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$49m ride to world-class future

The Food andf Plant research centre in Mt Albert

Plant & Food Research’s main Hamilton block has been at the centre of a $49m upgrade. [Research centre pictures on this page are provided courtesy of the New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research. © Plant & Food Research]

It’s a Mt Albert landmark, unmissable on the left, just past Alberton Ave, as you drive east along Mt Albert Rd. At six storeys, it’s one of the biggest buildings in the district. Shrouded in scaffolding in recent months, it’s been even more noticeable.

What’s been going on? The answer: plenty.

Within a few weeks, a $49 million makeover of the Plant & Food research centre — dominated by the 43-year-old centrepiece Hamilton Building — will be completed to give Mt Albert one of the world’s most modern, state-of-the-art research facilities.

The whole site has been transformed since I used to visit regularly in the 1960s as science correspondent for the Herald . Some of it has been trimmed away, for housing and school needs; the 7ha that remain are virtually wall-to-wall science, running down the north-facing slopes from Mt Albert Rd.

The first major building was a two-storey art deco block opened in 1939 and named Cunningham after the then Director-General of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. It’s still there, part of the centre’s heritage.

For me, it’s one of the few familiar sights, now strengthened and restored to serve as a modern cafeteria and meeting rooms, part of the redevelopment scheme that started in October 2014. It’s dwarfed by the giant Hamilton Building, opened in 1973.

The more than 40 years since then are like an eternity for science. A total remake, to modernise the building and all services, was long overdue. Such facilities as fully contained laboratories, totally isolated from the outside environment, are not luxuries but necessities. Accommodation for what Plant & Food Mt Albert chief scientist Richard Newcomb describes as “really grunty” computers is indispensable.

But the purpose remains the same – to serve New Zealand’s horticultural industries, from the farm and orchard right through to the customer, at home and overseas; to keep in the forefront of innovation, in both products and markets; and to protect our borders against unwanted invaders that may affect not just our producers but our unique natural environment.

Over those 25 years, it has released 273 new cultivars (everyone knows Jazz and Envy apples) to New Zealand growers and contributed greatly to the four-fold growth in New Zealand’s food exports, to $28 billion.

By setting the highest standards for quality of product, innovation and delivery it has helped to maintain access for those exports to 124 countries.

As well, it has played a major part in biosecurity. As an example, this month, Plant & Food received the Prime Minister’s award for its rapid response to the bacterial kiwifruit vine-killing disease Psa. It’s no exaggeration to say that the disease, which emerged in November 2010, could have devastated the New Zealand kiwifruit industry. Plant & Food swung into action to mobilise a team of more than 100, including plant pathologists, breeders and orchard management specialists.

Kiwifruit exports since have not just recovered but boomed; Zespri exported $2.1 billion worth in the 2016-17 season, almost 20 per cent more than in the season before Psa was discovered. By 2030, a report suggests, the industry will contribute more than $6 billion to the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) and create 29,000 new jobs.

That’s not just happening in kiwifruit. Recent figures showed horticultural exports last year were worth more than $5 billion, and rising fast. Kiwifruit and wine make up the bulk, but every season, new products and varieties are added to the mix.

“New Zealand is in a unique position,” says Dr Newcomb. “Most of the food we produce is for export. We are premium producers.

“We produce not just enough to feed our own population [of 4.73 million] but enough to feed 30 to 40 million. We have to target customers willing to pay a premium.”

So, for instance, Plant & Food is working to find out what is it about New Zealand sauvignon blanc wines that makes them distinct from those in the rest of the world.

It’s not just a matter of increasing productivity and reducing inputs — market needs have to be met.

New Zealand growers have to be quickly adaptable; organic farming may, say, give lower yields at higher costs, but if the product can command a healthy premium in an overseas market, it might be an option well worth considering.

New Zealand is a world leader in such areas and long has been. The brand-new laboratories will allow Mt Albert to continue that tradition. The Prime Minister’s Science Prize includes a $400,000 fund which will be used to establish New Zealand as a hub for advances in bioprotection and to further the development of new scientific technologies to protect against biosecurity threats.

“This is becoming a bigger and bigger issue every year, as international freight and travel increase,” says Dr Newcomb. “It’s particularly important for us because of our isolation and, up until now, relative freedom from major threats. But the Psa episode showed how vulnerable we can be.”

How about the two disturbing current threats to our native forests, kauri dieback and myrtle rust? “We are contributing to the several teams that are working hard on both those,” he says.

So, if solutions are found — and the scientists emphasise it will not be easy — the world-class research institute in Mt Albert will have played its part. Again.

CAPTIONS (from the top down): An elevated view of Plant & Food Research’s Mt Albert centre, looking towards the mountain; scientists at work in a centre laboratory; construction under way on the dominant Hamilton Building, opened in 1974; the layout of the land in 1937. All pictures © Plant & Food Research

plant and food research mount albert photos

Smoke alarm at Mount Albert Plant and Food Research facility prompts emergency services hazmat response, fears of chemical incident

Emergency services responded to an incident that was believed to involve chemicals in the Auckland suburb of Mt Albert this afternoon.

Police said they were assisting Fire and Emergency NZ (Fenz) with an incident on Mount Albert Rd, which was reported to Police around 12.45pm.

A photo from a Herald reporter at the scene showed the Fenz Hazmat command unit outside the Plant and Food Research facility.

Police were earlier assisting FENZ with an incident on Mount Albert Rd at Plant and Food Research today. Photo / Nicholas Jones

Fenz told the Herald crews were alerted through a fire alarm activation, and the incident was believed to involve chemicals.

Six pumps, three aerials and three specialist appliances were in attendance, said Fenz.

A Herald reporter said there were four fire trucks and the hazmat truck on site.

A spokesperson for the Plant and Food Research facility said a smoke detector in a lab at their Mt Albert research centre was activated earlier today, triggering an evacuation.

“Fire and Emergency NZ attended the site and investigated the event as per their normal procedures”.

“It is not known what triggered the alarm, however, FENZ have confirmed [there was] no risk to people or property and the site had been returned to Plant and Food Research for entry,” they said.

A Hato Hone St John spokesperson confirmed they had earlier dispatched an ambulance to the scene alongside one rapid response vehicle and one operations manager.

Benjamin Plummer is an Auckland-based reporter who covers breaking news. He has worked for the Herald since 2022.

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Fenz, police respond to incident at plant food and research facility in mt albert.

Emergency services respond to an incident involving chemicals at Plant and Food Research. Photo: RNZ / Rayssa Almeida

Workers from Plant and Food Research institute in Auckland's Mount Albert had to evacuate today after a chemical odour triggered the fire alarm about a 12.45pm.

Ten fire trucks responded to the call, alongside a Hato Hone St John ambulance and two police cars.

Firefighters have since left the scene.

A worker from the institute, who RNZ agreed not to name, said she heard about the incident from an emergency email.

"I got an email from work saying that this happened. We also have a group chat and some of our colleagues sent the video of the fire trucks coming through.

"I was off-site, I was on the field today since 6am, so I didn't know what was going on."

She said she also received an email from the day care centre looking after her two children.

"The day care is right next to the [research] building, so they saw everything.

"They emailed us advising the kids were safe."

Workers could not access their vehicles while emergency services were on-site, she said.

"I went out early in the morning with the [company] car to the field, but I couldn't bring it back because of the closure.

"A lot of people got taxis home, because our cars stayed inside the building and we could not get in."

Fire and Emergency said it worked with partner-agencies to contain the situation.

"Crews have since confirmed there is no risk and have handed the site back to owners," a spokesperson said.

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Plant & Food Research is a New Zealand-based science company providing research and development that adds value to fruit, vegetable, crop and food products.

With over 900 people based at sites across New Zealand, as well as in the USA and Australia, at the heart of Plant & Food Research is a goal to underpin the growth of plant and marine-based industry through the successful application and commercialisation of research-based innovation.

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Laboratories
Plant Health and Environment Laboratory

New Plant Health and Environment Laboratory

The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is working on plans to replace the Plant Health and Environment Laboratory in Auckland. Find out why it's important and our timeline for building the new lab.

Demand is growing for lab services

Our existing Plant Health and Environment Laboratory (PHEL) is located in Tāmaki, East Auckland. Over the past 10 years, demand for services by the lab has grown. We expect demand to increase further due to:

innovation and growth in our plant-based industries
changes in consumer preferences
responses to biosecurity incursions.

Why we need a new lab

A new PHEL will help us:

protect our primary industries from biosecurity risks
protect our environment from suspected exotic (overseas) organisms
ensure New Zealand continues to be a safe and secure country to trade with.

The new lab will help support plant breeders

By building a new lab, we'll support plant-based industries by:

increasing our ability to screen and test for pests and diseases that could threaten industry
providing industry with greater ability to import new cultivars to support their exports
assuring global trading partners of our current pest and disease-free status, and our ability to maintain this in the future
improving crops that may do better with the changing climate
identifying new crops that may create future industries.

Investment in the new lab also aligns with the Fit for a Better World roadmap. The roadmap aims to accelerate the primary sector’s economic potential.

Fit for a Better World

Timeline for the new lab

The detailed business case for the new lab was endorsed by Cabinet in 2023.

The new lab is expected to open its doors in 2029.

What we are planning to build

The proposed new lab will be flexible and resilient. The design will ensure New Zealand is ready to meet any future land-based biosecurity threats.

The site of the new lab is at the Mount Albert Research Centre, in Auckland. It is next to the site of MPI’s new post-entry quarantine facility that is under construction.

Find out about the new post-entry quarantine facility

Who to contact

If you have questions about this project, email PH&[email protected]

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Joint Graduate School in Plant and Food Science
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Key contacts

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Dr David Pattemore Director of the Joint Graduate School

Plant & Food Research

Email: jgs-auckland@plantandfood.co.nz 120 Mt Albert Road, Sandringham, Auckland Location map (Google)

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Dr Karine David Associate Professor Anne Gaskett Associate Professor Greg Holwell Dr Sarah Knight Dr Jennifer Miles-Chan Professor Ant Poole Associate Professor Anna Santure Dr Kristal Cain Associate Professor Anthony Hickey Professor Jacqueline Beggs Dr Chris Carrie

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Professor David Barker Dr Rebecca Deed Professor Paul Kilmartin Professor Duncan McGillivray Professor Conrad Perera Professor Siew-Young Quek Associate Professor Viji Sarojini Professor Jadranka Travas-Sejdic

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Professor Andrew Allan Associate Professor Robin MacDiarmid Dr David Pattemore Dr Robert Schaffer Associate Professor Matt Templeton Associate Professor Maren Wellenreuther Dr Nari Williams

Plant & Food Research staff

Dr Charles Ampomah-Dwamena Email: charles.dwamena@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Craig Anderson Email: craig.anderson@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr John Anderson Email: john.anderson@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Ross Atkinson Email: ross.atkinson@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Gonzalo Avila Email: gonzalo.avila@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Mike Beare Email: mike.beare@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Joanna Bowen Email: joanna.bowen@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr David Brummell Email: david.brummell@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Sean Bulley Email: sean.bulley@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Jeremy Burdon Email: jeremy.burden@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr David Chagne Email: david.chagne@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Brent Clothier Email: brent.clothier@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Kevin Davies Email: kevin.davies@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Ashraf El-Sayed Email: ashraf.elsayed@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Richard Espley Email: richard.espley@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Kerry Everett Email: kerry.everett@plantandfood.co.nz

Graham Fletcher Email: graham.fletcher@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Toshi Foster Email: toshi.foster@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Adam Friend Email: adam.friend@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Keith Funnell Email: keith.funnell@plantandfood.co.nz

Sravani Gupta Email: sravani.gupta@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Ian Hallett Email: ian.hallett@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Roger Harker Email: roger.harker@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr John Ingram Email: john.ingram@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Sara Jaeger Email: sara.jaeger@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Jason Johnston Email: jason.johnston@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Andrew Kralicek Email: andrew.kralicek@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Ken Marsh Email: ken.marsh@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Damian Martin Email: damian.martin@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Tony McGhie Email: tony.mcghie@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Suman Mishra Email: suman.mishra@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr John Monro Email: john.monro@plantandfood.co.nz

Marco Morgenstern Email: marco.morgenstern@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Ranjith Pathirana Email: ranjith.pathirana@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Erik Rikkerink Email: erik.rikkerink@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Darryl Rowan Email: darryl.rowan@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Alla Seleznyova Email: alla.seleznyova@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Grant Smith Email: grant.smith@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Kimberley Snowden Email: kimberley.snowden@plantandfood.co.nz

Roy Storey Email: roy.storey@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Erika Varkonyi-Gasic Email: erika.varkonyi-gasic@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Benjamin Warren Email: benjamin.warren@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Claudia Wiedow Email: claudia.wiedow@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Allan Woolf Email: allan.woolf@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Karmun Chooi Email: karmun.chooi@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Nick Waipara Email: nick.waipara@plantandfood.co.nz

Dr Ashley Mortensen Email: ashley.mortensen@plantandfood.co.nz

Smoke alarm at Auckland research facility prompts emergency services hazmat response