Grassland cuts leave scientists out of work
9 Feb 2006 by Evoluted New Media
A leading farming research body is to cut at least 40 jobs due to what it calls “a significant reduction” in income from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
A leading farming research body is to cut at least 40 jobs due to what it calls “a significant reduction” in income from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
The scientists’ union Prospect has condemned the decision to cut staff at the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research (IGER) as a “perverse and short-sighted response to the challenge of climate change for UK agriculture.”
IGER say the cuts to its 300 staff are a direct result of Defra’s decision to withdraw funding, leaving a £2m shortfall for the coming financial year. Professor Chris Pollock, Director of IGER, told Laboratory News: “I obviously regret strongly that these steps are necessary, and I will do everything I can to minimise the impact on both staff and the Institute’s research programme, but we need to act quickly if the Institute is to remain financially and scientifically sustainable.”
Nigel Titchen, president of Prospect’s science, engineering and technology group, said: “It is complete Russian roulette. Rather than being the product of a comprehensive structural review, Defra is out to cut areas of research as they come up for renewal. IGER was just in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Will cut backs at IGER risk destroying
the skills base needed if the UK is to
cope with climate change?
In a statement, Defra told Laboratory News that IGER remains an important partner for them and the decision to cut posts was one for the Institute itself and its parent research council, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council. However, Prospect say that the lack of funding from Defra comes on the back of policy change to reduce spending for sustainable food and farming by 12% per year.
