Professor Alison Stewart, chief executive of the  Foundation for Arable Research, has been appointed a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to plant science and the arable sector.

Professor Stewart is a Fellow of the NZ Institute for Agricultural and Horticultural Science.

The honour was among the appointments made by King Charles III and announced on the occasion of the celebration of His Majesty’s Birthday.

The foundation’s board and staff, in a congratulatory press statement which expressed their delight at the honour, said “it seems fitting that it is announced just a few weeks before she steps down from her role with FAR”.

Professor Stewart said she was absolutely thrilled, and:

“It seems redundant to say it, but it really is a great honour. And it’s an honour I’m pleased to share with the plant science community and the arable sector, both huge, but often unrecognised contributors to New Zealand’s agriculture and horticulture industries.

“I’ve been involved with plant science and plant pathology for my whole working career, with the shift to arable coming about when I joined FAR in 2018. Working in the arable industry has been an absolute pleasure and privilege. The sector is an exemplar of a sustainable and resilient farming system, and we should be really proud of it.”

The official announcement says Emeritus Distinguished Professor Alison Stewart, CNZM,  is an internationally renowned plant scientist with a 40-year career focused on sustainable plant protection, soil biology and plant biotechnology.

Professor Stewart has been chief executive of FAR since 2018 and was appointed a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2009 for her contributions to biology and plant pathology.

She was Chief Science Officer at Marrone Bio Innovations in the United States from 2013 to 2015 before returning to New Zealand and becoming General Manager Forestry Science at Scion from 2015 to 2018.

She is internationally recognised for her work on the biocontrol of plant pests and diseases and has commercialised a number of products in New Zealand and the US.

She has pioneered the implementation of sustainable farming practices that can improve crop yields and quality while minimising environmental impacts.

As CEO of FAR, she has been instrumental in promoting the arable sector and has strongly advocated to government and the public on the importance and value of plant production systems in New Zealand.

“She is a great proponent of cross sector engagement, fostering collaboration between researchers, growers, government and industry stakeholders for continuous improvement. Throughout her career Professor Stewart has been a strong mentor of young scientists and future agricultural leaders, encouraging innovative and ambitious thinking to address New Zealand’s agricultural challenges.”

The FAR press statement notes other career honours and achievements include:

• PhD in Plant Pathology from the University of Stirling (1984)
• First female Professor at Lincoln University (1998)
• Bayer – NZ Innovators Award (2012)
• Founding Director of the Bio-Protection Research Centre at Lincoln University (2003-2011)
• AgResearch Technology Transfer Award (2002)
• Agricom Significant Achievement Award for Research Excellence (2001)
• MAFBNZ Biosecurity Award for Excellence (2008)
• Distinguished Professor of Plant Pathology, Lincoln University (2011)
• Fellow of the NZ Institute for Agricultural and Horticultural Science (2006)
• Fellow of the Australasian Plant Pathology Society (2011)
• Lincoln University, Excellence in Research Award (1997)

Sources:  Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet and the Foundation for Arable Research