Latest news with #McNee
NZ Herald
01-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
AgriZeroNZ puts millions into US start-up reducing methane emissions
AgriZeroNZ chief executive Wayne McNee said Hoofprint was aiming to launch its first product in early 2027, subject to approval from the Ministry for Primary Industries to use the supplement on New Zealand farms. 'They're developing two different things,' he said. 'One is an enzyme blend that you mix into supplementary feed, which looks to reduce emissions by about 80% while at the same time improving milk yield and meat yield. 'The great benefit for a farmer would be if you can make more meat and milk with the same amount of feed, and also reduce emissions, that would be ideal. 'This [enzyme] still needs to be fed as a feed supplement, but only a small amount once a day.' The enzyme could work for dairy cows, which come into the milking shed once or twice daily. 'The company is also looking to develop probiotics which would enable it to be fed less often, maybe weekly or monthly, which could then be used for a much more extensive system like a beef or sheep system.' McNee said Hoofprint representatives had been visiting New Zealand looking for research partners to run an animal trial. Methane from livestock makes up almost half of New Zealand's annual tally of greenhouse gas emissions. AgriZeroNZ is a joint venture aimed at getting that tally down by investing in new methane-cutting products. It is half owned by the Government and half owned by a group of companies including The a2 Milk Company, ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Fonterra, Rabobank, Ravensdown, Silver Fern Farms and Synlait. Its latest investment takes AgriZeroNZ's total investment in Hoofprint to $13 million, its largest investment to date. It has also invested in several other potential methane-cutting products, including another US start-up, ArkeaBio, trialling a methane vaccine. The first product likely to reach farmers is a slow-release bolus out of New Zealand that releases bromoform into an animal's gut. New Zealand company Ruminant Biotech has developed a small metal capsule (bolus), which delivers a potent methane-squashing medicine, which McNee said should be ready in 2026, before Hoofprint's enzymes. Fonterra has also been trialling its own 'Kowbucha' probiotic to cut methane from dairy cows. Meanwhile, New Zealand scientists have been working on their own vaccine and methane inhibitors for years, McNee having a range of alternatives on the market would help keep prices competitive for farmers. There was also potential for additional benefits from adding together different products - but it was too soon to know whether that would work, he said.
RNZ News
01-05-2025
- Business
- RNZ News
AgrizeroNZ puts millions into start-up reducing methane emissions
US-based company Hoofprint Biome said its animal feed supplements will also improve farm animals' gut health. Photo: 123rf New Zealand climate investor AgrizeroNZ has put another $8.7 million into an American start-up that is promising to lower the climate-warming impact of cow burps. AgrizeroNZ said it is happy with the initial results from small US trials feeding animals enzymes that are aimed at reducing their methane emissions. US-based company Hoofprint Biome said its animal feed supplements will also improve farm animals' gut health and make livestock around five percent more productive of milk and meat. However, the product still needs testing in larger trials, including a planned trial in New Zealand. AgriZeroNZ chief executive Wayne McNee said Hoofprint was aiming to launch its first product in early 2027, subject to approval from the Ministry for Primary Industries to use the supplement on New Zealand farms. "They're developing two different things. One is an enzyme blend that you mix into supplementary feed, which looks to reduce emissions by about 80 per cent while at the same time improving milk yield and meat yield," he said. "The great benefit for a farmer would be if you can make more meat and milk with the same amount of feed and also reduce emissions, that would be ideal. "This [enzyme] still needs to be fed as a feed supplement but only a small amount once a day." The enzyme could work for dairy cows which come into the milking shed once or twice daily. "The company is also looking to develop probiotics which would enable it to be fed less often, maybe weekly or monthly, which could then be used for a much more extensive system like a beef or sheep system." McNee said Hoofprint representatives had been visiting New Zealand looking for research partners to run an animal trial. Methane from livestock makes up almost half of New Zealand's annual tally of greenhouse gas emissions. AgrizeroNZ is a joint venture aimed at getting that tally down by investing in new methane-cutting products. It is half owned by the New Zealand government and half owned by a group of companies including The a2 Milk Company, ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Fonterra, Rabobank, Ravensdown, Silver Fern Farms and Synlait. Its latest investment takes AgrizeroNZ's total investment in Hoofprint to $13 million, it largest investment to date . It has also invested in several other potential methane-cutting products, including another US start-up - ArkeaBio - trialling a methane vaccine . The first product likely to reach farmers is a slow-release bolus out of New Zealand that releases bromoform into an animal's gut. New Zealand company Ruminant Biotech has developed a small metal capsule (bolus) , which delivers a potent methane-squashing medicine, which McNee said should be ready in 2026, before Hoofprint's enzymes. Fonterra has also been trialling its own "Kowbucha" probiotic to cut methane from dairy cows. Meanwhile, New Zealand scientists have been working on their own vaccine and methane inhibitors for years, McNee having a range of alternatives on the market would help keep prices competitive for farmers. There was also potential for additional benefits from adding together different products - but it was too soon to know whether that would work, he said. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Yahoo
Man jailed for life for Glasgow gangland murder
A man who murdered a member of a rival crime clan in a shotgun attack in Glasgow has been jailed for a minimum of 22 years. Malcolm McNee, 63, described as an associate of the Glasgow-based Daniel organised crime group, chased John Quinn McGregor, 44, before shooting him in the chest in August 2021. Despite open heart surgery at the scene, Mr McGregor died at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow two days later. McNee, from Carbeth, Stirlingshire, was sentenced after pleading guilty to the murder last month, just before he was due to stand trial. He also admitted attempting to pervert the course of justice. Co-accused Reece Trainer was jailed for 54 months after he admitted having a firearm on the day and location of the murder and attempting to pervert the course of justice by fleeing to Mexico. Prosecutor John Macpherson said the background to the case was an ongoing feud between the Lyons and the Daniels organised crime groups. He said Westray Street, where the shooting happened, was a regular meeting point for youths associated with the Lyons family, while members of the Daniel family lived in adjoining streets. Following an incident earlier in the evening in which Ronnie Daniel, who lived just off Westray Street, was threatened, McNee grabbed a shotgun and asked co-accused Trainer, 25, to drive him to the scene. Mr Macpherson said: "In response to various phone calls, McNee took a shotgun because he believed that Ronnie Daniel had been threatened by members of the Lyons organised crime group." Mr Macpherson said those threatening included people known as the Quinn brothers. Mr Macpherson said Trainer believed the gun would be used only to warn off those threatening Ronnie Daniel. Neither Trainer nor McNee made any attempt to conceal their identity, and when they arrived Trainer's Corsa van was struck with a machete by a man named in court as James Quinn. McNee got out and brandished the shotgun at gathered youths, who fled. Mr Macpherson said McNee made no attempt to fire at this point, and got back in the van. At this point another car, with John McGregor in the front passenger seat, appeared to block the Corsa before they both passed each other. Mr Macpherson said: "The deceased and McNee exited their vehicles and confronted each other. "The deceased seemed to register that McNee had a firearm and attempted to flee and take cover behind parked vehicles. McNee was seen to aim and fire." Mr McGregor was hit once in the chest and staggered a few steps before collapsing. The blast severely damaged his chest wall, right lung and liver, causing cardiac arrest. McNee got back into the Corsa and was driven off by Trainer. The Corsa was later driven to Cumbernauld by McNee and set on fire to destroy evidence, while Trainer fled Scotland to Mexico, via England and Spain. Brian McConnachie KC, for McNee, said: "The plan initially was to brandish the shotgun, scare people away, and go home again. "Regrettably that is not what happened – the deceased got out of the other vehicle, and there was something of a standoff, before Mr McNee fired." Thomas Ross KC said the reason Trainer, a first offender whose own stepfather was murdered in a street shooting, had decided to flee the country was he feared he might be shot in retaliation. Lord Harrower told McNee: "The agreed narrative describes you as an associate of the Daniel family and Mr McGregor as having been an associate of the Lyons family – two gangs involved in serious organised crime in Glasgow. "This senseless killing appears to have been the latest instalment of an ongoing feud between the rival gangs. "It was a beautiful late summer's evening, just before 8pm. Children were out playing." He said the murder had been committed in full view of "horrified" members of the public. He added: "This murder was more than just an episode in a turf war. "Your brandishing a shotgun was intended to strike fear into members of the local community who might even have got hurt in the shooting."
BBC News
04-04-2025
- BBC News
Man jailed for life for gangland murder
A man who murdered a member of a rival crime clan in a shotgun attack in Glasgow has been jailed for a minimum of 22 McNee, 63, described as an associate of the Glasgow-based Daniel organised crime group, chased John Quinn McGregor, 44, before shooting him in the chest in August open heart surgery at the scene, Mr McGregor died at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow two days from Carbeth, Stirlingshire, was sentenced after pleading guilty to the murder last month, just before he was due to stand trial. He also admitted attempting to pervert the course of Reece Trainer was jailed for 54 months after he admitted having a firearm on the day and location of the murder and attempting to pervert the course of justice by fleeing to John Macpherson said the background to the case was an ongoing feud between the Lyons and the Daniels organised crime groups. He said Westray Street, where the shooting happened, was a regular meeting point for youths associated with the Lyons family, while members of the Daniel family lived in adjoining streets. Shot in chest Following an incident earlier in the evening in which Ronnie Daniel, who lived just off Westray Street, was threatened, McNee grabbed a shotgun and asked co-accused Trainer, 25, to drive him to the Macpherson said: "In response to various phone calls, McNee took a shotgun because he believed that Ronnie Daniel had been threatened by members of the Lyons organised crime group."Mr Macpherson said those threatening included people known as the Quinn Macpherson said Trainer believed the gun would be used only to warn off those threatening Ronnie Trainer nor McNee made any attempt to conceal their identity, and when they arrived Trainer's Corsa van was struck with a machete by a man named in court as James Quinn. McNee got out and brandished the shotgun at gathered youths, who Macpherson said McNee made no attempt to fire at this point, and got back in the van. At this point another car, with John McGregor in the front passenger seat, appeared to block the Corsa before they both passed each Macpherson said: "The deceased and McNee exited their vehicles and confronted each other."The deceased seemed to register that McNee had a firearm and attempted to flee and take cover behind parked vehicles. McNee was seen to aim and fire."Mr McGregor was hit once in the chest and staggered a few steps before blast severely damaged his chest wall, right lung and liver, causing cardiac got back into the Corsa and was driven off by Trainer. 'Ongoing feud' The Corsa was later driven to Cumbernauld by McNee and set on fire to destroy evidence, while Trainer fled Scotland to Mexico, via England and McConnachie KC, for McNee, said: "The plan initially was to brandish the shotgun, scare people away, and go home again."Regrettably that is not what happened – the deceased got out of the other vehicle, and there was something of a standoff, before Mr McNee fired."Thomas Ross KC said the reason Trainer, a first offender whose own stepfather was murdered in a street shooting, had decided to flee the country was he feared he might be shot in Harrower told McNee: "The agreed narrative describes you as an associate of the Daniel family and Mr McGregor as having been an associate of the Lyons family – two gangs involved in serious organised crime in Glasgow."This senseless killing appears to have been the latest instalment of an ongoing feud between the rival gangs."It was a beautiful late summer's evening, just before 8pm. Children were out playing."He said the murder had been committed in full view of "horrified" members of the added: "This murder was more than just an episode in a turf war. "Your brandishing a shotgun was intended to strike fear into members of the local community who might even have got hurt in the shooting."
