Labour has launched a petition against scaling down AgResearch's Invermay facility.
AgResearch plans to shift about 80 scientists and other staff from Invermay on the Taieri Plain to a new hub in Lincoln, leaving Invermay with just over 30 staff personnel.
The plan has been criticised by opposition politicians and Dunedin City Council - which commissioned a report that found serious shortcomings in the justification for the move and what the economic benefits might be.
Dunedin North MP David Clark said the petition received more than 100 signatures when it was launched on Thursday.
He said Labour plans to make the restructuring of AgResearch an election issue.
