30 October 2026
AgriZeroNZ is increasing its investment in two companies making strong progress towards delivering emissions reduction tools for New Zealand farmers.
The public-private partnership has invested a further US$10 million (NZ$17.7m) in methane vaccine developer ArkeaBio, and US$3 million (NZ$5.1m) in BioLumic, a NZ-founded company utilising ultraviolet light to develop low-emissions pasture.
AgriZeroNZ has now invested more than $100 million since its establishment in 2023 to accelerate the development and deployment of emissions reduction tools that help farmers reduce emissions without compromising productivity or profitability.
AgriZeroNZ Chief Executive Wayne McNee says the milestone highlights both the scale of innovation underway, and the investment required to turn promising science into practical tools for farmers.
“Reducing emissions while maintaining productivity, profitability and global competitiveness remains one of the biggest challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand agriculture.
“Helping farmers meet that challenge requires practical emissions reduction tools and significant, sustained investment to get them to market. The progress we're seeing across our portfolio gives us confidence there will be a range of tools available by 2030.”
AgriZeroNZ’s diverse investment portfolio includes companies and research projects developing genetics, inhibitors, pasture, probiotics, vaccines and wearables, with some tools also showing potential for productivity benefits on farm.
ArkeaBio undertaking vaccine trials in New Zealand
This is AgriZeroNZ’s third investment in Boston-based ArkeaBio and its largest to date, bringing its total commitment to US$19.5 million (NZ$33.8 million).
The funding is supporting trials in lactating dairy cows in New Zealand to generate the data required for a regulatory submission, with ArkeaBio targeting a New Zealand launch in 2028.
ArkeaBio is the first company to achieve proof of concept for a methane vaccine, with trials at Texas A&M University demonstrating it can reduce methane emissions from cattle.
The recombinant protein vaccine works by stimulating a cow’s immune system to generate natural antibodies that target methane-producing microbes in the rumen, a part of its stomach. This helps reduce the amount of methane released without disrupting the cow’s digestion.
ArkeaBio CEO Frank Wooten says the new funding should take the company through to commercial launch.
“For our first vaccine, we’re targeting a methane reduction of around 15% that lasts for at least three months.
“We see a clear pathway to deliver greater methane reductions and longer-lasting impact, with the ultimate goal being a vaccine that lasts for 12 months.”
ArkeaBio is also exploring whether its methane-reducing vaccine could be combined with other vaccines already commonly used on farm, making it easier for farmers to use.
BioLumic advances higher-performing pasture
AgriZeroNZ is doubling its investment in New Zealand-founded BioLumic, providing a further US$3million (NZ$5.1m) to bring its total investment to US$6 million (NZ$10.6m).
BioLumic uses precise UV light recipes to activate desirable traits in seeds, with no chemistry and no genetic modification. Its ryegrass programme includes a focus on increasing lipid concentration, building on a well-established link between higher-fat diets and lower methane emissions from livestock.
The Palmerston North-based company has already demonstrated proof of concept by increasing the lipid concentration of ryegrass. It is now targeting concentrations which modelling indicates could reduce methane emissions from grazing livestock by approximately 12.5 per cent.
BioLumic Chief Science Officer Jason Wargent says the funds will support further field trials of its low-emissions ryegrass with major seed companies in New Zealand, Australia and Europe.
“The real opportunity is helping farmers reduce methane emissions without changing the way they farm.
“We’re also developing productivity traits that lift metabolizable energy and dry matter into the same seed, so farmers can achieve both emissions reductions and productivity gains.”
BioLumic’s xTraits light-activation platform was recently named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2026, recognising a new approach to improving crops by switching on traits already present in a plant’s own genetics.
McNee says AgriZeroNZ’s recent $117 million funding boost enables the partnership to continue making these types of follow-on investments, to support technologies through to commercialisation and give farmers options.
“These investments reflect the momentum we're seeing, and we're proud to support companies like BioLumic and ArkeaBio as they move towards bringing their solutions to market,” says McNee.
“Ultimately, it’s about giving New Zealand farmers choice. We want them to have a range of effective tools, so they can choose what works for their farm and keep earning the premium they deserve for their grass-fed milk and meat.”
