
Purpose
By investing in the development and supply of improved and innovative plant cultivars and endophytes to farmers, PBRA members contribute to the continued success of New Zealand’s world-leading agricultural sector.
The organisation represents plant breeders, intellectual property owners and managers of proprietary agricultural seed. The Association’s members are companies whose primary focus is the development and marketing of plant intellectual property through demonstrating the strength of research-proven standards of performance.
For farmers, the PBRA and its members provide the following:
- Market leading cultivars (forage, ryegrass, cereal and maize) and endophytes for improved on farm performance.
- National trials (ryegrass and cereals) that follow industry leading protocols. The outcomes provide farmers with local performance information which helps them to make informed decisions around cultivar and endophyte selection.
- Providing industry-agreed ratings for endophyte strains, for both insect control and animal health and welfare.
- Developing protocols and benchmarks on cultivar and endophyte strain evaluation so farmers can have confidence in the information provided.
- Provision of regional trial data (seasonal & total yield, quality and persistence) to DairyNZ to be incorporated into the DairyNZ Forage Value Index.
- Identification and promotion of environmentally sustainable farming practices.
- Investment in New Zealand science (both at a company level and by partnering with Government).
The PBRA also undertakes the following industry activities:
- Advocates for and ensures adoption of Intellectual property regulation and protection mechanisms.
- Engages with Government and industry bodies to assist with policy development.
- Provides PBRA members with guidelines for marketing and a process for handling marketing challenges.
- Advocates for the advancement of science.
- Fosters a safe, fair and practical regulatory environment.
- Promotion of environmental best-practice.
- Taking a leadership role to support the integration of different sectors within the agricultural industry.
- Engaging with and strengthen relationships with other industry organisations.
- Maintaining relationships nationally and internationally that support the organisation’s objectives.
- Developing relationships with appropriate like-minded bodies including NZ Grain and Seed Trade Association and International Seed Federation.
Structure
The PBRA has a number of committees (detailed below), each with specific tasks:
Executive Committee
- Policy and Government relations
- Relations with other Industry bodies
- Industry development and promotion
- Overview Technical Committees
Forage Technical Committee (FTC)
- Manage the National Forage Variety Trial (NFVT) programme
- Expert advice on technical matters concerning forage and forage utilisation
- Provide advocacy for forage improvements
Cereal Performance Trial Committee (CPT)
- Manage commercial trials of cereals and other arable crops
- Expert advice on technical matters relating to cultivars marketed by members
- Representation with technical elements of consuming industries e.g. milling, malting etc
- Provide advocacy for the advancement of the arable sector
Endophyte Technical Committee (ETC)
- Produce industry-agreed endophyte insect control ratings and endophyte animal health and welfare ratings
- Design protocol, evaluate results and approve new endophyte strains
- Expert advice on technical matters relating to endophytes
Marketing and Communications Committee
- Ensure the information generated by the PBRA is made available to farmers, to support their decision-making
- Communicate to farmers and industry about the PBRA and their activities
- Develop and implement the communication strategy for the PBRA
- Communicate with industry bodies that utilise outputs from the PBRA
Key Contacts
There are two staff members who undertake work on behalf of the PBRA.

Chief Executive
Sarah Clark
Sarah joined the Seed Industry office as Chief Executive in 2025, after 14 years of public service at Ministry for Primary Industries. Most recently managing and leading the Plant Germplasm Imports/Live Plants Team.
Sarah is very much looking forward to engaging with members and hearing about what’s important, and what opportunities, issues and challenges are for the industry.
She grew up in Southland, attended University of Otago receiving a Doctor of Philosophy Biochemistry, followed by lecturing at Otago University in biochemistry, molecular biology, metabolism and plant biotechnology.
Sarah looks forward to working with members and industry stakeholders.

Operations & Events manager
Sharon Dawe
When Sharon Dawe took on the role of office manager at the Seed Industry office in 2020, she was very familiar with the New Zealand Plant Breeders Research Association (PBRA) as well as the wider grain and seed industry.
Having worked for New Zealand Grain & Seed, Arable Food Industry and PBRA’s accountants’ Staples Rodway (now Baker Tilly Staples Rodway) for 20 years, Sharon had an understanding of the seed industry and the PBRA’s particular requirements. This meant she was able to bring her skills and experience in-house.
Her responsibilities include looking after the accounts payable and receivable and preparing the contracts and agreements for the performance and production trials each year.
She describes her work at the Seed Industry office as being varied and plentiful, but she particularly enjoys learning about the industry and dealing with hard-working people who are appreciative of all she does.
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee is comprised of executive members of each of the PBRA Member companies.
They are tasked with overseeing the vision for the PBRA as well as being involved in high level policy and government relations, industry development and promotion and relationships with other industry bodies. The PBRA Technical groups all report to the Executive Committee.


History
The NZPBRA was formed in 1977 following the passing of The Plant Varieties Act in 1973, a legislative development that dramatically changed New Zealand’s seed sector.
Prior to this, seed research and the breeding of improved cultivars had been the exclusive domain of the DSIR. The Plant Variety Rights (PVR) law protected the ownership of new cultivars and ensured that plant breeders would receive a return on their investment by way of royalties on proprietary seed sold.
As a result of this legislation, seed companies began their own plant breeding programmes and the PBRA was formed. In 1991, the PBRA set up and started the National Forage Variety Trial (NFVT) system. This was a major step forward for the organisation as well as farmers and retailers, who were able to access regional-specific and national information on cultivar performance.
The next step for the PBRA was the trialling of cereal varieties. Trials started in 1993 under the umbrella of ACE (Arable Cultivar Evaluation) with five trial sites in Canterbury evaluating autumn feed and milling wheats. By 1995, the programme had expanded to include barley and spring sowings, and Southland and Manawatu were added to the trialling site list. In 1998, the name changed to the Cereal Performance Trials (CPT).
The PBRA also formed an Endophyte Technical Committee to review endophyte strains and how they perform against insect pests. They also take into consideration animal safety and performance when grazed.