Massey University says it grew from a small agricultural college in Palmerston North, and that 2027 marks 100 years since its founding. It became Massey University of Manawatu on 1 January 1964 and now has campuses in Auckland, Manawātū (Palmerston North) and Wellington.
The School of Agriculture and Environment, part of the College of Sciences, says Massey has taught agriculture and horticulture since 1927. Its research covers pastoral agriculture, crops, horticulture and forestry, agricultural systems management and agribusiness, and animal science. Its centres include a research centre on soils, fertilisers and environmental issues in farming; a Monogastric Research Centre; the AL Rae Centre for Genetics and Breeding; and the New Zealand Life Cycle Management Centre, run with AgResearch, Landcare Research, Plant & Food Research and Scion. Massey runs six farm units covering just over 2,000 hectares, mostly near the Manawātū campus, including the Dairy 1 and Dairy 4 farms and Tuapaka Farm.