PGG Wrightson (‘PGW’) is very pleased to announce it will be leasing the Geelen Family Trust Research Station, previously operated by Bayer Crop Science, in Hastings. This development further cements PGW’s longstanding commitment and investment into Research and Development (R&D) in New Zealand.

The site will be a dedicated hub for horticultural and agricultural research. Each year, PGW runs some 70 to 80 scientific trials in paddocks and orchards across the country.

“Currently, we run these trials in collaboration with cooperating farmers and growers. This requires them to take a portion of valuable, productive land out of circulation. Now, by investing in a dedicated research facility, we will reduce that burden and can implement a more controlled and scalable research programme at this special purpose facility. For our customers, this means we can deliver even greater value on-farm and orchard for years to come,” says PGG Wrightson CEO Stephen Guerin.

The station, a 2.8-hectare site, is currently split into approximately 600 apple trees, 50 peach trees, 1,100 metres of grapevines, and around one hectare of grasses which will likely be cultivated into fodder and onion crops.

“This site is ideal for our needs. If we were to try to replicate this elsewhere, it would be at least five years before we could begin trial work. So, we are thrilled to hit the ground running and start trials on the site in September this year,” explains Milton Munro, PGG Wrightson Technical Team Manager.

PGG Wrightson has long prioritised investment into R&D.

“Our programme started in the 1960s. First, on behalf of our Fruitfed Supplies customers whose stringent export rules required greater phytosanitary assurance. Over the last decade, we expanded our scope to include our agricultural sector. Because we are successful when our customers are successful, we want assurance and data to back up product label claims. We take pride in having the largest investment in R&D within the agricultural and horticultural retail sector,” says Nick Berry, PGG Wrightson General Manager – Retail and Water.

“We are not only investing in the site but are also committed to invest in our R&D team with additional training and new staff.”

PGW’s trials may be investigating the efficacy of a new plant protection product, evaluating a herbicide as part of its registration process, or looking into how a particular fertiliser works in New Zealand’s conditions. However, each trial builds a deeper knowledge and understanding of the products supplied to customers.

“We learn firsthand how these products work, often years before they are sold to market or before our competitors are even aware of them. We know these products inside and out—how they stack up compared to similar products, what adjuvants are needed, how they work in local conditions—sometimes better than their manufacturers,” Munro says.

The knowledge gained during these trials is fed directly to the frontline staff working with farmers and growers.

“Everything is about empowering our Technical Horticultural Representatives (THR) and Technical Field Representatives (TFR). When they meet with customers, they can show the data to back up what they are saying, which is what makes them trusted advisors,” says Berry.

PGW is very excited about this new opportunity but believe more needs to be done to speed up New Zealand’s regulatory approval process.

“This is our opportunity to develop the site as a centre of excellence. One where we can showcase emerging research and technologies to our clients, as well as train staff in the latest best practice. While we are committed to continuing to bring new products, needed by farmers and growers, we remain concerned with the current speed of our regulatory processes. New Zealand must do better in this area. Otherwise, we risk starving our primary sector of innovation and disadvantaging our farmers and growers. This should be an area of competitive strength for the sector and could be with the right regulatory processes that support innovation,” says Stephen Guerin, PGG Wrightson CEO.

An investment into a dedicated site also means greater investment into PGG Wrightson’s R&D team. Results from the first trials, launching in September, are expected in January.

For media enquiries please contact:
Amanda Dick
Group Investment & Media Relations Analyst
PGG Wrightson Limited
Mobile: +64 27 247 5972
Email: [email protected]

Registered Office:
PGG Wrightson Limited
1 Robin Mann Place, Christchurch Airport
Christchurch 8053, New Zealand
Phone: 0800 10 22 76 / +64 3 477 4520
Website: pggwrightson.co.nz