An exodus of leading New Zealand scientists could occur after the restructuring of AgResearch's Invermay facility, former Invermay director Conway Powell says.
Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull has called the plans by AgResearch to relocate 85 jobs at Invermay, near Mosgiel, to other parts of the country ''appalling''.
The lack of transparency from AgResearch about the changes it plans to make to Invermay has been criticised after the crown research institute failed to respond in time to an official information request.
Staff at Invermay are angry at their treatment by AgResearch management after being told the organisation is sticking with plans to slash jobs at the Dunedin facility.
There is anger in the South after leaked documents revealed AgResearch has ignored recommendations to save key parts of the Invermay agricultural research centre in Dunedin.
AgResearch, in its determination to concentrate research and administration in hubs in Palmerston North and Lincoln, is making a mistake.
Federated Farmers Otago president Stephen Korteweg says he is heartened by an assurance that dry stock farm system capability to support deer, sheep and beef farming will be retained at Invermay, and that AgResearch's linkage with the University of Otago's genetics team will be maintained.
The fight to convince AgResearch's board to rethink its restructuring proposals will continue, despite confirmation of its plans to downsize Invermay.
No public information about the restructuring of Invermay is likely now before October 3, its finance and business performance director, David Godwin, says.
A delegation of southern leaders who travelled to Wellington to fight for the preservation of jobs at Invermay feel they received a fair hearing.
Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull has accused AgResearch of a ''disingenuous cover-up'', saying a letter it sent in April gave the impression it planned to invest in Invermay, rather than cut jobs.
A phone call from AgResearch's chairman has given Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull hope political pressure is being applied to keep jobs at Invermay.
It was easy to talk down the local economy, but the evidence did not back it up, Prime Minister John Key told Scott Technology workers in Dunedin yesterday.
Prime Minister John Key can expect to face tough questions about the southern economy and the planned job cuts at Invermay when he visits Dunedin today.
Southern sheep farmers are being urged to get vocal in efforts to have AgResearch drop its proposal to gut Invermay of more than 70% of its staff, and move elsewhere.
Former Invermay director Jock Allison says there has been a ''terrific'' response from deer farmers after a call for them to support the retention of Invermay's deer research programme.
Invermay researchers are involved in two of six projects being led by AgResearch which have attracted government funding.
Otago community leaders have ''fair questions'' on AgResearch's proposal to shift 85 jobs from Invermay, deputy prime minister Bill English says.
AgResearch's decision to downsize Invermay and Ruakura is as simple as profit before opportunities to support farmers, writes Malcolm Deverson for the Clutha Agricultural Development Board.
George Davis, who spent decades working at Invermay, has been acknowledged by the sheep industry for his contribution to sheep industry science.