The future of the Clutha Agricultural Development Board will be on the agenda at the organisation's annual meeting in Balclutha tomorrow.
In his annual report, chairman Dave Inder said the future of the board was ''a little uncertain'' and depended largely on its ability to generate new funding streams but also whether members wanted it to continue.
The board had been forced to re-evaluate its position in the wake of the Clutha District Council's restructure that included the contracts and funding for it, Enterprise Clutha and the District Development Board.
The board had a strong interest in trialling probiotics, as opposed to the ''excessive'' use of antibiotics in farming systems, through the expertise of some of the country's most influential scientists. The recent calf trial project had been viewed by some as being ''world class'', Mr Inder said.
The board's projects manager, Malcolm Deverson, said the most productive way forward might be to continue with a field trial and extension focus to promote agriculture in which the board had developed ''considerable expertise and networks over the years''.
''We shouldn't underestimate the power of the Ag Board brand amongst research and science institutions. I am sure this can complement the work of the other industry bodies in the Clutha district,'' Mr Deverson said.
Staffing might have to be flexible in the future as there could be no guarantees in contestable funding schemes. People had been asked to complete a survey for the board on their opinion on the ''best way forward''.
The annual meeting will be held at the South Otago Town and Country Club at 6pm. The guest speaker is TracMap founder Colin Brown.