998, Aquaflex units
had been exported to the UK, Australia and
By 1995, LVL was well-established. In the US, and units were installed in high
addition to FRST-funded programmes, profile sites such as the Millennium Stadium
projects included research activity with the and Leeds United Football Club, in a
Lincoln Soil Quality Research Centre and marketing push for sales in non-agricultural
collaborative projects between LVL and venues.
Lincoln University’s Department of Soil
Science. A major commission was awarded Two large artificial aquifers were built in
to co-ordinate research for the Mussel 1997 as part of a major FRST-funded
Industry Council, and an Environmental programme, allowing LVL scientists to
Policy and Code of Practice for the industry investigate important issues surrounding
was completed in 1997. LVL continued to be ground water contamination in New Zealand
a major contributor to water management and to develop models for predicting
research and land disposal of waste. Staff contaminant transport in soils and aquifers.
also established and helped form standards At the time, there were only two other similar
and code of practices for the use of agri- facilities in the world and the LVL facility
chemicals and fertilisers in New Zealand, attracted significant international interest.
with the national Spreadmark fertiliser
application quality assurance scheme A biosensor programme, initiated in the
being successfully introduced and sought early-1990s with FRST funding, developed
by the Australian industry. In a first for New an exciting new biosensor technology
Zealand, LVL introduced a commercially for rapidly measuring pollutants in water
viable olfactometer for quantifying the substantially faster than conventional tests.
intensity of odours in the vicinity of piggeries The technology was patented and work
and meat works, primarily for resource progressed to optimise the MICREDOX™
consenting. technology for measuring pollutants in
waste water treatment plants, for process
Research into developing a simple yet control, and for detecting toxic substances in
accurate soil moisture measurement waste streams.

26
Clockwise from top left:
Neil Pasco, Joanne Hay and Judith
Webber collecting water samples for
testing.
Measuring the forces applied to
tomatoes in transit.
The MICREDOX™ prototype.
QPod container demonstration
The IRRICAD display stand at an
Australian trade show in 1988.

27
1990-99

By the end of the decade, the Hamilton- sales of the software in North and South
based Postharvest Group was conducting Americas. By 1999, the IRRICAD package
a substantial research programme into had earned LVL more than $2 million in
postharvest-handling, including transporting foreign exchange.
fresh fruit and designing packaging and
handling systems. The research aimed
to develop a toolkit for the food industry
to minimise damage to products through
package and handling design. With FRST
funding, a palletised mini-container system
– QPod – was designed to improve storage
and transportation of chilled meat products.
And more awards:
Some twenty units were produced and
leased to Foodstuffs and Zespri, with a • Aquaflex – New Zealand Electronics
number still being used today. In another and Software Excellence Awards,
project, sensors were applied to measuring The Electronic Product Excellence
the forces fruit, such as apples and Award (Highly Commended),
tomatoes, were subjected to in transit and awarded to Streat Instruments and
these were tested in orchard bins as well as LVL, 1999
in transportation cartons for ENZA. • In-forest log testing (an LVL
technology) – Forest Research
A notable success story was the IRRICAD
‘Technology Innovation Award’
computer software package. Following its
awarded to Fletcher Challenge
release in Australia, IRRICAD was released
Forests Sonics Team, 1999
in San Diego in 1992, with packages
subsequently sold in the USA, Canada,
Brazil, Guatemala, Mexico and Argentina.
By 1995, IRRICAD was being used in 30
different countries, including India and
Malaysia. An exclusive marketing and
distribution agreement was signed with
Nelson Irrigation Corporation of Washington
State, and by 1996 there were record

28
From top to bottom:
Export News article
(17 May 1999) reporting
sales of Aquaflex
instruments.
The NZAEI team won second
place at the tractor pull event
at National Field Days in
June 1996.
Christchurch Press article
(2 December 2002)
introducing MICREDOX™
start-up company.

29
2000-today
Challenging times

In 2000, LVL was restructured to include the contributor to the development of tools for
Plant Protection Research Group; research assessing nutrient losses from agricultural
continued into supply chain systems, land and managing the impact on receiving
water engineering, data analysis, systems waters.
modelling and information technology.
By 2001, the company employed 48 staff In 2004, a new company called Aqualinc
funded through FRST Public Good Science Research Limited was formed, offering
contracts, as well as commercial contracts water engineering consulting services
with New Zealand clients. and headed by former LVL staff from the
environmental division. The subsequent
During the decade, FRST funding departure of most of the consulting staff
represented a substantial portion of LVL’s from the Lincoln office resulted in the
revenue with more than $34 million secured remaining environmental staff being largely
for research into electronic sensing, research-focussed, with the core staff based
environmental and biosensor development, in Hamilton.
biomarkers, groundwater allocation and
quality, spray and vapour drift management, An innovative vadose zone monitoring and
and tomographic sensors. experimental facility, called the Spydia,
was developed by LVL environmental staff
LVL remained a key player in many of New and their partners and established in the
Zealand’s large water resource and irrigation Lake Taupo catchment in 2005. The facility
developments. In 2002, staff prepared a was successfully used for six years to
major report, ‘Canterbury Strategic Water study water and contaminant movement
Study’, which quantified the water resources between the soil surface and the underlying
of the Canterbury Region and the likely groundwater.
future demand for water. The report included
results of a new technology for assessing
groundwater resources, the ‘eigenmodel’,
developed at LVL. This report was the first
Clockwise from top left:
in a series that formed the technical basis
Brian Moorhead conducting tracer experiments at
for Environment Canterbury’s ‘Canterbury the Spydia facility.
Water Management Strategy’, the current
Ian Woodhead working at the Spydia facility.
framework for managing all water resources
Log strength testing by Fletcher Challenge staff
in the Canterbury Region and which also using LVL-developed technology.
addresses the quality of natural waters Leanne Banks analysing pesticide residues for the
as a result of land use and its ongoing Plant Protection Research Group.
intensification. LVL has been a leading Brian Moorhead working inside the Spydia facility.

30
31
2000-today

In 2005, Dr Peter John resigned from LVL to

take up a position at Lincoln University. He
will be remembered for successfully guiding
the company through the turbulent transition
from input funding to the competitive
model administered by FRST, and for the
high success rate the company enjoyed in
securing long term funding from FRST.

He was replaced in 2006 by Mr Graeme

Robertson, previously chief executive at
Cawthron Institute in Nelson. Mr Robertson
oversaw the negotiations with Netafim for
the Australian distribution rights for IRRICAD
and negotiated a commercialisation
agreement for the MICREDOX™ technology.

LVL successfully secured funding to

commercialise the patented MICREDOX™
technology and subsequently took up a
shareholding in Scitox Limited, the company
formed to commercialise the technology.
A further round of capital raising was
successfully completed in 2008.

Reduced funding for the Supply Chain

Systems Group saw that group closed
in 2008, with the loss of staff from the
Hamilton office. This, plus fewer commercial
contracts, saw overall LVL staff numbers
dwindle to 32 FTE by 2008.

Faced with increasingly bad health, Mr

Robertson retired in 2009 and was replaced
by Mr Peter Barrowclough. 2009 also saw
changes to the Board of Directors, with
Chair Mr Gary Leech resigning and being

32
Opposite page top to bottom: Clockwise from top left:
Neil Pasco and Claire Clark taking lactose Sean Richards talking to the Livestock
measurements at a dairy processing plant. Improvement Corporation shareholders council
about on-farm automation.
The Menixis prototype for counting faecal
parasites. Prototype soil moisture sensor for Smarter Irrigation.
The ColourStick for measuring kiwifruit ripeness. A lactose-sensing flow cell.
GrapeSense measuring canopy porosity.

33
2000-today

replaced by Mr Ted Rogers. The number of One of LVL’s most senior water
Directors was reduced to three. researchers, Dr Vince Bidwell,

LVL technology staff developed an received the Hydrological

image analysis platform, IMBADA, based Society’s Outstanding
on inexpensive video cameras and Achievement Award in 2009.
processors coupled with smart digital signal
processing software. Diverse applications
of the platform included data on customer
responses to product displays, crop
analysis for the wine and kiwifruit industries,
football sports tracking and road traffic
management.

A number of new technologies with 2010 and 2011 will forever be remembered
commercial potential emerged by the end of for the Christchurch earthquakes. Although
the decade, primarily resulting from FRST- no staff members were hurt, some
funded research: Fielderview, a technology lost friends and associates and many
to track fielder movements on a cricket pitch experienced damage to their homes and
and featured on TV for cricket matches properties. The Lincoln campus was closed
screened in New Zealand in December for many days in September 2010, and in
2006; Feedback Football, a player tracking February and June 2011. Since that time
technology trialled in the second division the company has supported staff, allowing
of the UK football league in 2005; Time them time to repair their houses and focus
Domain Reflectometry Imaging (TDRI), a on their private lives while providing moral
non-invasive moisture detection system with support. The ensuing accommodation crisis
its first application in the roading industry; created by the earthquakes has continued
Kiwicount, image processing technology for to make recruitment from outside the region
estimating New Zealand’s annual kiwifruit challenging.
crop, used by Zespri, Seeka and Ag First;
GrapeSense, an image-based research
tool for determining the canopy porosity
characteristics of grape vines, with units
sold in Europe and Australia; and a lactose Right top to bottom:
sensor for detecting lactose concentrations The Kiwicount buggy in action.
to very low levels in real time, trialled in Country News (July 2005) article describing
Fonterra dairy processing factories. the Kiwicount image processing tool.

34
35
2000-today

The most significant restructuring of the LVL’s irrigation design software, IRRICAD,
science system since the introduction of continued to perform strongly through
CRIs in 1992 took place in 2010. Funding the decade. A new web site for IRRICAD
provider, FRST, merged with the policy was finalised. Version nine of the software
arm, Ministry of Research Science and was released in 2007 as a result of
Technology, to form a new ministry called irrigation giant Netafim using IRRICAD for
the Ministry of Science and Innovation its irrigation design services, worldwide.
(MSI). Approximately 48% of the competitive This was followed by Netafim taking over
science funding pool was transferred into Australian and European distribution of
core funding for CRIs making it unavailable the software. Nelson Irrigation Corporation
to other research providers, such as LVL, continued to sell the package strongly in
and making it very much harder to gain MSI North and South America. Foreign language
funding in the future. Further restructuring versions (French, Portuguese and Spanish)
in 2012 merged MSI with a number of were developed, and an AutoCAD version is
other ministries to become the Ministry also under development.
of Business, Innovation and Employment
(MBIE). In another major shift, ten National In December 2012, Lincoln Ventures was
Science Challenges (NSC) were introduced renamed Lincoln Agritech Limited along with
in 2013 and some funding moved from a rebrand of its marketing material and web
the contestable pool into the NSC, further presence. The new name better reflects the
reducing available investment in the company’s unique position as an agritech-
competitive pool. focused science and engineering research
company, and received positive feedback
Although the company had seen from the marketplace.
government funding for the environmental
group reduced in 2010, the ‘groundwater In a nod to the past, the precision
assimilative capacity’ programme (jointly agriculture research group was re-
led by LVL and CRI, Environmental Science established in 2012. As part of a strategy to
Research), was the top performer in an position the company as a leading provider
external review of water research at MBIE of precision agriculture research, the Lincoln
in 2013. New MBIE contracts were awarded Agritech chief executive initiated and was
in 2012 for smarter irrigation technologies founding Chair for the Precision Agriculture
($848,000 over two years) and research into Association of New Zealand.
variable nitrogen application ($5.6 million
The company has actively sought to
over five years).
pursue professional fee income to
mitigate its reliance on the increasingly

36
Clockwise from top :
Craig Burgess and Greg Barkle installing a monitoring well in the Pukemanga catchment with towers
applying artificial rainfall to the hill slope in the background.
Installation of suction tube samplers in a soil pit for investigating nitrate transport and transformations.
Juliet Clague and Aaron Wall retrieving core samples.
37
2000-today

competitive government funding. This Software (including IRRICAD) and Precision

has been successful with a 28% increase Agriculture (including agrichemical spray
in professional fee income for research drift deposition). Financially, the company
services between 2010 and 2013. has continued to deliver profits for its
Significant clients have included Zespri, shareholder, Lincoln University, at a time
Silver Fern Farms, TruTest, Dow, CropLife when the University was under financial
America, Warratah as well as regional pressure, primarily due to the earthquakes.
councils, and Lincoln Agritech has seen The total income for 2013 was $6.2 million,
increased repeat business from a number of of which 25% came from commercial
these organisations. contracts.

Lincoln Agritech has continued to transfer

its science to international and national
audiences through science publications,
presentations at conferences and meetings,
client reports, attendance at field days
and community meetings, and through
post-graduate student supervision. Lincoln
Agritech’s focus on delivering world-
class science and engineering has seen
increasing international collaboration. In
2014, the company is currently collaborating
with 22 scientific institutions and 11 of these
are international.

Despite the ongoing difficulties experienced

Clockwise from top left:
from the earthquakes’ aftermath, staff
Chief executive, Graeme Robertson, with Nelson
numbers increased again between 2010 Irrigation executives, Bob Rupar and Reid Nelson,
and 2014 and currently number 45, during an IRRICAD marketing trip.
reversing the trend experienced in the Fielderview technology being used on SKY
late 2000s. The company now operates Television.
four divisions – Sensing Technologies Automated pest detection and monitoring device.
(electronic and biological), Environmental, Phase Doppler Interferometer measuring
air-borne particles from orchard spraying.
Rory Roten measuring nitrogen levels in pasture.
Cover page of the LVL-authored Canterbury
Strategic Water Study.

38
39
 What makes LAL special?
Some collaborative work with MAF scientists on mechanical harvesting of berry
fruit was underway. As commonly happens, it became necessary to modify
the harvester. NZAEI staff on the job asked where the nearest workshop was;
to the astonishment of MAF staff, they set about cutting and welding to make
the required changes. The ability to use a welder typified what made the
Institute strong – these days it would be a different tool, piece of equipment,
or computer technology. The mantra of ‘what is the problem, what needs to be
done to solve the problem, get on and do it, then check and refine’ was integral
to the NZAEI staff work ethic and is as strong today as it was then.

(John Maber)

Electrostatic spraying
for psyllid in potatoes

40
The final word

The NZAEI was established as an institutionally-

funded organisation that served primarily one industry
group, agriculture. Industry representation was strong
in the Management Committee, and technology
transfer benefited from the established farm advisor
network. Economic revolution led to uncertainty in
the agricultural industry, disbandment of the advisor
network, and a move to centrally managed competitive
funding. The consequence was financial uncertainty
for the University and the grouping of a number of
business units to form LVL.

Although the role of LVL, and subsequently Lincoln

Agritech, has become more diffuse, the company
has successfully negotiated the changing fortunes
of the funding landscape and fluctuations in the New
Zealand economy. The skills employed have diversified
to include research engineers, software developers,
business development staff and specialist scientists
with post-graduate qualifications employed to meet
funding expectations. The centralised, competitive
funding system has led to relationships with a broader
client base, including local councils, industry and
the manufacturing sector, as well as international
collaboration.

The longevity of the company can be attributed

primarily to the dedication and high calibre of the many
staff that have worked here over the years. They have
continued to adapt and deliver applied research with
a passion for discovery and invention coupled with
a down-to-earth pragmatism. Lincoln Agritech staff
maintain a strong belief that what they do is important
for the agriculture, environment and industry sectors
they represent, and ultimately to the wellbeing of the
New Zealand economy and its people.

41
 W lincolnagritech.co.nz
E info@lincolnagritech.co.nz
P +64 3 325 3700

© Lincoln Agritech 2014

42
 50 years of
Lincoln Agritech
1964-2014
A celebration of New Zealand
Agricultural Engineering and Innovation

43