Story: Knowledge-based industries

John McEwan (left), a scientist with AgResearch’s Invermay Agricultural Centre near Dunedin, heads a biotechnology team that has discovered how to identify sheep with a genetic resistance to internal parasites. These rams can breed other sheep with the same Wormstar gene, so farmers will need fewer chemicals to control the parasites, saving more than $1,000 during each ram’s lifetime. Mike Tate (right) of Catapult Genetics, has helped to develop the biotech breakthrough for commercial use.