School of Agriculture and Environment , Te Kura Mātauranga mō Ahuwhenua me Te Taiao

The School of Agriculture and Environment reflects the interconnections between primary industries and New Zealand's unique environments.

Overview

The School of Agriculture and Environment – Te Kura Mātauranga mō Ahuwhenua me Te Taiao offers internationally recognised teaching and research that aims to develop a balance between social, environmental and economic outcomes for production and sustainability.

At Massey we are Tiriti-led, upholding te Tiriti o Waitangi principles through our practice.

How we fit

The School of Agriculture and Environment is part of the:

College of Sciences

The College of Sciences seeks innovative solutions to challenges facing our world.

College of Sciences College of Sciences College of Sciences College of Sciences

Study with us

Choose from a range of qualifications, with study options such as animal science, earth science, environmental science, environmental management, and farming.

Explore by area of interest

Explore a selection of qualifications relating to your interests.

Study agriculture & horticulture

Learn about food, farming and agribusiness at Massey. We've taught agriculture and horticulture since 1927. Find out your study options today.

Massey farms Massey farms Massey farms Massey farms

Study animals

Study animals at Massey to improve the health, productivity and wellbeing of animals we rely on for companionship, food, or sports.

Two people in field with sheep Two people in field with sheep Two people in field with sheep Two people in field with sheep

Study natural environment

Study at Massey to create a sustainable future for the planet and its people, plants and creatures. Discover your study options today.

Smiling person standing in river collecting water samples Smiling person standing in river collecting water samples Smiling person standing in river collecting water samples Smiling person standing in river collecting water samples

Who we are

Our people make us who we are. Meet senior leaders in the School of Agriculture and Environment.

Professor Danny Donaghy

Professor Danny Donaghy

Deputy Head of School of Agriculture and Environment

Danny Donaghy studied agricultural science at La Trobe University then did a PhD at the University of New England, New South Wales. Before Massey, Danny led and managed dairy research, development and extension as Dairy Centre Leader at the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture.

Professor Jonathan Procter

Professor Jonathan Procter

Associate Dean Māori

Jonathan Procter manages Massey’s Volcanic Risk Solutions research group. Jonathan contributes to national and international research into volcanic hazards, hazard detection and simulation, and community resilience to natural and environmental hazards.

 James Millner

James Millner

Academic Dean - Agriculture

An agronomist, James Millner teaches agriculture and horticulture degrees. James's research interests are cash and forage crops, and the use of trees on farms. James is the academic lead for our bachelor's degrees in agricultural science, agribusiness, horticultural science and animal science.

Dr Janet Reid

Dr Janet Reid

Head of Agriculture Group

Janet Reid is a senior lecturer in agricultural systems. Her research interests include governance of New Zealand agriculture, farmers' knowledge cultures, the role of regional councils, and agricultural extension and consultancy.

Professor Patrick Morel

Professor Patrick Morel

Head of Animal Science Group

Patrick Morel is from Switzerland, where he studied animal science at the Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich. Patrick's research focuses on nutrition, growth, and meat quality, mainly with pigs.

Professor Chris Anderson

Professor Chris Anderson

Professor in Environmental Science, Director of Farm Landscapes Research Centre

A soil chemist, Chris Anderson's research focuses on the use of plants to extract, degrade or immobilise contaminants in soil. Chris has significant experience in the application of new environmental chemistry techniques to science and technology problems.

Massey Agriculture, Horticulture and Environmental Science Awards

We celebrate excellence in education and recognise our top-achieving students. Winners in the nine award categories are announced at our Awards Dinner — a highlight of the agricultural calendar and an essential for industry and our best and brightest students.

Research

The School of Agriculture and Environment’s research focuses on:

  • creating a sustainable, environmentally friendly, animal welfare friendly, and profitable future for our primary industries (pastoral agriculture, crops, horticulture and forestry)
  • the management of New Zealand's indigenous biodiversity and landscapes.

Research teams and clusters

Our research expertise and examples of how our people collaborate, including with partners outside Massey.

Agricultural systems management and agribusiness

Our research strengths include:

  • plant and animal production systems in farms and agribusinesses
  • dynamics defining financial and resilient performance and their management
  • market and industry structures
  • extension and service systems that support innovation and capability in the primary sector.

Contact Janet Reid

Animal science and production

Our research includes animal genetics, reproduction, nutrition, lactation, growth and meat science. Our work aims to improve animal productivity, efficiency, product quantity and quality, and welfare in a sustainable and responsible manner.

Our research includes a range of farmed and companion animals.

Contact Patrick Morel

Earth science

Using advanced Earth observation, remote sensing techniques and computational modelling, we integrate ongoing scientific advancements in Earth surface processes with our volcanic and fluvial environment. Our new solutions inform practical risk-management strategies in New Zealand and overseas communities.

Contact Jonathan Procter

Environmental science

Environmental science at Massey covers soil science, hydrology, nutrient cycling, and environmental management. Our expertise is advancing new approaches for sustainable consumption and production, farm environment planning and risk assessment of contaminated soil and water.

Contact Chris Anderson

Horticulture

Our expertise is in applied and basic areas of horticultural crop production and management, plant breeding, genetics and germplasm conservation, protection and pest and disease management, Māori community food systems and ethnobotany, seed science, weed science and plant and post-harvest physiology.

Contact Nick Roskruge

International development

The school has a breadth of expertise and experience in research and delivery of rural development internationally. Work to date extends across the Pacific, South-East Asia, South America and Africa, with a focus on enhancing integrated production and support services and building resilient farm, agribusiness and food systems.

Contact Janet Reid

Tāhuri Whenua – National Māori Vegetable Growers Collective

Massey staff are on the Tāhuri Whenua National Committee. This group represents Māori interests in the horticulture sector, and provides information for growers, books, projects and contacts for regional activity.

Find out more about Tāhuri Whenua

Maori vegetables

Research centres

Our research centres seek innovative solutions to contemporary issues.

Volcanic Risk Solutions

During volcanic events, we provide rapid scientific information to local governments, businesses and farms. We also develop scientific advances in volcanology within practical risk-management strategies for New Zealand and Southwest Pacific communities, business enterprises and government agencies.

Farmed Landscapes Research Centre

Massey University's Farmed Landscapes Research Centre engages in teaching and research on soils, fertilisers and environmental issues in agriculture, horticulture and forestry.

New Zealand Life Cycle Management Centre

The centre is a collaboration between Massey University, AgResearch, Landcare Research, Plant & Food Research and SCION. It works to build capability in life cycle management (LCM) by providing education, training and research to LCM professionals to meet increasing consumer demand for green metrics on products.

Monogastric Research Centre

An Australasian Centre of Excellence on monogastric species. Research focuses on feed evaluation, nutrition, husbandry and welfare. It provides a focal point for the New Zealand monogastric industries and has extensive international linkages.

AL Rae Centre for Genetics and Breeding

The centre ensures sustained development and application of knowledge in quantitative genetics and breeding to enhance the profitability of New Zealand's primary industries.

Research projects

Examples of how our people create and share new knowledge.

Native shrubs

The growth, forage traits, economics and mātauranga Māori of several native shrub species are being assessed as potential browse in hill country. Other outcomes are improved soil conservation, water quality and biodiversity. Part of Beef and Lamb New Zealand's Hill Country Futures project.

Contact James Millner

New-generation beef

A new system of beef production which uses surplus calves from the dairy industry with slaughter at the age of one year. Research investigates production characteristics, on-farm environmental footprint, meat quality and application into an integrated supply chain.

Contact Nicola Schreurs

Plantain to reduce nitrate leaching

This DairyNZ-led collaborative research and development initiative aims to substantially reduce nitrogen lost to freshwater and greenhouse gas produced from pastoral sectors by using the grazing herb plantain.

Plantain programme

Contact Danny Donaghy

Resilience to nature's challenges: Volcanoes

Āhea riri ai ngā maunga puia? When will our volcanoes become angry? This research will develop resilience and mitigation solution for the multiple and dynamic threats from volcanic activity into long-term planning and emergency management response. Part of the National Science Challenge's Resilience Challenge.

Contact Jonathan Procter

He Tātai Whenua: A Te Ao Māori landscape classification

Prof Jonathan Procter (Muaupoko, Ngāi Tahu), Associate Prof Hone Morris (Ngāi Te Rangitotohu, Ngāti Mārau, Ngāti Maru)

Modern environmental mapping systems can provide almost everything there is to know about the environment, except what Māori know about it. This project brings together mātauranga and the latest geographic information systems to improve environmental reporting, decision-making and monitoring.

Contact Hone Morris

Contact Jonathan Procter

Accreditations and rankings

ShanghaiRanking - agricultural science

Massey University is ranked No.1 in New Zealand for agricultural science by ShanghaiRanking's Global Ranking of Academic Subjects.

Learn more

QS Ranking - Agriculture and Forestry

Massey is world-ranked and New Zealand’s No 1 university in agriculture according to QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) rankings.

Learn more

QS Ranking - Environmental Sciences

Massey University’s environmental sciences programme is ranked in the top 350 in the world by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS).

Learn more

Global Farm Platform

Massey's Dairy 1 farm is part of the Global Farm Platform, an international group for optimisation of grazing livestock production systems.

Learn more

Services

Massey offers services for the public, as well as research or training for staff, students and professionals.

Animal feed testing service

Our testing service meets industry standards for feeding protocol testing (growth, maintenance and gestation/lactation) and AAFCO nutrient profile testing. We offer detailed reporting on measures such as metabolisable energy determination, blood metabolite and urine pH.

Contact David Thomas

Palynology laboratory

Palynology is the science of pollen. It brings together aspects of geography, earth science, plant biology and ecology.

Massey operates a world-class palynology laboratory for pollen analysis, where we have developed the Classifynder, a holistic automated pollen imaging and classification system.

Photo of grass

Pasture plant identification

This resource identifies New Zealand's most common pasture grasses and legumes in New Zealand, including a few of our most common cereal and forage crops. Find out how to recognise different pasture grasses and clovers.

Weeds database

Need help identifying weeds? This database has detail on 70 of the most common weeds found in New Zealand, including how to identify and control the plant.

Resources

Books by experts from the School of Agriculture and Environment.

Agriculture and Horticulture in New Zealand

A guide to the business of growing plants for human and animal consumption, as well as forestry and flower production. It focuses on New Zealand practices, and information on social issues, environmental costs, food safety, chemical use, and post-harvest management.

Find out more about Agriculture and Horticulture in New Zealand

Livestock Production in New Zealand

A guide to the management of dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep, deer, goats, pigs, poultry, horses and working dogs in New Zealand. It is of value and interest to everyone from students to farmers, right across New Zealand’s agribusiness sector.

Find out more about Livestock Production in New Zealand

Facilities

We use a wide range of first-class facilities in our teaching and research.

Massey Farms

Students and researchers can access 2,000 hectares at our six working farms, including:

  • dairy farms
  • sheep and beef farms
  • deer breeding unit
  • mixed enterprise and cropping unit.

Location: Manawatū campus

Massey horticultural units

Purpose-built facilities for teaching and research in plant science and production include:

  • 7 hectare orchard
  • 25 glasshouses
  • six temperature-controlled rooms
  • growth cabinets.

Plantings include apples, pears, green and gold kiwifruit, and vegetable trials of traditional Māori crops.

Location: Manawatū campus, Palmerston North

Contact: Mark Osborne

Email: m.a.osborne@massey.ac.nz

New Zealand Indigenous Flora Seed Bank

The seed bank collects the seeds of Aotearoa New Zealand plants to conserve the biodiversity within our indigenous flora. Seed banking is a recognised conservation strategy to support in-situ conservation efforts.

Location: Manawatū campus

Contact the School of Agriculture and Environment

School of Agriculture and Environment – Manawatū campus

Location

Physical address
AgHort Building
Manawatū campus
Palmerston North

Use our Manawatū campus maps or find us on Google Maps.