Sustainable Production
Dr Brendon Malcolm
Senior Scientist, Team Leader (Soil Function & Health), Acting Science Group Leader (Cropping Systems & Environment)
Having been brought up on a mixed enterprise farm in Nelson that consisted of dairy cows, stonefruit, pipfruit and boysenberries, I have passion for sustainable food production. After gaining a Bachelor of Agricultural Science (Honours), followed by a soil science PhD at Lincoln University, I joined Plant & Food Research in 2014. Currently leading the Soil Function & Health team, my research revolves around quantifying nitrate leaching losses from grazed forage crop systems, and identifying mitigation technologies (e.g. catch crops) that immobilise contaminants, improve environmental outcomes, and offer greater returns for farmers/growers. With the help of a highly capable technical team, the majority of their scientific trials are run on commercial properties. Brendon also takes this opportunity to engage closely with industry and stakeholders, and offers transparency to their science through the engagement of a Twitter profile (https://twitter.com/malcolm_brendon). Outside of Plant & Food Research, Brendon has a love for the outdoors and sport in general; in particular, a keen hunter-gatherer both on the land and in the sea.
