Breeding resilient, fit-for-purpose animals that can thrive in evolving farming conditions.
We’re redefining what resilience and productivity look like for New Zealand sheep farmers facing climate, market, and regulatory pressure.
Sheep of the Future is a collaborative programme between the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI), Pāmu, and Focus Genetics.
Future-proofing sheep farming in New Zealand
Our aim is to help New Zealand farmers adapt to changing environmental conditions, consumer expectations, and compliance demands—while maintaining an emphasis on performance and profitability.
This isn’t a lab-based science project. We’re testing genetics and systems on a working farm, collecting insights that can directly help commercial farmers make smarter, future-focused decisions.
Running over seven years, it’s a practical, real-world programme built by people who know farming, and backed by organisations with the resources, science networks, and credibility to deliver relevant, actionable results.
Why this work matters?
Sheep farming is at a crossroads.
Climate change, land use changes, rising disease pressure, and tighter environmental regulations are making traditional systems harder to sustain.
Wool returns no
longer cover the cost.
With strong wool prices dropping below the cost of shearing, profitability is under real threat for many farmers.
A resilient sector benefits everyone.
When sheep farming thrives, it supports rural communities, national exports, consumers, and New Zealand’s international reputation for ethical, sustainable agriculture.