30 September 2002

Media Release

Industry Innovator in Business

Meat & Wool Innovation Limited, the enterprise which will drive farmer-good services in the sheep, beef and goat industries, is now in business.

Chief executive David Bremner says the new company — which merges the farmer-good activities of the Meat and Wool Boards — plans to stick to the fundamentals. There are no plans for a formal company launch.

"We want to provide an improved service to farmers within the existing budget. So we will be looking for the same innovative spirit within the organisation as we promote among farmers," he says.

Meat & Wool Innovation brings together WoolPro, the Meat & Wool Economic Service, Sheep Improvement Limited and the farm R&D division of Meat New Zealand.

Funding comes from the meat levy, through Meat New Zealand, and from the wool levy, through the Wool Board.

For the meantime, it will be business-as-usual for existing services. But Mr Bremner says that behind the scenes it will be a hive of activity.

"Each service we have inherited will be reviewed to determine its relevance and to assess whether the current method of delivery is most appropriate," he says.

"We won't be making change for change's sake. But there is a clear mandate from growers for an efficient, accountable organisation and we intend to deliver it."

MWI's principal role is to provide farmers with technology and services needed to build profitable farm businesses.

This includes research, extension, training, genetic information services, statistical data and market information.

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