Qualifications:
- B.Sc from University of Auckland in 1973 graduating in Botany, specialising in Plant Pathology
- Certificate in Agricultural Pesticides, 1975
- National Certificate in Horticulture (fruit), 1983
- Registered Horticultural Consultant (NZAASA/NZSHS), 1990
- Growsafe Standard Course, 1994 (Cert No S 15137)
- Growsafe Agrichemical Distributor Course, 1995 (Cert No D. 5064)
- Certified Professional Agriculturist (CPAg), 1996
- Recognised Leading Professional Stage 3, 1996
Career Launch
I began undertaking field testing of agrichemicals in 1974 for Ispray Ltd, a Nelson-based agricultural chemical company. This involved undertaking primarily fungicide trials on a wide range of fruit, vegetable, broadacre and cereal crops throughout New Zealand (from Northland to Southland), although based in Nelson. The majority of trials were undertaken on the Company’s 10 hectare research station. Besides fungicides I also undertook herbicide trials and assisted the entomologist with insecticide trials.
This launched me into the practicalities of all the aspects involved in field trial work, but also product registration, talks to farmers, at seminars, and conferences thereby assisting the marketing of the products I resigned in May 1980 after spending six years with Ispray, which had in the meantime been sold to Kempthorne Prosser, Dunedin and then acquired by NZ Farmers Fertiliser (now Nufarm).
Change to Processing:
In June 1980 I joined the research section of Watties in Hastings. This involved agronomy and variety trials on a range of apple, pears, stonefruit, fruit and berry fruit, as well as a wide range of vegetables, such as tomatoes, asparagus, beans, peppers, brassicas crops and even okra. Although the focus was more on growing quality crops and hence investigating key factors such as size, shape, yield together with the length of time from planting to harvest and ease of harvesting Identifying best practice for crops and which agchem products would be best suited to control weeds, diseases or pests was also part of the portfolio. It also involved having different cultivars pilot processed and then having taste panels to identify those best suited for sale.
Contract Research:
In 1986.the opportunity arose for me to start my own contract research company (Geelen Research) concentrating on serving the agricultural chemical industry. The company established a 4 hectare research station in Havelock North, a base from which to undertake efficacy of agchem products, organic sprays, fertilisers, sunburn products and others. Residue testing trials were also part and parcel of the work. Trials were conducted throughout both islands for primarily multi-national chemical companies as well as various primary industry groups. In 2002 the Company was the first NZ Company to obtain GLP accreditation for field testing of agrichemicals.
Expansion into agriculture:
In 2007 the company formed a joint venture company (Agrivet Services Ltd) with Agrisearch Services of Australia and I continued on as Managing Director until 2014. Whilst with Agrivet my expertise was broadened with the setting up of an Animal Health sector and I helped establish the company’s Animal Ethics Committee, of which I was Chairman throughout my seven years. I was also involved in a number of sheep, cattle and deer trials which involved both effectiveness against various pests and diseases as well as residue trials, including several milk residue studies. It also included a world first study for NZ Winegrowers determining agrichemical residues in sheep used in vineyards for leaf plucking.
In 2013 Agrisearch Services in Australia, including Agrivet Services Ltd, were sold to Eurofins Agriscience Services Ltd of Belgium. I continued on as Director of NZ arm of the research division. In May 2014, after leaving Eurofins,
My involvement in the field for virtually 40 years meant being personally responsible for over 2500 individual trials (and involved in over 3,000) on all manner of fruit, vegetable, broadacre, cereal crops and pasture. These have been undertaken throughout New Zealand, from Kerikeri in the north to Southland, and meant investigating all types of agrichemicals (and organic products), including fungicides, insecticides, herbicides, growth regulators, fertilisers and other products.
Agricultural Chemical Data Assessment:
In May 2014, after leaving Eurofins, I established a consultancy company, AG Services Ltd. The company is virtually solely involved in Data Assessments for products which companies wish to register with ACVM for use in New Zealand as agrichemicals. I applied to MPI Food Safety to become a Data Assessor in November 2014 in all four categories: Chemistry & Manufacturing; Residues; Efficacy & Plant safety; Overall. I was among the first four to apply (one of two for agricultural compounds) and on 9th January 2015 my provisional status was changed to Listed, based on the quality of the Data assessments I had conducted. I am one of only a handful able to do this. As of 2022 I have conducted well over 250 assessments on a wide range of agricultural chemicals primarily but not limited to, fungicides, insecticides and herbicides, for use on a wide range of crops against a wide range of diseases, pests and weeds. I have undertaken many Data Assessments on the full range of assessment categories as listed above.