Science Jobs Could Be Lost

By TIMMO, Wayne

Hamilton could lose up to 60 top dairy scientists unless the Government comes through with funding for a new research facility, says AgResearch boss Dr Andy West.

AgResearch plans to build a $26 million Pastoral Foods research centre at its Ruakura campus. The one-stop research and development shop would focus on turning agricultural products, including meat and milk, into high-value goods. But the Economic Development Ministry is looking at which food research centres to fund, and Ruakura faces strong competition from a Massey University-backed project at Palmerston North. A recommendation on funding is expected later this month.

Dr West said that if the Government backed Palmerston North, AgResearch could move its dairy science division there. Sixty dairy sector staff would be out on a limb if we’re not going to get an investment in Pastoral Foods,” he said.

We would be shifting a significant portion of our staff to Palmerston North. If there is another centre of food research then we can’t leave 60 scientists marooned there (at Ruakura).”

If such a move went ahead, Dr West said Ruakura’s transgenic unit, including its 80-strong herd of cloned cows used to investigate pharmaceutical properties in milk, would also leave town and the 45ha research farm would be shut down.

I don’t think we are going to have to go this far but there’s certainly a whole bunch of ramifications for this decision,” Dr West said.

The move would cut a key sector from the country’s largest research centre. Ruakura employs 255 scientists working on animal molecular biology, reproductive technologies, agricultural systems, land management, dairy and meat science, food-processing technology and animal behaviour and welfare.

It’s certainly not going to be what Ruakura has been for the last 50 years and for the Waikato region there’s some severe ramifications,” Dr West said. He said AgResearch would lose scientists if it uprooted staff.

We already have trouble finding enough scientists as it is,” Dr West said.

Waikato Innovation Park CEO Derek Fairweather said up to half of about 50 businesses based at the park were agribusinesses that had originated in research conducted in the region.

If AgResearch’s dairy science division was moved from the city, its full effects would be felt in 15 to 20 years.

In itself it’s not the end of the world, but it starts the trend of erosion of research ability in the region. When you start to lose some of that research engine you lose the driver behind economic growth in the region.”

Mr Fairweather said the Government needed to fund the Waikato project to spread its investment: Everything I’ve seen of centralisation of research has been a failure. We should be looking to ensure there’s diversity.”

Dr West said Pastoral Foods had support from Fonterra, Tatua Co- Operative Dairy Company, Open Country Cheese, and several Waikato engineering and biotech firms. It needed about $10 million of government money to become a reality.

The project would extend AgResearch’s dairy food manufacturing unit, research abattoir, further the AgBio Innovators Academy to accelerate product innovation, and upgrade the Ruakura dairy farm.

(c) 2007 Waikato Times. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.