R&D success stories and principles to practice

Abstract

Meat New Zealand invests in Research and Development (R&D) projects to increase pastoral industry profitability. It annually seeks to measure the benefit to industry by independent benefit:cost analysis on completed projects. The analysis to date shows an eight to one return for each dollar invested. The Sheep and Beef Videos have been very successful projects carried out by Meat New Zealand. These successes are outlined along with an Australian beef industry project "BeefCheque". Common threads are drawn from each of these programmes such as peer support and commitment, participatory learning, industry partnership, learning expertise and farmer ownership. Meat New Zealand has implemented these principles in other R&D investment areas and encourages other industry participants to do the same. Keywords: behaviour change, Monitor Farm Programme, motivation, groups, profitability