AgResearch has promised farmers in Otago and Southland they will still have an on-farm relationship with its experts after its restructuring.
AgResearch is centralising its operations at Lincoln in Canterbury and Grasslands in Palmerston North, slashing staff numbers at its sites in Invermay in Otago and Ruakura in Hamilton.
After more than two months of pushing, a group led by the Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull met the AgResearch board and executive on Thursday morning to try to stop Invermay campus staff being sent to Canterbury.
The delegation is concerned at how the Crown Research Institute's restructuring will impact on the lower South Island.
Dave Cull (left) and AgResearch acting chief executive Andrew McSweeney. Photo: RNZ
Gore-based sheep breeder Andrew Tripp told AgResearch at the meeting he was worried its plans would end what he described as the excellent relationship between farmers and scientists that exists in the south.
He said the relationship had led to farmers eagerly adopting the Crown Research Institute's science.
Acting chief executive Andrew McSweeney moved to reassure him AgResearch would still have an on-farm presence.
"A lot of our people who have the relationships are in our farm systems and environmental teams. They get out on farm around the region and many of those are staying and, in fact, we're looking to grow staff in those areas," Mr McSweeney said.
"So we can understand the concern. We've talked through our plans with the Beef + Lambs and the DairyNZs and the deer industry, who are supportive."
Mr Cull said each group wanted AgResearch to know they shared a common concern.
There was a virtual hub around high-quality genetics research and research and development in Otago which was not exclusive to Invermay, the university, public institutions or private companies, he said. A speaker from the university pointed out that it is the most intensive genetics capacity in the Southern Hemisphere.
Those at the meeting were concerned about whether that capacity would be degraded, and whether the AgResearch proposal would do that was up for discussion, Mr Cull said.
The restructuring will result in Invermay's staff reducing from about 110 to 33.
