Improving supply chain through science

8 February 2011

Marks & Spencer visit AgResearch about improving supply chain through science

United Kingdom retailer Marks & Spencer (M&S) has brought a delegation to meet New Zealand producers and processors who supply lamb to their business. The visit organised by M&S will involve meeting relevant supply and processing partners.

As part of the week-long New Zealand tour AgResearch is hosting the M&S delegation and its local partners on 9 February at its Ruakura campus in Hamilton. The presentation will focus on science that can contribute to the world class supply chain that M&S has developed.

Representatives from Silver Fern Farms, Alliance Group and Beef+Lamb New Zealand will attend to discuss how science can support the farm, processing, transport processors and New Zealand farmers.

M&S Agriculture Manager, Steve McLean, says the visit is to work with suppliers to make production more sustainable through utilising best practice, reproductive technologies and animal welfare, and farm systems to improve quality and build trust in New Zealand lamb. “British consumers value New Zealand lamb and we want to see how we can build on this reputation and continue to improve quality through all aspects of supply.”

Dr Jimmy Suttie, AgResearch General Manager, Applied Biotechnologies, describes the M&S initiative as significant, “Marks & Spencer is a major partner with the New Zealand lamb industry, and the collaborative supply chain that gets our lamb to British consumers is incredibly important to our farmers. The challenge we are meeting to discuss is how to use science to make the journey from New Zealand farms to the retailer more efficient, sustainable and innovative.”

Particularly important is the presence at the meeting of Beef + Lamb New Zealand who has contributed to most of the science research using farmer levies.

The session will cover animal genomics and reproductive technologies, agricultural systems modelling, meat science, food processing, food safety and animal welfare.

ENDS

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