Farming emissions: Methane vaccine work ramps up with $9.9m investment

AgriZeroNZ is investing $9.9m in US company ArkeaBio, which is working to create a methane vaccine for ruminant animals. Photo / Duncan Brown

By RNZ

A joint venture working to reduce on-farm emissions is doubling down on efforts to create a methane vaccine.

AgriZeroNZ - which is owned by the Government and key players in the primary industries - is investing $9.9 million in United States company ArkeaBio, which is working towards a methane vaccine for ruminant animals.

It comes on top of investment into research being done in New Zealand into a vaccine.

AgriZeroNZ chief executive Wayne McNee said it is backing the US research to increase the chance of delivering the highly sought-after, world-first solution.

“A methane vaccine for ruminant animals is internationally recognised as the ‘holy grail’ to deliver methane reduction at low cost and mass scale.

“It could be one of the best long-term options to really shift the dial on agricultural emissions in New Zealand without compromising farm profitability, as well as a powerful tool globally.”

ArkeaBio is led by Kiwi expat Colin South and recently completed US$26.5m Series A venture financing to develop and trial the vaccine.

South said the the company was pleased to have AgriZeroNZ join the funding round.

“A vaccine is the lowest cost path to global scale enteric methane reduction and is applicable to cattle worldwide.

“This singular solution, distributed globally with large-scale adoption, can change the trajectory of global warming and demonstrate a path to meeting major climate mitigation goals.”

- RNZ