Appointment to Milk Price Panel reflects Professorial Chair goals

Professor Gow took up the Sir Graeme Harrison Professorial Chair in Global Value Chains and Trade in July 2021.  The focus of the Chair is on excellence in research, teaching, and extension to address the challenges New Zealand agricultural exporters face in becoming integral parts of major value chains and combating behind-the-border trade barriers.

Put forward by the Minister of Agriculture Damien O’Connor for the position, Professor Gow will be the inaugural ministerial nominated independent member of the Panel, as stipulated in the recent Dairy Industry Restructuring Amendment Bill legislation.

The purpose of the Panel is to provide assurances to the Board of Fonterra as to the governance of the Milk Price and the Milk Price Manual, and the proper application of the Milk Price Principles. The Panel is responsible for undertaking reviews of the Milk Price and the Milk Price Manual and supervising the calculation of the base milk price.

Professor Gow has extensive research and industry experience in agribusiness innovation, strategy, and market analysis and has led market development projects in over 50 countries. He has also consulted to the European Commission, OECD, IFAD, USDA, USAID, UNIDO, FAO, World Bank, and numerous multinationals, farmers’ organisations, and governments.

Dean of the Faculty of Agribusiness and Commerce at Lincoln, Professor Hugh Bigsby, said the endowed chair by Sir Graeme Harrison was driven by his vision that the New Zealand food and fibre sector needed a strong, informed voice that can link education, research, government policy and industry to help inform and grow New Zealand’s exports.

He said Professor Gow’s appointment would fulfil that mandate by bringing an academic rigour to Government and industry policy discussions.

Professor Gow has been involved in setting up summits to help the dairy industry navigate international markets in previous roles, and provided unbiased commentary and analysis on the sector since returning to New Zealand from the United States in 2010.

He described becoming a panel member as a prestigious appointment for himself, and for Lincoln University.