New entrant bucks the trend
Why would a new crop protection business, with a special interest in innovative products, bother entering the New Zealand market when bigger players struggling with some of the longest regulatory timeframes in the world are pulling back?
David Lingan, George Follas, David Chamberlin and Mike Goodwin.
The team in question agrees it might sound contrarian, but says that’s a strength, not a weakness, and there’s no shortage of business potential here if you step back and look at things a bit differently.
For AgNova NZ, that means a 10-year perspective (not five years); focusing on development, not discovery; leveraging a unique trial protocol that satisfies regulators on both sides of the Tasman instead of just one or the other; and making the most of extensive offshore resources.
Add to that a small, highly experienced crew of local industry veterans plus a well-connected parent company whose investment metrics emphasise rather than play down so-called minor crops, and you can begin to see why the effort is being made.
Country manager David Chamberlin says the NZ business model closely follows that of AgNova Technologies in Australia.
It has done so well with niche and speciality products in that market over the past 22 years it has been appointed development partner for more than a dozen international entities based in the United States, Europe and Japan.
Being purchased by American Vanguard Corporation in 2020 has only served to further broaden the global resources available, including access to more products particularly in biologicals, fermentation capacity, chitin-based and plant stimulants.
“Our philosophy is to do the same here – bring in and develop products from international research companies which are not directly represented in NZ, and invest the time and money to develop them for local producers,” he says.
Chamberlin heads a team of three whose combined skills and experience more than make up for their small number.
George Follas came on board in 2023 as development manager, and works with the Australians to optimise product development between the two countries, and best utilise trial work done both sides of the Tasman.
(It was Follas who devised the combined trans-Tasman regulatory trial protocol, something Chamberlin says plays a pivotal role in streamlining AgNova NZ’s path to market with new registrations.)
Mike Goodwin joined as area sales manager for the South Island last August, bringing with him arable expertise particularly in seed and forage crops, improved pastures, molluscicides and adjuvants, as well as a strong focus on wine grapes, cherries, potatoes and onions.
Long-time Hawke’s Bay resident David Lingan joined earlier this year, bringing horticultural expertise across all crops, and valuable knowledge in adjuvants, molluscicides, sun protection and bird repellency in particular.
Chamberlin himself, who is also responsible for sales in the upper North Island, has a long history in the primary sector, including 21 years in crop protection with Bayer in a range of roles spanning NZ, Australia, Vietnam, Germany, Singapore and Indonesia.
He was working outside the industry when the call came about leading AgNova NZ, and says the opportunity was too good to let pass.
“All four of us are excited about the challenge of setting up a new business and bringing innovative new products to the NZ market. We’ve all been in crop protection for most of our careers; we understand the market, and we can see real potential for a development-based business strategy, which has become very difficult here for some companies.”
He acknowledges the regulatory timeframes are still challenging, notwithstanding the ‘amazing job’ done recently by industry representatives to accelerate the process, but says AgNova is well structured and resourced to handle these.
In the past season alone, it completed 17 product trials in wine grapes, kiwifruit, potatoes, onions and cherries. More than 30 trials are committed for the coming season.
Current work also includes trials and demonstrations in knock-down weed control, fallow, maize, cereals, forage brassicas and seed crops.
The existing portfolio features fruit and vegetable products like Baron WG and Unyunox herbicide; Ohayo fungicide; Designer Plus sticker and deposition agent; Mesh anti-shatter for seed pod crops; and Lucid tank cleaner and decontaminator.
Pipeline products include new developments in GreenSolutions™ and adjuvants.
AgNova’s founders in Australia prioritised minor crops from the get-go and Chamberlin says the NZ business is equally committed to producers who don’t have the scale necessary to influence investment decisions made by big global suppliers.
“We truly care about all growers and farmers. For us it’s not just the big four crops – we focus on and target the whole horticultural market, as well as seizing opportunities in arable and specialty markets where we can make a difference.”