Ian Yule - Precision agriculture technology
A New Zealand Research Commercialisation Success Story
Professor Ian Yule is the Professor of Precision Agriculture (PA) at Massey University and leads a research programme focused on pasture and crop sensing for measuring growth rates and quality, as well as advanced methods for fertilizer application.
As lead inventor of the Pasture Meter, professor Yule's research has contributed significant economic benefit to nz, equating to around $46 million in productivity gains currently, with the potential for another $400 million if the entire dairy industry adopted this technology.
The Pasture Meter is also being sold overseas as the rest of the world recognizes the benefit of rapid pasture measurement within a pastoral management system. The Pasture Meter is licensed to and marketed by C-Dax Ltd and is protected by patents in all its main markets.
One of Professor Yule's strengths lies in his ability to transfer technology to the agriculture sector, presenting his research to industry groups, championing not only the economic benefits from precision agriculture application but also the benefits to the environment. It is this intersection of farming, economics and sustainability that drives Professor Yule's work.
He is an active collaborator within the NZ research community, industry groups and long-standing commercial partners primarily through the commercialisation of the Pasture Meter. The Pasture Meter (with C-Dax) along with Aerial scanning technology (with Ravensdown) demonstrates Professor Yule's ability to develop practical solutions to industry problems.
Professor Yule was a finalist for the Researcher Entrepreneur Award at the 2014 KiwiNet Awards.
