Chile AgRnD Nov09 Final ChangesAccepted - Docx-1

Client Report
Prepared for Ministry of Agriculture - Chile
November 2009
Science and technology: roles in

the evolution and performance
of the Chilean agriculture and
food sector to 2030
Andrew West
Stephen Goldson
Simon Lovatt
Science and technology: roles in the
evolution and performance of the Chilean
agriculture and food sector to 2030
Ministry of Agriculture - Chile
November 2009
Andrew West, Stephen Goldson and Simon Lovatt
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accuracy of the investigations and the information contained in this report,
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Table of Contents
1. Executive Summary ........................................................................................... 1
2. Introduction ........................................................................................................ 2
3. The world to which Chile will export ................................................................... 3
4. Implications for Chile ......................................................................................... 9
5. A worked example of a future, integrated value chain in Chilean lamb............. 10
6. A pattern of research that supports a high-value export sector ........................ 11
7. Recent trends in research ................................................................................ 14
7.1 Animal research ................................................................................... 14
7.2 Plant research ...................................................................................... 16
7.3 Biosecurity research ............................................................................. 17
7.4 Farm Systems research........................................................................ 19
7.5 Soil research ........................................................................................ 20
7.6 Rural Communities research ................................................................ 22
7.7 Institutional linkages ............................................................................. 24
8. References ...................................................................................................... 24
Report prepared for Ministry of Agriculture – Chile November 2009

Science and technology: roles in the evolution and performance of the Chilean agriculture, food industry
and forestry sector to 2030 i
1. Executive Summary
Chile’s volume of food production will never be large by international comparisons.
To develop a high-value, export sector from dairy and red-meat foods derived from
pastorally-fed ruminant animals requires carefully planned and implemented
development of integrated value chains in the face of:
• The convergence of global population growth and increased wealth – creating a
steady and ultimately large increase in global demand for food, including
sophisticated, expensive food.
• The reaction to resource use and pollution – creating a drive for veganism or
reduced consumption of animal-derived foods in global middle-class markets
and calls for demonstrated substantial improvements in resource-use efficiency.
• The globalisation of agricultural value chains and of science and technology –
meaning that Chile might become part of a much larger system with much of its
generic science and technology (S&T) being imported while none of its unique
R&D requirement will be.
To develop integrated value chains – from soils to the ultimate health and well-being
of the final consumers of Chilean-produced foods – will require the following R&D
priorities:
1st priority - Market access and consumer confidence
• Exemplary food safety
• High animal health and welfare
• Sustainable farms and processing systems with low environmental footprints
nd
2 priority – Product performance
• Consistent quality and superior functional performance of foods
• Uniqueness of foods
• Timeliness of delivery
rd
3 priority – Efficiency
• Better-informed decision-making on farms and in food processing factories
• High efficiency forages and livestock
• Linking each animal product with the highest-yielding markets
Without continued market access and the confidence of consumers (or
supermarkets) to buy Chilean food products, all other effort is wasted. It is essential
that Chile maintains scientific capability to support safe foods, high animal health
and welfare standards and low impact, sustainable production and processing
systems. This will require a major research effort, much of it unique to Chile. No
one else will do this research for Chile. With access and confidence maintained,
Chile can concentrate on producing high value, hopefully unique, products where it
can be a price-maker as much as a price-taker in global markets. With prices
defended in markets, targeted efficiency gains can be captured in those segments of
the integrated value chains controlled by Chilean firms or farms. Care must be
taken to nurture research that supports these three priority areas; it is easy slip into
funding fashionable, generic science undertaken globally at the expense of the
science that only Chile will ever undertake and must undertake. That said, Chile
must also contribute to the global scientific effort in partnership with overseas
research organisations and multinational firms in areas that are carefully chosen
(because they are expensive) but that will, ultimately, support its strategy to become
an exporter of high value, sophisticated foods for consumption by wealthy and

Science and technology: roles in the evolution and performance of the Chilean agriculture, food
industry and forestry sector to 2030 1
discerning consumers. Opportunity exists to expand R&D into food itself, especially
if this is linked into integrated dairy and red-meat value chains.
The degree to which Chile can implement the above priorities will be heavily
influenced by the volume of money it invests in pastoral sector R&D, both public and
private.
2. Introduction
The Chilean Ministry of Agriculture commissioned AgResearch to carry out a
prospective analysis of the (current and expected) developments in science and
technology (S&T) that are likely to play a key role in the evolution and performance
of the Chilean agriculture, food industry and forestry sector over the next twenty
years.
In particular, the following deliverables were requested:
1. An executive summary;
2. A description of key S&T developments that have changed agricultural, food
and forestry activities in the last 5-10 years.
3. An outlook of expected developments in S&T which are likely to impact
significantly agriculture, the food industry and the forestry sector, in countries
like Chile, over the next 20 years with a gross assessment of their potential
impact and strategic implications, along with strategic options for local
participation in the new developments.
4. An outlook of the changes envisaged in the type of linkages/relationship
between the R&D institutions (global, local), and of these institutions with
agri-business - in view of the new S&T developments.
This report does not comment on future research directions for forestry.
AgResearch is not directly qualified to do so. However, our conversations within
New Zealand have made it clear to us that Chile was as well-placed, if not better
placed, than New Zealand to draw conclusions on the future direction for their
forestry research.
This document makes a few essential assumptions that we clarify here. Firstly, we
have assumed that Chile wishes to create meaningful, sustainable exports from its
pastoral sector and that it will import from other countries lower value foods to feed
much of its population; in other words, our advice to you centres firmly on research
that supports the export of Chilean pastoral products. Secondly, we have assumed
that with a relatively small volume of export product compared, say, to Brazil that
Chile will choose to focus on selling its food exports to wealthy, discerning
consumers in premium markets; this is exactly the same strategy that the New
Zealand food industry has adopted. Thirdly, we have assumed that those elite
markets will impose on Chile similar standards and requirements that they have
imposed on New Zealand.
Consequently, this report analyses the global situation for foods derived from
ruminant livestock and summarises the implications for the Chilean pastoral sector.
It identifies the generic standards and requirements that supermarkets or
multinational food companies are now imposing on producers and highlights further
implications for the Chilean pastoral sector.
Finally, this report presents information on research programmes that the New
Zealand pastoral sector has adopted and is aiming to adopt such that Chile can
choose to develop its own portfolio of pastoral research in the knowledge of where
New Zealand is headed when pursuing a strategy very similar to Chile’s. We make
some firm recommendations for areas of research in which we believe Chile must
pursue. Strategic choice is essential because few countries are able to invest

enough to achieve all that they would wish in pastoral agricultural research and
development (R&D).
Finally, in our view it is essential to note two, strong, environmental factors driving
the Chilean pastoral sector. The first is simply the very great variability in soil and
climatic regimes across the length of Chile. To manage this obviously requires a
great depth of understanding of many different production environments; indeed
relatively few countries have to contend with such diversity. The second is that this
variability will probably be accentuated through the likely impact of climate change
on Chilean production environments; Chile is ranked 82nd of 191 countries in terms
of global climate risk. According to the World Bank, key climate change issues for
Chile are:
a) increases in temperature – the temperature will increase by up to 2°C by
2100 in the north of Chile (Regions I and II) and by 3°C in the Centre and the
South;
b) changes in precipitation – precipitation will increase in the altiplano,
decrease up to 20-25% in Second Region to Puerto Montt in the Tenth
Region and then increase from Chiloe southwards
c) drying out in parts – the decrease in yearly precipitation in the central part of
Chile along with temperature increases, will lead to increased evapo-
transpiration; [1]
The report now turns to the world to which Chile will be exporting.
3. The world to which Chile will export

Any export strategy for Chilean foods must build off an analysis of likely or possible
global drivers. Obviously, these affect any underpinning R&D plan. We contend that
the major drivers are these:
• Massive growth in the human population: This is predicted to peak
around 9-10 billion individuals in 2050 (50-60% more humans to feed and
clothe than now) [2]. The current population is c.6.3 billion;
• Massive growth in wealth in newly-developed nations: Not only is the

human population surging, but so too is wealth, which is leading to soaring
demand for all natural resources, including expensive-to-produce, livestock-
derived foods, food ingredients & textiles, tailored for the requirements of
wealthy consumers. The figure below shows growth in demand for animal-
derived foods relative to human population growth [3];

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• The ageing of populations in the majority of highly-developed nations:

The currently wealthy nations are ageing, (with the exception of the USA), as
shown in the figure below [4], with Chile shown as a comparator. This
ageing will create a demand for different nutrition and a growing focus on the
nutrition-health link. Developing Asian nations are also likely to stress this
nutrition-health link, but for other reasons;
%
"
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'#
!
• A rebalancing of economic power: This is shifting towards Asia, especially

China and India, and is associated with the rapid development of Brazil and
perhaps Eastern European nations as a food and fibre producers. ;
• Steadily-improving access across and investment within global
markets: Whilst Chile already enjoys excellent market access, other nations
are improving their own access in bilateral and multi-lateral deals. This is
being aided by improving global communications, and by multinational
investment in Chilean agriculture & forestry;

• The growing power & influence of supermarkets: This is driven by their
steady internationalization, precipitating a commensurate aggregation of
food and ingredient companies further down the value chain;
• Full integration of food and textile value chains: Supermarkets
increasingly require product authentication and accreditation, minimized
environmental footprints and improved animal welfare, and are beginning to
move back behind the farm gate to influence or control livestock genetics.
• An explosion in new science and technology, particularly with respect to:
o Artificial intelligence & massive computational power
o New materials & nano-materials
o The ability to operate at miniscule scales of magnitude
o Understanding the complete information architecture of organisms
o Understanding the profound environment-genome interaction
o Understanding all aspects of cognition and neurobiology
o The creation of synthetic yet still organic life
o The ability to defeat all human pests and diseases incl. cancer
o Extended human lifetimes (120 years initially)
o A deep appreciation of the self-regulatory mechanisms of Gaia1 and
the extent to which it is now facing destablisation
• Global biotech industry becoming mainstream: The distinction between
pharmaceutical and biotechnology firms is becoming hard to make, and each
is moving towards the food as nutrition (nutraceutical) space;
• A growing investment in S&T: This will occur as the means to protect
civilization; both to feed it and to sustain a biophysical environment that
supports a reasonable quality of life;
• Increasing loss of freedom to operate in science: The number of foreign
patents in areas of science important to Chile’s pastoral sector is likely to
increase;
• Enormous, growing, unsustainable demands: The capacity for Gaia to
sustain an unchanged biosphere is being increasingly challenged by
population and wealth-related consumptive pressures, particularly land for
farming, fresh water for agriculture, hydrocarbons for transport and solid
minerals for manufacturing – these are now creating increasingly worrisome,
disruptive shortages. The following two figures depict demand for synthetic
N (nitrogen) and P (phosphorus) fertilisers [5,6] and the developing regional
scarcity of freshwater [7];
1
Gaia is the description of Planet Earth under the scientific hypothesis that the planet is alive, not in
the sense of being able to reproduce, but in a self-regulating (homeostatic) sense whereby the planet
evolves through complex interactions between organisms and their physical environment, this evolution
ensuring that environmental conditions remain conducive to reproducing organisms across billions of
years. This is a hugely profound concept and one of the greatest-ever shifts in human intellectual
paradigms, akin to those engendered by Copernicus, Galileo, Newton, Darwin and Einstein.
Formulated by Dr James Lovelock, a now 87-year old Englishman.
& '
$
%
#
• In response, a switch to using cereals for ethanol biofuel thereby:

o Increasing the price of grain
o Making grass-fed livestock products immediately more appealing
o Increasing the price of commodity foods
The production of animal-derived foods is susceptible to a switch from using
grains to feed animals towards using grains to fuel cars (via ethanol); about
one third of global grain production is currently used to feed animals in order
to feed humans, ranging from 40% in the US to 14% in Africa [8];
• Food security and increasing food prices: Concern is rising over access
to food (“security”), and whether a general trend will set in of increasing ‘real’
prices for food;
• Enormous pollution, particularly the growing crisis in anthropogenically-
induced climate change creating global warming, but also the poisoning of
the air, freshwater bodies and the erosion of soils. The following figures
show (a) the rise in global surface temperatures and (b) sea level, and (c)
reduction in snow cover [9].

The next set of figures shows the abrupt rise in CO2, CH4 and N2O gaseous
concentrations in the atmosphere [10]. 18% of the total world greenhouse
gas emission (in CO2-equivalent terms) is directly attributable to ruminant
production.

• The sixth, great, known mass extinction This is now underway,
hastened by climate change, habitat destruction and concomitant
redistribution of pest, weed and disease species around the world. As yet
the loss of biodiversity has not become a significant international cause, but
it is likely to do so in the next two decades [11]:
Estimated number of species in the world: 13 to 14 million
Number of described species: 1.9 million
Plant and animal species known to be threatened

16,306
with extinction:
Species known to be extinct due to human activity in

785
the last 500 years:
Species facing a high risk of extinction:
Mammals: 1 in 4 Amphibians: 1 in 3
Tortoises, freshwater
Birds: 1 in 8 almost 1 in 2
turtles:
Estimated ratio of the current rate of extinctions to the

100 to 10,000
normal background rate:
• Diverse new religions, spiritualities and philosophies: These are on the

rise, promoting Gaia, the innate rights of other species (particularly sentient
animals), veganism, self-sufficiency and minimal environmental footprints,
thereby challenging the very activity of exploiting other animal species (e.g.
through livestock farming) and rejecting genetic manipulation as a tool to
improve food production and reduce environmental damage;
4. Implications for Chile

Chile can only bee a modest food exporter. In 2007 [12], Chile exported food and
other biological products valued at around US$9.2 billion and imported the products
in the same categories valued at about $US3.3 billion. It produced enough food
calories to feed roughly 24 million people if all the grains produced were fed to
humans (in fact, some were fed to animals). About 2.3(1016) Joules of its total food
output was destined for export in 2007, which was capable of feeding a total of
about 6 million people; not many in a world of 6.3 billion people. It is therefore
sensible for Chile’s food exports – be they consumer products or ingredients of such
products – to be sophisticated and of high value. In many domains, Chile is a niche
food exporter (the exception being some seafood and some types of wines) and it is
unlikely to be able to succeed by competing on volume and scale (i.e. by leading
through commoditisation).
Aiming to become a niche exporter of high value foods and food ingredients will
allow Chilean firms to target the rapidly growing market of ultra-wealthy consumers
across the planet. It will also allow those firms to absorb the rising costs of
production associated with environmental compliance; these costs are going to be
substantial.
The most significant of all the drivers we listed above are likely to be:

• The convergence of population growth and increased wealth – creating a
steady and ultimately large increase in global demand for food, including
sophisticated, expensive products;
• The market reaction to resource use and pollution – creating a drive for
veganism or reduced consumption of animal-derived foods in middle-class
markets and for much-improved resource-use efficiency; and
• The globalisation of agricultural value chains and of science and
technology – meaning that Chile might become part of a much larger food
production machine, and that much of the generic S&T will be able to be
imported from offshore.
Moreover, it is important to reflect on the paths that Chilean food export industries
have selected and, within these, the plans of individual firms. Whilst the Chilean
Government may choose to build a scientific and technological base that
encourages further development of a niche, high value sector, clearly this will have a
limited future if it is not supported by the majority of firms in any particular industry,
and this includes the multinationals heavily invested in Chile. There needs to be a
trade-off between – the immediate needs of firms competing in international markets
and the constant need to take a longer-term view of Chilean export market
development and scientific progress. This implies that the Government must fund a
portfolio of R&D that spans longer-term discovery work through to immediate and
applied research and development. In our view, the sort of high-value pastoral
agriculture, export industry that Chile should be developing is covered below.
5. A worked example of a future, integrated value chain in

Chilean lamb
Where it all starts - the people who pay for and eat expensive lamb.
An integrated value chain for Chilean lamb starts from the final consumer and goes
back to the paddock of a farm in your country. Generally the final consumer will be
wealthy, discerning, conscious of their health and nutrition, desiring of lamb that is
tender, delicious and always absolutely safe. Furthermore there will be a desire to
know that the lamb has been produced in a manner conducive to excellent welfare
of sheep and with a ‘low’ environmental foot print. These consumers have been
prepared to pay quite some premium to acquire such a product.
What is needed to give them what they want? A team.
Final consumers demand a lot, but they will pay for it. The only way to give them
what they want and get their purses or wallets open will be to put a proposition to
them that Chilean lamb meets or exceeds all their demands. That proposition is a
‘brand’. It need not be the cuts of lamb themselves. It need only be the promise that
the supermarket which sells them that lamb makes to its customers; that the product
meets every one of their requirements. A supermarket will only do that if it is certain
that the lamb it is selling actually does meet those demanding specifications. And
for that to happen reliably, the supermarket needs to develop a long-term
partnership with a lamb processor so that it can rely on the processor to sell it what
it requires, when it wants, reliably. And for the processor to meet that supermarket’s
requirements it, in turn, must rely on farmers to produce what it needs, when it
wants, reliably. In a nutshell, every one depends on everyone else – in other words
a team has been created, or ‘mutual co-dependence’.
What is this team? And what is so special about it? The importance of long
term contracts.
Technically, to produce branded, high value and high returning lamb everyone in the
value chain from paddock to plate must act as a team, and the chain has high

barriers to entry and high barriers to exit. Chilean farmers and meat processors
cannot easily produce lamb for the supermarket because the specification is so
complex. Similarly, the supermarket (or processor) cannot readily walk away after it
has promised its customers so much. The only way to manage high barriers to
entry and exit is to establish long-term supply and demand contracts, from farmer to
processor to supermarket. In this situation processors compete for farmers, not
lambs.
What are the features of an integrated lamb value chain? The importance of
specialisation.
Does Chile have such a value chain now? No (although it has been trying to create
one). Final consumers are making precise demands not just of lamb, but of farming
systems themselves. An integrated value chain operating on long-term supply/
demand contracts exhibits the following features:
• Dedicated forages matched to dedicated lamb genetics
• Timely supply (including, across all contracted farmers, sufficient product
that is available ‘out of season’)
• Specific animal welfare standards and precise on-farm environmental
standards
• Precise animal handling and slaughtering procedures, and low microbial
counts
• Precise carcase conformation, and reliable yield, meat tenderness and meat
colour
• Convenient primal cuts and convenient meat ingredient products, well
packaged
• Absolute food safety and traceability (authentication)
It is requirements such as these that must inform Chile’s R&D plan for pastoral
agriculture.
Where is Chile now? Some way off this.
Currently, for Chile there are few, if any, long-term contracts and therefore
insufficient dedication to final consumers. Meat processors have not been able to
measure carcase attributes that final consumers will pay most for and this lack of
information has meant an inability to manage. This can change as Chilean
processors gain access to sophisticated processing plant carcase and meat
measurement systems. This quality information can then be linked to forage
genetics and lamb genetics so that Chilean farmers can start to produce precisely
the lamb that the final consumer demands, when it is needed and via an
authenticated farm production system. The future could thus bode well for Chilean
lamb.
6. A pattern of research that supports a high-value export

sector
Clearly Chile has some exemplary areas of primary industry production. The most
notable of these are in the areas of horticulture and forestry along with significant
advances in dairying. However, in general, Chilean pastoral agriculture presents as
a complex heterogeneous mosaic of different issues even within each of the ten
regions. A central question then is how to best provide science and scientific
services for the majority the country’s land-users?
If Chile wishes to focus its ruminant animal-derived food exports at wealthy
consumers through the means of integrated value chains then we recommend it
adopts a hierarchy of priorities for related R&D as follows:

1st priority - Market access and consumer confidence
• Exemplary food safety
• Animal health and welfare
• Sustainability and environmental footprint of farm systems
nd
2 priority – Product performance
• Consistent quality and superior functional performance
• Uniqueness
• Timeliness of delivery
rd
3 priority – Efficiency
• Better-informed decision-making on farms and in food processing factories
• High efficiency forages and livestock
• Linking each animal product with the highest-yielding markets
Our rationale for these priorities is as follows. Firstly, Chile will not be able to export
any food products unless it maintains access to markets (being controlled by other
governments through phytosanitary barriers to trade) and the confidence of its final
consumers (being represented by the demands of supermarkets that we identified
earlier in this report). Consequently, R&D that underpins being able to do so is of
prime importance. Secondly, Chile needs to export sophisticated products if it is to
sell to wealthy consumers; it needs to have some power to set and defend the price
of its products in markets rather than simply being a price-taker. Thirdly, with price
being defensible, every efficiency gain in those parts of value chains controlled by
Chile will be retained by Chile, making the pastoral food industries more profitable.
As a consequence of this analysis it is essential that Chile’s pastoral R&D is strong
in the domains of:
• Food safety (e.g., microbial contamination)
• Animal health (e.g., control of zoonotic diseases)
• Animal welfare (e.g., exposure to extremes of temperature)
• Control of forage pests and weeds (e.g., biocontrol)
• Efficient and low environmental impact use of fertilisers, pesticides,
herbicides and freshwater
• Emissions of net greenhouse gases (e.g., sequestration of carbon in soils)
• Soil conservation
As noted earlier, Chile has very diverse production environments that climate
change will make more diverse. Thus at the very least, Chile must maintain or
develop databases on its baseline resources and their management . Such activity
must be based squarely on Chilean science and technology (S&T)..Not only will this
S&T support market access and consumer confidence, but much of itwill also
improve efficiency.
In our experience it is difficult to be enthusiastic about emphasising areas of R&D
such as food safety, animal health and welfare, farming and processing systems.
To some they are not fashionable and appear to be low technology (though they are
often at the leading edge). Thus supporting such work is helped by using the
arguments above that explain why such areas are essential to the development of
integrated value chains supporting sophisticated food exports. Thus in our view, the
Chilean Government must be satisfied that it is maintaining an adequate R&D effort
in food safety, animal health and welfare, and sustainability of farm production
systems and food processing systems. The extent to which R&D for product
performance and efficiency will be delivered will depend on how much money the
Government, industry and individual firms choose to invest in such R&D.
It is also important to appreciate that agricultural firms are rapidly becoming
multinational: ruminant animal breeding by Pfizer and Merial; forage plant breeding
by Barenbrug and PGG-Wrightson; supplementary feeds by Pioneer and Bayer;
animal health remedies by Pfizer/Fort Dodge and Merial/Schering-Plough/Intervet.
Much of the basic science is being sponsored or influenced by these giant firms as
they seek to sell generic technologies world-wide. With regard to these firms,
Chile’s scientists have two opportunities: (a) to contribute to the basic scientific effort
that these firms are garnering and commercialising, in return for financial reward and
(b) tuning these companies’ generic technologies so that they work in Chilean
production environments. What is certain is that Chile’s scientific institutions must
work increasingly closely with these firms as they, in turn, roll out technologies in
Chile’s pastoral production environments.
The basic science of livestock growth is the same all over the world so Chile must
be careful not to simply replicate the scientific efforts of Northern hemisphere giants,
with too little money, too late and without commercial freedom to operate. Instead it
is better to collaborate to be part of a larger scientific effort of ultimate relevance to
Chile’s own food industries.
Development of sophisticated foods themselves is an area of real scientific
opportunity in spite of cattle, cows and sheep being reasonably similar worldwide.
Establishing the degree to which specific production environments embellish
valuable characteristics in animal-derived foods is one area of scientific endeavour
relevant to our second priority, “Product performance”. Beyond this, Chile may wish
to start emulating Holland’s Food Valley concept with a single research
concentration that supports sophisticated food R&D for all food types, not just those
derived from ruminant animals. However, such a facility would be expensive to
establish and should not be pursued at the expense of maintaining the R&D platform
discussed above that supports market access and consumer confidence.
We now turn to specific areas of R&D. We are presenting this material as it
indicates what New Zealand has been pursuing in the pastoral areas in the last 10
years and how this is likely to look over the next 10 years. We offer this as a basis
for consideration of what areas of R&D Chile may choose to engage in, given that
both countries are aiming at a similar pastoral foods sector, aimed at the same
wealthy consumers.
We have also provided, in Appendix One, further detail of what AgResearch hopes
to achieve scientifically in the next decade.

7. Recent trends in research
7.1 Animal research

Breeding
D airy only Nutrition (probiotics )

Dairy/beef integration (bull
beef)
Beef only Grow th horm ones
C attle Gut paras ite m anagem ent

Bovine genom e
s equenced
Whole genom e s election
(SN Ps )
D airy and Beef
Genes for productivity traits
dis covered
Multiple births
Early Johnnes res earch
Nutrition/tim e caps ule
Hygiene
Yield grading
Meat and offal
pH prediction (als o beef)
Hot boning
Anim als Scobie s heep
New genetics etc, Eas t
Fries ians
Sheep Wool
Advanced proces s ing –
VerifTT
Chem ical s hearing
Whole genom e s election
Mus cle phys iology
Both m eat and w ool Genetics for parentage
Tracability
Loin s ize
Perform ance Enhancing
Velvet production
Biom edical
D eer Venis on productions
Health (TB Johnes )
Other
Hygiene
Pigs Grading
Proces s ing
Commentary on advances in the last 10 years in ruminant animal sciences

The most notable aspect of animal research in the last five to ten years has been
the rapid advance in methods of genetic selection. This has progressed from gene
mapping to Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) to Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms
(SNPs; and SNP-chips) and now increasingly, rapid sequencing of whole genomes.
This progression has hugely accelerated the breeding of livestock for desirable traits
with ever-increasing precision. Such progress applies to all pastoral animals, but
work on the work on the Bovine and Ovine genomes has been particularly rapid.
The sorts of traits being isolated genetically include those for multiple births, growth
and productivity, resistance to Johnes disease, resistance to gut parasites etc. The
latter has been a focus of particularly close attention as gut parasites are becoming
resistant to various anthelminthic denches. Notably, this genetic work has greatly
increased the demands for the management of huge data sets and their analysis,
leading to creation of the field of bioinfomatics.
Feed conversion efficiency/nutrition in livestock is of growing interest, but has been
constrained by the lack of specialist rumen scientists. In terms of efficiency this area
of R&D has become one of the most important in recent years within New Zealand,
as animal genetics have far outstripped the capacity of ryegrass-clover pastures to
exploit the full potential of those animals.
Substantial progress has been made in the areas of meat hygiene and processing,
including hot boning. Progress has also been made recently in muscle physiology,
loin size and pH prediction for tenderness. Across all animal products traceability
and safety are issues of great importance to supermarkets. There has also been
considerable focus on the application of high-speed, DNA-based and isotopic
systems that allow accurate determination of the places of origin (authentication or
uniqueness; one of our priorities under “Product performance”).
Beyond these areas, sheep research has focused on attempts to develop sheep
breeds with less disposition to dags and fly-strike (easy care) and work has
continued in investigating in sheep breeds for milking. Considerable work has also
been done on the genetic control of wool growth. Moving beyond food and fibre,
there are now many research programmes internationally on the use of transgenic
animals as bioreactors for production of pharmaceuticals, although many such
programmes, in our view, lack commercial freedom to operate and few have any
particular advantage with regard to production location.
Future directions
It is anticipated that animal genetics and trait-based selection will continue to
advance rapidly though whole genome screening. The types of traits sought will
continue to be in the areas of feed conversion, reproduction and greenhouse gas
amerlioration. An emerging area of focus is likely to be the different genetic make-
up to produce optimal grain-fed versus grass-fed livestock. Genome sequencing is
now so cheap that the field is becoming mechanical. Limitations will be in the
sophistication of information analyses (bioinformatics) and in the selection of
approriate phenotypes against which to correlate genetics. Phentotypic
measurement will progress below the level of gross animal characteristics to the
performance of individual organs and tissues, even at the cellular level, and
researchers are beginning to use sophisticated imaging systems for animals, based
on those used for humans.
Emergent fields are in epigenetics – the physical control of gene expression by the
environment within which live and grow – and stem cell biology – the means by
which animals might be programmed to grow in different ways and at different rates.
These are deep areas of science that might or might not ultimately provide better
means to farm livestock, be these free range or housed.
In the future there will be a large amount of R&D focused on rumen digestive
efficiency and on ways of reducing the emission of greenhouse gases by
manipulating the rumen. Such work will involve molecular technologies to
understand better both the biodiversity of the rumen and the function of various
microorganisms involved in forage digestion. Closely linked to this will be further
advances in understanding of the fate of various types of forage in the rumen, both
in terms of greenhouse gas emission and forage conversion efficiency. Moreover,
the physiological performance of ruminant animals will be of increasing importance
beyond the operation of the rumen itself, or that of genetics, epigenetics or stem
cells per se.
Animal health R&D will continue to be important and (beyond genetics) the focus is
likely to be on the discovery of new molecules to control existing diseases. Within
this, research into contagious diseases will be increasingly important particularly if,
and when, stocking rates increase. It will be important for Chilean researchers to
maintain and grow their links with multinational animal health companies because of
those companies’ rapid concentration into few, immense firms.

7.2 Plant research
Insect resistance
Drought resistance
Ryegrass/endophytes Enhanced production
Animal friendly
High energy ryegrass
Yield (short to long term)
Persistence
Legumes
Pest resistance
Plants Salt tolerance
Chicory
Plantain
Other species
Fescues
Lotus SPP
Genomic analysis
Genetic technologies Marker-assisted selection
Legume hybrids
Commentary on advances in the last 10 years in forage plant sciences

The last 10 years have seen major advances in applied forage technology. The
demand for this has been very clear, based on:
• Ongoing intensification of pastoral farming and the need to transform the
sustainability of agriculture
• Mitigating agricultural greenhouse gas emissions
• Adapting to climate change e.g. more frequent and intense droughts
• A need to accommodate growing competition from low cost producers,
coupled with increasing costs of farm inputs e.g. fertiliser and fuel
• Increasing animal welfare concerns, particularly with respect to nutrition in
pasture-fed animals
The most significant plant breeding work on forages in the last 10 years has been in
the area of symbiotic endophytes to confer insect and drought resistance to
ryegrass and fescue. Research into the biochemistry of these fungi has allowed the
selection of animal-friendly strains that still minimise attack from insect pests.
Work has also advanced on clover breeding, including for yield, pesistence, insect
and disease resistance and saline tolerance. In particular, major advances are now
being made on legume hybrids based on high technology methodologies such as
embryo-rescue and protopast fusion. While this work is still experimental, there is
great potential for completely new forages, such as tap-rooted clovers.
At the same time, there have been major and world-leading advances in forage
plant biotechnology with the creation of cisgenic and transgenic lines. For example,
there are now ryegrass and clover plants with traits that offer:
• Drought resistance and improved performance under moisture stress
• Improved balance of sugar and protein levels for increased metabolisable
energy, higher productivity, and better nitrogen use efficiency
• Higher levels of condensed tannins to eliminate bloat and provide optimal
protein uptake, leading to less nitrogenous waste
• Changed lipid content leading to higher metabolisable energy and reduced
nitrogen leaching
• Reduced lignin for more rapid digestibility and improved nitrogen efficiency
• Improved efficiency in the plant's use of water and nutrients
• Encapsulated lipids to increase the level of omega-3 fatty acids in the
animal, with potential human health benefits
• Improved growth at lower temperatures for increased production outside the
peak growth period
Future directions
While traditional breeding remains of importance, GM forages are going to make a
large impact. All of the transformed plant material discussed above remains in
containment while arrangements are made for suitable field-testing (at least in New
Zealand). Once in the field there will be a very large amount of systematic research
into the agronomy of these plants and measuring the levels of expression of the
useful traits. At the same time close attention will be paid to issues like plant
protection against pests and weeds, and the effect of the modified lines on soil
microbiology etc. and on their digestibility in the rumen.
These forages are only useful if they can be seen to have a useful effect on animal
production so forage sciences will be increasingly linked to animal sciences through
feed conversion efficiency.
7.3 Biosecurity research

Animal contagious
diseases
Animal Zoonoses
Disease detection
technologies
Biocontrol systems (pests
and pathogens)
Plant Soil microbiology/insect

Biosecurity pathogen loading
Biopesticide formulations
Detection technologies
Screen/surveillance
Border biosecurity methodologies
Eradication Molecular identification
technologies/strategies systems
Commentary on advances in the last 10 years in biosecurity sciences

New Zealand has a great deal in common with Chile when it comes to biosecurity.
In their own ways both countries are geographically isolated and therefore have a lot
to gain through the exclusion of pests, weeds and diseases.
New Zealand has adopted a regimen of strict criteria and decision-making routines
for dealing with biosecurity threats and incursions. Much of this is being moved from
paper-based and facsimile systems to electronic communication. At the same time
the New Zealand Government is trying to push back responsibility for biosecurity
compliance onto industry (freight-forwarding companies etc.) based on self-
examination combined with government-mandated accreditation of inspectors and
government-mandated external audit systems. There has also been an initiative to
conduct pest avoidance procedures at the ports of origin rather than at the New
Zealand border.

At the same time there has been a great deal of data-mining to develop models of
pest incursion, spread and the characteristics of pest groups. A new development
has been based on neural-network modelling which examines pest-assemblages as
predictors of threats. This method has been found to be outstanding because it can
effectively use very disparate data bases.
Scientific research has been based on the development and implementation of
surveillance systems including the experimental development of sensor systems,
pheromonal trapping systems, live-dead assays, isotope bases for determining the
origin of specimens, rapid DNA-based pest identification kits and internationally-
driven efforts to establish DNA barcoding based on the CO1 gene with specific
application to biosecurity. In its broadest sense a new science of biosecurity
forensics has been developing.
Work has continued on the development of biopesticides based on formulations of
insect pathogens and plant fungal disease antagonists. Progress in this area has
been greatly accelerated since the development of biopolymers that permit long-
term shelf-life of many microbial pathogens. Partly based on this investigation is
continuing work to develop of socially-acceptable eradication technologies, including
such as sterile-male and lure-and-infect methodologies.
Over the last 10 years New Zealand has also been taking close note of the
increasing threats arising from zoonoses as well as the chance of epidemic
diseases in livestock as pastoral farming intensifies and the climate warms. Very
high levels of vigilance are maintained in order to intercept foot-and-mouth disease
or fruit fly. Work is underway to develop early detection systems and fast-acting
remedies in order to deal promptly with threatening disease outbreaks.
Future directions
It is anticipated that research into the means of ensuring biosecurity will continue to
develop along the lines described above. However, biosecurity outbreaks are
notoriously difficult to predict.
In general, it is highly probable that molecular technologies will continue to develop
and perhaps combine with nanotechnologies to eventually lead to very rapid DNA-
based ‘pen-side’ or ‘dock-side’ identification systems for unknown organisms.
Tradition taxonomic methods are often not useful because frequently only the early
stages or parts of a pest are intercepted.
Likewise, it is likely that environmentally benign pesticide systems will be developed
that are increasingly host-specific and based on natural diseases within the affected
ecosystem. Biocontrol or chemical control of pests and weeds will become
increasingly important as climate change allows new pests and weeds to establish.
This work will also remain important because, as multinationals attempt to introduce
generic technologies across countries, their ability to resist different pests, weeds
and diseases will vary enormously.
Research into infectious diseases that affect animals and humans will become
increasingly important and there will be a growing convergence between veterinary
and human medicine.
Finally, it is inevitable that increasing computer power, new mathematical modelling
systems and ever-improving surveillance technologies and methodologies will
produce predictive models of ever-increasing value and utility to biosecurity.

7.4 Farm Systems research
Decision support software
Farm mapping
Tech adoption research
(barriers etc)
Management systems Nutrient budgeting
Forage irrigation techs
Strip grazing
Grazing systems
Creep feeding
Electric fencing
Recruitment
Ownership labour structure
Training
Commentary on advances in the last 10 years in farm systems science

New Zealand pastoral systems have been comprehensively researched over the
last 100 years, resulting in detailed inventories of land characteristics that allow
plans to be developed for the most appropriate land uses.
Such work has also resulted in a good understanding of the how the climatic and
soil components interact with the forages and animals. As part of this, systems
research, which considers the functional interaction of such components, is
essential to the optimisation of pastoral production while ensuring minimal
environmental disruption.
Much of this research is incorporated into decision-support software packages that
are made available commercially in New Zealand. Such models accurately
determine aspects such as soil nutrient budgeting, water use requirements and
animal feed budgets. These models are used by New Zealand territorial authorities
and farmers alike for decision-making.
Experimentation with animals and forages has also led to the optimisation of pasture
use via strip and creep feeding. Such methodologies have been very much based
on based on New Zealand electric fence technology.
Irrigation, irrigation technology and water use have also been the subject of
research for many decades and the findings from such work have also been
incorporated into systems-based models. However in recent years this has been
somewhat in abeyance.
Part of New Zealand systems research has had a sociological element and that is
around the recruitment, training and retention of expert farm staff who require
increasingly high levels of technical know-how. Some of this this work has been the
subject of close attention by the New Zealand Tertairy Education Commission.
Closely related to this area is the extent to which on-farm automation may change
future labour requirements.
Unfortunately the the applicability of farm systems research done in New Zealand
(or Europe or North America) to Chile is modest, at best, and substantial
customisation will be required to apply foreign results to Chilean systems.
Future directions
There is no doubt that there will be a refocusing of research effort onto water-use
and irrigation efficiency. More generally, farm costs keep escalating and there will
continue to be close attention to minimising energy costs and fertiliser use, including
nitrogen. Future system research will also be very much part of any forage-based
farm system’s effort to ameliorate green house gas emissions.
Another area that is likely to see a redoubling of effort is the incorporation of elite
livestock and possibly genetically transformed forages into agroecosystems. There
is urgency in this as there are indications that production from ruminant livestock
systems (particularly intensive dairy systems) could be greatly enhanced through
further optimisation of in situ forages.
Clearly in all of these areas of impending work, existing systems models would have
to be upgraded and adjusted to suit Chilean conditions. We believe it is essential
that Chile develops and maintains a comprehensive and effective farm systems
research capability.
7.5 Soil research

Winter grazing
management
Fertiliser managem ent
Effluent management
Reducing N, P and faecal
contaminant losses Nitrification inhibitors
Managing critical source
areas (P and faecal)
Tools for monitoring and
measuring
Water Water quality Nutrient budgeting
Life cycle assessment
System evaluation
BMP tool box
Inform policy development
Farm planning
Encouraging adoption Understanding drivers for
change
Soil function Soil carbon
Strategies for maximising Sustained econom ic Managing land-use Biodiversity
adoption growth
Erosion
Strategic land
Land m anagement Land & Environmental
management plan
Valuing natural capital
Natural capital protection
Soil resilience Mitigation
Nitrous oxide Inventory development
Greenhouse gas System's impact
emissions Mitigation
Methane Inventory development
Air
Understanding impact on System's impact
nutrient cycling and soil
Climate change function
Adaptation
Commentary on advances over the past ten years in soil science

New Zealand’s soil science is well-founded on a tradition of detailed and systematic
mapping and classical research into soil chemistry, soil physics and soil fertility.
Also, in considering the long-term, close attention has been paid to the conservation
of soil, because of well-founded concerns about erosion of the country’s young soils
in the now deforested steep volcanic landscapes. At the same time there has been
ongoing concern about wind-erosion of light alluvial soils through repeated cropping.
Over the last 25 years, a great deal of work has been done to develop farmer-
friendly models and expert systems for the optimisation of nutrient budgeting based
on soil and ecoclimatic conditions as well as stocking regimes etc. While this work
has had application in terms of farmer expenditure on fertiliser, it has also been
designed to minimise run-off that leads to the eutrophication of waterways etc.
Much of this soil research effort has recently received major impetus as a result of
New Zealand’s widespread conversion of sheep farms to dairy farms and, with that,
the very rapid increases in the use of synthetic nitrogenous fertilisers.
Most recently, coinciding with increasing concern about climate change, there has
been a sharp increase in interest in those components of soil function that that
contribute to the production of green house gases and how nitrogen immobilisers
may be used to minimise the emission of nitrous oxides. The latter is particularly
germane given the dramatic increase in the use of nitrogenous fertilisers.
Future directions
There is no doubt that the intensifying research issues around soil, water and
greenhouse gas emission described above will continue well into the future. Soil
research will continue to shift increasingly towards soil biology with distinct foci on
understanding further the influence of water quality, the protection of “natural capital”
and sequestration of atmospheric carbon in soil. With regard to the latter, there is
now close attention to systems associated with the determination of greenhouse gas
inventories and with this, interest in the contribution that soil carbon makes.
With the heightened use of nitrogenous fertilisers the importance of the role of
clover-based nitrogen fixation has been rediscovered and there is emphasis on how
this may be protected and optimised. There is recognition that further work is
required on both on the ecotypic function/genetics of rhizobial bacteria and the
rhizosphere itself.
With intensification of land use and a growing move towards dairy farming, attention
will return to impacts on soil structure and associated chemistry, such as the long-
term effects of a lack of aeration and how varying soil types will respond. Likewise,
if and when transgenic forages become available, there will be a need for thorough
analysis of their impacts on all aspects of soil function, particularly those related to
the associated biota.

7.6 Rural Communities research
Policy
Soil & land management
Adult learning
Water & stream
management
Environmental
Sustainability Greenhouse gas
management
Adoption
Compliance
Environmental life cycle
assessment
Life cycle costing
On-farm economic viability
Policy
Market based instruments
Economic Sustainability
Sustainable Rural Financial farm
Communities management
Adoption
Adult learning
Policy
Resilient communities
Adult learning
Exploring environmental
conflicts
Rural infrastructure
Labour (skilled)
Social Sustainability Human Resource
management
Farmer welfare
Farmer succession
Acceptability of farm
practices to wider
community
Social life
Commentary on advances over the past ten years in rural communities science
Over the past ten years New Zealand has increasingly embraced the concept of
sustainability regarding rural communities – the three main thrusts being
environmental sustainability, economic or financial sustainability and more recently
social sustainability. There are a few R&D topics which crosscut each of these
sustainability domains: policy development; the adoption of new technologies plus
farming and management practises; and adult learning. These areas of social
behaviour underpin ability to change farming practises to meet sustainability
requirements in the three domains. This is important; supermarkets representing
wealthy consumers are looking for performance in each of these areas as much as
local, Chilean communities will be.
Within the environmental sustainability domain, research has been progressing into
nutrient budgeting and the development of computer applications to help farmers
manage fertiliser application for the management of land and soil and agricultural
runoff into streams. There has also been a focus on fencing waterways and riparian
plantings for the protection of streams. A range of research projects is currently
underway regarding the reduction of green house gases from livestock farming in
order to help New Zealand meet its Kyoto obligations. Research has also been
conducted regarding the environmental impacts of farming intensification.
Another area of research regarding environmental sustainability is factors that
influence compliance with environmental regulations. A relatively new area of
research for New Zealand is environmental life cycle assessment (E-LCA). This
process assesses environmental impacts in terms of emissions and resource
requirements associated with a product, process or service over its entire life, from
‘cradle to grave’. This will continue to be a growing area of research.
Within the economic sustainability domain, research has focussed on farmers’
financial management skills and requirements needed in order to ensure on farm
financial viability. Life cycle costing (LCC) and environmental life cycle costing (E-
LCC) assess economic impacts across the life cycle of the product for both financial
returns and environmental circumstances. Significant work has also been
conducted in the area of market-based instruments to encourage behavioural
practises appropriate to environmental sustainability.
The social sustainability domain is a relatively recent addition to sustainability
research in rural communities in New Zealand. A range of important research has
been conducted with relevance to this domain. Research to understand what makes
a rural community resilient in the face of change is a recent direction of research.
The relationship between rural resilience and rural infrastructure is also under
investigation. Research is underway to understand the nature and causes of
environmental conflicts and to develop social processes to help elucidate and
resolve them.
A considerable amount of research in the past ten years has focussed on labour
requirements of the New Zealand farming system, including training mechanisms for
upskilling. The rise of larger farms with several employees has necessitated the
development of human resource management skills among farm managers and
owners along with the development of resources to assist farmers in this area.
Farmer welfare has not been a big focus over the past 10 years but the rates of
depression and suicide amongst farmers suggest that this will be a growing area of
research in the near future, as it already is in Australia.
Changes in New Zealand farming systems over the past 30 years have necessitated
the need for new types of succession planning for farm ownership and new forms
and structure of ownership. Some work has been conducted in this area and more is
likely in the future as the need increases. Social life cycle assessment (S-LCA) is a
very new field, particularly in relationship to rural communities. Similar to E-LCA, it
follows a product throughout its entire life cycle from cradle to grave but focuses on
the social impacts (benefits and harms) associated with the product at each stage of
its life. We expect that this will be an ongoing area of research in the future. Social
research is currently being carried out to assess public and consumer attitudes
towards, and acceptability of, new agricultural techniques and food products (e.g.
GM food and forage, nutrigenomics functional foods etc.).
Lastly, there has been some relatively new research interest in the relationship
between urban and rural communities. In particular, this area of research looks at
the types of values that urban and rural people hold – how they differ, where they
are similar, and how to increase the level of contact between the two groups and
increase the level of understanding of the issues that are important to the other
group. This research includes the issue of the acceptability of on-farm practices in

New Zealand to the wider New Zealand community. Again this will be an ongoing
area of social research into the future.
Future Directions
Social research into agriculture and farming has been conducted at a relatively low
level in New Zealand in the decades prior to 1990. Since then the pace has stepped
up as the importance of human decision-making in farming practise, adoption and
compliance, to meet a range of environmental, economic and social goals, has
gained greater prominence. Most of the areas mentioned above will gain increasing
importance over the next ten years, especially the ones that are relatively new.
Hence it is likely that all the topics mentioned will continue to be researched with the
newer areas becoming the central focus of rural community research. In particular,
the exploration and development of policies and tools to facilitate learning, decision-
making and conflict resolution will become increasingly important.
We cannot directly judge the extent to which some of these issues are germane to
Chile. However, a focus on export of sophisticated foods to wealthy consumers will
undoubtedly bring some (if not many) of these issues to bear.
7.7 Institutional linkages

We have stressed throughout this report the growing globalisation of agriculture,
driven by converging demands of upper middle class consumers throughout the
world. With this there is increasing access to global markets, the advent of
multinational supermarket food and agricultural production companies, and the
global movement of investment capital. Chile has witnessed all these changes,
including substantial overseas investment in forestry, seafood, wine and dairy. This
trend will continue.
What has not happened is a commensurate globalization of research institutions.
Whilst science has always been and always will be an international effort, public
scientific institutions have been treated by their governments as sovereign,
competitive tools. Therefore, whilst private firms have scaled up through
acquisitions and mergers to immense sizes in some cases, research institutions
have remained comparatively isolated and small. This is likely to continue.
Attempts have been made to overcome this, most notably in the European Union
with some success. We conclude that Chilean scientists must:
• Grow their relationships with the multinational agricultural firms that are
providing services/ technologies to the Chilean pastoral sector
• Support the growth of some Chilean pastoral sector firms into multinationals
in their own right; and
• Participate in carefully chosen institute-to-institute international
collaborations that advance achievement of Chile’s pastoral sector R&D
priorities.
8. References
[1] http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTLAC/Resources/257803-
1235077152356/Country_Note_Chile.pdf.
[2] US Census Bureau, http://www.census.gov/ipc/www/idb/worldpop.html.
[3] FAO Stat, AgResearch analysis.
[4] Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the
United Nations Secretariat, World Population Prospects: The 2008 Revision,
http://esa.un.org/unpp.

[5] Smil, V. (2002) The Earth's Biosphere: Evolution, Dynamics and Change,
The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, USA, Chapter 9;
[6] European Fertiliser Manufacturers Association,
http://cms.efma.org/EPUB/easnet.dll/GetDoc?APPL=1&DAT_IM=0010FA&D
WNLD=WorldConsumption2.pdf.
[7] UNEP/GRID-Arendal. Increased global water stress. UNEP/GRID-Arendal
Maps and Graphics Library. 2009. Available at:
http://maps.grida.no/go/graphic/increased-global-water-stress. Accessed
November 05, 2009.
[8] See http://jn.nutrition.org/cgi/content/full/133/11/4048S.
[9] IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report, Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change, Geneva, Switzerland.
[http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/syr/ar4_syr.pdf], p.31.
[10] IPCC (2007) Climate Change 2007: Synthesis Report, Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change, Geneva, Switzerland.
[http://www.ipcc.ch/pdf/assessment-report/ar4/syr/ar4_syr.pdf], p.38.
[11] Species Survival Commission and World Conservation Union,
http://www.iucn.org/themes/ssc/redlist2007/threatened_species_facts_2007.
htm.
[12] FAO Stat database and AgResearch analysis.

Appendix One:
AgResearch’s 2020 Science programme for New Zealand’s pastoral research, in priority order from High through Medium to Low, with
priority bands indicated.
Goal 3: To help create Goal 4: To help achieve a Goal 5: Enabling capacity

Goal 1: To help create the Goal 2: To help create
the future wool / textile pestilence-free New for change in agriculture
future dairy industry the future meat industry
industry Zealand and its communities
4.2.2: Effectively controlling
existing pests
When pests and diseases do 5.1.1: Informed decision
2.2.1: Sheep -- Maximised gain a foothold, interventions
1.1.1: Optimal feed supply and 3.1.2: Valuable novel fibre making for change
reproductive performance to control (and perhaps
use attributes In order to inform and
Consistent twinning and eradicate) these organisms
NZ pastures currently provide End-users keen for support decision-making we
lamb survival are key and viruses must be cost-
limited feed. New plant varieties innovative product ideas need to understand how
components in maximising effective, adoptable,
and optimised mixed forage and require new and novel individuals and collectives
the amount of lamb environmentally sustainable
supplement feeding regimes can natural and modified make decisions involving
produced during a ewe's and safe for humans.
help to overcome this problem. fibres. multiple and conflicting
lifetime. (See also 4) Developing new and novel
drivers. (See also 1, 2, 3, 4)
plant varieties and animal
breeds will be part of the
solution.
1.3.1: Optimal water quality and 2.2.2: Beef -- Maximised 3.1.4: Benign woollen 4.1.2: Effective early threat 5.1.2: Enhanced adoption of
availability and use reproductive performance floor coverings detection innovative technological
Dairy farming and processing Consistent breeding and During their life-times, Prevention is better than a solutions
practices impact water quality calf survival are key carpets and other floor cure. Tools to detect and Change is likely to result in
and supply and use. New components in maximising coverings need to be safe rapidly identify organisms and some form of reorganisation
technologies designed for the amount of beef for humans, our close viruses can help to keep which provides the
effective and acceptable produced during a cow's living companion animals unwanted pests and diseases conditions for introducing
mitigation practices will overcome lifetime. and our wider out. Connectivity with new ideas, structures and

Science and technology: roles in the evolution and performance of the Chilean agriculture, food industry and forestry sector to 2030 1
this problem. surroundings. Even after international databases can behaviours, and potentially
these coverings have also assist our vigilance. creates an environment for
reached the end of their innovation to flourish. (See
serviceable life, disposing also 1, 2, 3, 4)
must be safe for the
environment.
5.1.3: Knowledgeable and

3.5.2: Environmentally 4.1.3: Eradication and/or skilled owners and work-
1.2.1: Improved nutrition and sustainable processing containment of new pests force
feed conversion efficiency 2.2.5: Improved animal Wool processing New publicly-acceptable, Enhanced training,
The foundation of a cow's health practices impact water adoptable and easy-to-use education, coaching and
productivity begins with an Metabolic diseases are quality and use. New eradication and treatment mentoring opportunities will
adequate and balanced diet that key health issues for technologies designed for methods to be used before, at allow superior and more
is efficiently converted to energy grazing animals. effective and acceptable and just after the border are rapid skill acquisition of new
and nutrients by the rumen. mitigation practices will needed to ensure pests and knowledge across the
overcome this problem. diseases don't get a foothold. continuum of roles within
the agricultural sector.
2.3.2: Net halving of non- 4.2.1: Understanding pests 5.2.1: Socio-economic

1.1.2: New technologies fitted to carbon dioxide and their systems systems for Maori
greenhouse gases 3.2.1: Smart and technical Pest outbreaks occur in While productivity gains in
dairy farming systems
Ruminant animals textiles complex ecological systems farming and solutions to
New technologies, whether
naturally produce methane The convergence of and environmental and environmental issues are
directed at improvements in the
and nitrous oxides which textiles and electronics handling conditions. The more the same as covered in the
soil or plant or animal production,
are potent greenhouse can result in some very that is understood about pests other Goals, specific
are only effective if they perform
gases and can also affect novel applications. and their circumstances, the management and
within the wider farming system.
water quality. By reducing more likely that effective ownership structures make
the production of these management regimes will be Maori agriculture unique

gases, the meat sector developed and implemented. and place particular
can reduce its constraints around farm
environmental impacts. management.
5.4.1: Drivers of change

3.3.2: High performance
4.1.1: Modelling biosecurity shaping agricultural futures
1.1.4: On-farm water and energy 2.2.6: Improved animal active wear
risks International and national
efficiency welfare Extreme sports and
Understanding from where trends and events have
Waste not, want not is a timeless Attention to animal well- hazardous occupations
and how destructive significant impacts on NZ's
but apt adage. Efficient use of being and welfare can require specialist
organisms and diseases can agricultural which drive
expensive or scarce resources is impact productivity and is activewear with protective
enter and become established change and influence the
good for the bank balance and increasingly demanded by attributes. Wool and
in NZ is an important start to future shape of our
the environment. meat consumers. modified fibres from wool
protecting our borders. economy. What are these
will be part of the solution.
"Drivers of Change"?
5.4.2: Future farm system

2.3.1: Optimal water design and practice
quality and availability and 4.2.3: Future-proofing NZ's Once we better understand
1.4.1: Novel and enhanced 3.1.1: EZ-Care sheep the "Drivers of Change",
use pest control
functional value-added foods Sheep that are fit-for- integrative assessments
and/or food ingredients Farming and processing With changing climates,
purpose with low can then evaluate the
practices impact water intensified farming, resistance
While there are currently huge management costs and consequences of potential
quality and supply and development and innovative
markets for commodity milk improved animal welfare adaptive responses. This
use. New technologies new agricultural plants and
products, future revenue attributes are an attractive will reveal insights and
designed for effective and animals, pest control methods
opportunities will include value- alternative for the trade-offs being made
acceptable mitigation also need to be
add export products. Industry. across the four capitals
practices will overcome revolutionised. (See also 5)
this problem. (social, economic,
environmental and cultural)
and hopefully improve

decision-making across the
sector and by government.
(See also 5.4.1)
3.1.3: Traceability
5.4.3: Future value chain
technology over the entire
structure and conduct
1.3.2: Net halving of non-carbon value chain
2.2.3: Deer -- Maximised 4.1.4: The human face of Strategy development and
dioxide greenhouse gases Robust, auditable and
reproductive performance biosecurity its implementation for
Cows naturally produce methane adoptable traceability
Overcoming reproductive People's actions are at the delivering to the
and nitrous oxides which are tools and systems (that
seasonality is a key heart of NZ's biosecurity. How requirements of future
potent greenhouse gases and span from on-farm to
component in maximising can officials encourage agriculture are dependent
can also affect water quality. By retailer) will certify to
the amount of venison voluntary behaviour change on the structure of
reducing the production of these consumers that their
produced during a hind's rather compliance? (See also agribusiness and its
gases, the dairy sector can expectations for quality,
lifetime. 5) associated value chains
reduce its environmental impacts. safety and ethical
and the behaviour within
production have been
those institutions.
met.
4.3.1: Enhanced safety

2.1.1: Optimal feed supply
3.2.2: Novel biomaterials assurance
NZ pastures currently for carpets or apparel 5.2.2: Off-farm enterprises
1.2.5: Improved animal welfare Robust and adoptable
provide limited feed. New for Maori
By understanding the detection and control systems
Attention to animal well-being plant varieties associated
nature of all the proteins for disease-causing Many Maori farming
and welfare can impact management packages to
present in wool fibres, organisms or pesticide enterprises are capable of
productivity and is increasingly provide reliable robust and
new opportunities may be residues in food and fibre developing whole value
demanded by dairy consumers. increased feed supply
found for existing products will enhance product chain approaches.
throughout the year can
industries. safety and consumer
overcome this problem.
confidence. (See also 4.2.3)

5.4.4: Exploring and
visualising change
2.1.2: New technologies 4.3.2: Traceability technology Sometimes change is
1.1.3: Sustainable pest easier to accept when one
fitted to beef, sheep and 3.4.1: Biomaterials for entire value chains
management systems can "see" what it means
venison farming systems derived from wool Robust, auditable and
Plant and animal pests and and work through multiple
New technologies, By understanding the adoptable traceability tools
disease and weeds rob the scenarios and downstream
whether directed at nature of all the and systems (that span from
farmer. Resistant and resilient implications. This theme
improvements in the soil or biomaterials present in on-farm to retailer) will certify
breeds and novel, cost-effective concentrates on providing
plant or animal production, wool, new opportunities to consumers that their
control agents and therapies are those tools, processes and
are only effective if they may lead to new expectations for quality, safety
only some of the ways to address systems that will allow
perform within the wider industries. and ethical production have
this problem. science, farmers, industry
farming system. been met.
representatives and policy
makers to do this. (See also
5.1)
5.3.1: Partnerships towards

1.3.4: Adaptation to and 2.3.5: Optimal soil a sustainable future
mitigation of climate change resources NZ agriculture's freedom to
impacts Farming literally begins operate is linked to local
Testing technologies and from the ground. Pastoral 3.3.1: Smart casual and community perceptions and
products for retention of efficacy soils and landscapes must tailored apparel implemented through
in a changing climate should be be managed in order to The consumer's desire for district and regional council
an integral part of the design of maintain and enhance improved softness, drape, policies. Sustainable
any new technologies. There is biodiversity, organic matter wrinkle resist and "zero development with
also the potential to design content and structure pill" knitwear is the focus. agriculture at its core is
technologies specifically to adapt stability and avoid dependent on the creation
to or take advantage of the contaminant loading and of partnerships and the
anticipated climate changes. nutrient leaching. encouragement of dialogue
and action between urban

and rural communities to
chart a path into the future
that identifies common
interdependences.
2.3.4: Adaptation to and

mitigation of climate 5.3.3: Multi-functional
change impacts natural resources
1.1.5: Balancing production, 3.1.5: Minimal wool
environment and social needs Testing technologies and contamination The rural scene is changing
products for retention of with a range of inhabitants
There is never enough -- capital, Vegetable matter and
efficacy in a changing (from urban commuters and
resources or time -- to address all dark fibre contamination
climate should be an small lifestyle holdings to
the needs of a sustainable dairy of wool prior to harvesting
integral part of the design large integrated
farm business. How should these and/or during post-
of any new technologies. enterprises). How will our
needs be prioritised? What are harvesting processing can
There is also the potential use of land need to evolve
the trade-offs? What are the reduce the efficiency of
to design technologies to meet future challenges
unintended consequences of the processing and the quality
specifically to adapt to or and how it can deliver
choices made? (See also 5.4) of the final product.
take advantage of the economic, social and
anticipated climate environmental benefits?
changes.
1.3.3: Consequences of climate 2.4.3: Foods of the Future 3.5.3: Reduced costs 5.3.2: Vibrant and resilient
change to the farm system Exciting future revenue along the value chain communities for agricultural
Changing climates -- specifically opportunities will include Waste not, want not is a success
elevated carbon dioxide and value-add, branded and timeless but apt adage. Communities don't just
changing temperature and rainfall differentiated products and Efficient harvesting, happen. Each has a certain
-- will alter the NZ's agriculture manufactured goods packaging and transport level and types of needs
productivity. (See also 2.3.3, tailored to human is good for the bank (e.g. social networks,
1.3.4) requirements for health, balance and the interconnectedness,

wellbeing and environment. infrastructure, etc) to remain
convenience. vibrant through natural and
economic shocks.
1.1.6: Knowledgeable and skilled

3.4.2: Alternate uses for
owners and work-force
2.2.7: Market-defined wools
Capable and up-to-date animals A vibrant sector seeks
owners/managers/staff and
Genomic and epigenetic and adopts wide-ranging
service providers are key to
technologies can deliver opportunities...sometimes
sector progress through
animals with precise outside traditional
improved business decision-
specifications relative to boundaries such as
making, productivity and adoption
market requirements. carpet, upholstery and
of new technologies and
apparel.
practices. (See also 5.1)
2.2.4: Improved nutrition

and feed conversion
efficiency
1.2.3: Maximised reproductive 3.5.1: Higher valued wool
performance The foundation of an grease
animal's productivity
Reproduction is a key component Additional export earnings
begins with an adequate
in on-going milk production and can be realised from an
and balanced diet that is
herd improvement. important "waste" stream.
efficiently converted to
energy and nutrients by
the rumen.
1.3.5: Optimal soil resources 2.4.2: Efficiency gains in

Dairying literally begins from the meat processing
ground. Pastoral soils and Additional export earnings

landscapes must be managed in for NZ meat will be gained
order to maintain and enhance from upgrading lower
biodiversity, organic matter value cuts and processing
content and structure stability meat into higher value
and avoid contaminant loading products. Benefits from
and nutrient leaching. (See also processing automation --
2.3.5) including non-invasive
measurements and remote
data capture -- can lead to
improved decision making
and production gains.
2.1.3: Sustainable pest

management systems
Plant and animal pests
and disease and weeds
1.2.4: Improved animal health rob the farmer. Resistant
Mastitis and TB are key health and resilient breeds and
issues for dairy cows. novel, cost-effective
control agents and
therapies are only some of
the ways to address this
problem. (See also 4)
1.2.2: Ideal nutrient partitioning 2.4.5: Traceability

and improved lactation technology over the entire
persistency within the whole value chain
body, efficiency of nutrient Robust, auditable and
utilisation by the mammary gland, adoptable traceability tools

enhancing the level of valuable and systems (that span
milk constituents and of individual from on-farm to retailer)
cows. will certify to consumers
Once across the gut, energy and that their expectations for
nutrients are channelled to quality, safety and ethical
completing portions of the body. production have been met.
How to overcome biological
constraints to enable increased
supply to the mammary gland
without compromising body
condition or reproduction is a key
challenge. Extending the cow's
lactational capability and
exploiting the value-added
opportunities from modifying milk
composition are also being
considered.
1.4.3: Innovative processing and 2.3.3: Consequences of

measurement technologies climate change:
Poor processing can damage the understanding and valuing
functionality of dairy-derived the impacts on ecosystem
foods, food ingredients and function.
bionutrients. Benefits from Assessing impacts of
processing automation -- climate change on farm
including non-invasive systems and designing
measurements and remote data effective and acceptable
capture -- can lead to improved adaptation practices.
decision making and production

gains.
2.1.5: Knowledgeable and

1.1.7: Gains through on-farm skilled owners and work-
automation force
Exploring the use of advanced Capable and up-to-date
technologies for non-invasive owners/managers/staff
measurements and remote and service providers are
sensing and data capture can key to sector progress
lead to improved decision through improved
making, labour use efficiencies business decision-making,
and ultimately increase farm productivity and adoption
returns. (See also 2.1.4) of new technologies and
practices. (See also 5.1)
1.4.4: Traceability technology 2.4.1: Premium Meats to

over the entire value chain export markets.
Robust, auditable and adoptable Increasing NZ's export
traceability tools and systems meat earning begins by
(that span from on-farm to providing high quality and
retailer) will certify to consumers safe meat to discerning
that their expectations for quality, consumers willing to pay a
safety and ethical production premium for a guaranteed
have been met. eating experience.
1.4.2: Innovative non-food dairy- 2.1.4: Gains through on-

derived applications farm automation
A vibrant sector seeks and Exploring the use of
adopts wide-ranging advanced technologies for

opportunities...sometimes outside non-invasive
traditional boundaries. measurements and remote
sensing and data capture
can lead to improved
decision making, labour
use efficiencies and
ultimately increase farm
returns. (See also 1.1.7)
2.2.8: Outlier and niche

animals.
Identification and
utilisation of naturally
occurring new and novel
animal characteristics for
niche meat products can
be a way of developing
additional export income.
2.4.4: Meat- and co-

product-derived functional
ingredients
Additional export earnings
will be gained from
products outside traditional
boundaries


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Client Report

Prepared for Ministry of Agriculture - Chile

Science and technology: roles in

Ministry of Agriculture - Chile

Andrew West, Stephen Goldson and Simon Lovatt

3. The world to which Chile will export ................................................................... 3

4. Implications for Chile ......................................................................................... 9

5. A worked example of a future, integrated value chain in Chilean lamb............. 10

6. A pattern of research that supports a high-value export sector ........................ 11

7. Recent trends in research ................................................................................ 14

7.1 Animal research ................................................................................... 14

7.2 Plant research ...................................................................................... 16

7.3 Biosecurity research ............................................................................. 17

7.4 Farm Systems research........................................................................ 19

7.5 Soil research ........................................................................................ 20

7.6 Rural Communities research ................................................................ 22

7.7 Institutional linkages ............................................................................. 24

Report prepared for Ministry of Agriculture – Chile November 2009

Report prepared for Ministry of Agriculture – Chile November 2009

Report prepared for Ministry of Agriculture – Chile November 2009

3. The world to which Chile will export

• Massive growth in wealth in newly-developed nations: Not only is the

Report prepared for Ministry of Agriculture – Chile November 2009

• The ageing of populations in the majority of highly-developed nations:

• A rebalancing of economic power: This is shifting towards Asia, especially

Report prepared for Ministry of Agriculture – Chile November 2009

• In response, a switch to using cereals for ethanol biofuel thereby:

Report prepared for Ministry of Agriculture – Chile November 2009

Report prepared for Ministry of Agriculture – Chile November 2009

Number of described species: 1.9 million

Plant and animal species known to be threatened

Species known to be extinct due to human activity in

Species facing a high risk of extinction:

Estimated ratio of the current rate of extinctions to the

• Diverse new religions, spiritualities and philosophies: These are on the

4. Implications for Chile

Report prepared for Ministry of Agriculture – Chile November 2009

5. A worked example of a future, integrated value chain in

Report prepared for Ministry of Agriculture – Chile November 2009

6. A pattern of research that supports a high-value export

Report prepared for Ministry of Agriculture – Chile November 2009

Report prepared for Ministry of Agriculture – Chile November 2009

7.1 Animal research

D airy only Nutrition (probiotics )

C attle Gut paras ite m anagem ent

Commentary on advances in the last 10 years in ruminant animal sciences

Report prepared for Ministry of Agriculture – Chile November 2009

Commentary on advances in the last 10 years in forage plant sciences

7.3 Biosecurity research

Plant Soil microbiology/insect

Commentary on advances in the last 10 years in biosecurity sciences

Report prepared for Ministry of Agriculture – Chile November 2009

Report prepared for Ministry of Agriculture – Chile November 2009

Commentary on advances in the last 10 years in farm systems science

7.5 Soil research

Commentary on advances over the past ten years in soil science

Report prepared for Ministry of Agriculture – Chile November 2009

Report prepared for Ministry of Agriculture – Chile November 2009

7.7 Institutional linkages

Report prepared for Ministry of Agriculture – Chile November 2009

Report prepared for Ministry of Agriculture – Chile November 2009

Goal 3: To help create Goal 4: To help achieve a Goal 5: Enabling capacity

Report prepared for Ministry of Agriculture – Chile November 2009