13 Nov 2008

AgResearch to shed 25 staff

5:43 pm on 13 November 2008

The largest Crown research institute, AgResearch, will lose the equivalent of 18 full-time scientific staff members, in efforts to make up a $5 million shortfall.

Last month, AgResearch asked its scientific staff to consider voluntary severances because its reductions in capital expenditure had not made sufficient savings.

A spokesperson, Jimmie Suttie, says 25 people have accepted full and partial voluntary severances, making up savings of $1.1 million.

Mr Suttie says AgResearch will conduct targeted reviews next month in a move to save a further $1.3 million, and there may be redundancies.