Lincoln Campus

AgResearch's Lincoln campus is situated 15km southwest of Christchurch and its research focuses on biocontrol and biosecurity, plant breeding and seed technology, wool and skin biology, and animal fibres and textiles.

An Agronomy Division was first created by the DSIR at Lincoln in 1936, to research oats, peas, Lucerne, potatoes, and other arable crops.  The Wheat Research Institute was added to the Agronomy Division in 1948.  In 1937, DSIR established the New Zealand Wool Manufacturers' Research Association which had a further name change to the New Zealand Woollen Mills Research Association in 1945 and again in 1956 to the New Zealand Wool Industries Research Institute.

When DSIR was disbanded in 1992, Government research departments were formed into ten Crown Research Institutes (CRI) (later to be reduced to eight).  The Lincoln campus was transferred to AgResearch Limited.

The Christchurch earthquake of 2011 caused significant damage to the campus and the adjacent Lincoln University.  A re-building and modernisation programme is underway.