▁arm ▁of ▁the ▁then ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Agricult ure ▁and ▁Fish eries ) ▁which ▁had ▁pre domin antly ▁carried ▁out ▁animal ▁research , ▁with ▁the ▁agricult ure - related ▁port ions ▁of ▁D SI R , ▁which ▁had ▁pre domin antly ▁carried ▁out ▁research ▁on ▁for age ▁plants . ▁▁ ▁Ag Res earch ▁has ▁grown ▁over ▁time ▁by ▁acqu iring ▁research ▁organis ations ▁" down " ▁the ▁value ▁stream ▁from ▁its ▁initial ▁on - f arm ▁emphas is , ▁such ▁as ▁the ▁former ▁Me at ▁Indust ry ▁Research ▁Institute ▁of ▁New ▁Zealand ▁( M IR IN Z ) ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁and ▁the ▁former ▁W ool ▁Research ▁Organisation ▁of ▁New ▁Zealand ▁( WR ON Z , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁re brand ed ▁as ▁Can esis ) ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁ ▁In ▁March ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁Ag Res earch ▁announced ▁that ▁it ▁planned ▁to ▁merge ▁with ▁Lincoln ▁University , ▁but ▁that ▁was ▁subsequently ▁changed ▁to ▁an ▁intention ▁to ▁form ▁a ▁joint ▁vent ure . ▁ ▁A ▁plan ▁called ▁" Future ▁Foot print " ▁was ▁announced ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁to ▁concent rate ▁resources ▁at ▁the ▁Gr ass lands ▁site ▁in ▁Pal mer ston ▁North ▁and ▁Lincoln ▁campus ▁near ▁Christ ch urch . ▁This ▁involved ▁the ▁transfer ▁of ▁about ▁ 2 0 0 ▁staff ▁mostly ▁from ▁Ru ak ura ▁( H amilton ) ▁and ▁In ver may ▁( D un ed in ) ▁sites . ▁There ▁were ▁reports ▁that ▁a ▁substantial ▁number ▁of ▁staff ▁left