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Farm research must not suffer as a result of job cuts

Professor Iain Gordon
Professor Iain Gordon

Vital farm research must not suffer as a result of planned job cuts at the James Hutton Institute (JHI), says NFU Scotland.

The union’s combinable crops committee and working groups for potatoes, soft fruit and field vegetables have called on the institute for reassurances that research and development work will continue despite plans to cut up to 70 jobs as part of a voluntary redundancy scheme.

“There is a well-documented correlation between research being scaled back and agricultural production tailing off,” warned combinable crops chairman Andrew Moir, who farms at Mains of Thornton, Laurencekirk.

“The dramatic fall in research and development expenditure across Europe since the 1980s will have contributed to the yield plateau that growers are now experiencing.”

He called for the skills, knowledge and expertise of the JHI to be retained and strengthened to the “benefit of our own agricultural industry and beyond”.

Earlier this month, the JHI announced its plans to cut 70 jobs as a result of a £1.8million deficit, due to its government funding having been slashed by £2.5million over the last three years.

The institute has 600 staff split between Invergowrie, Dundee, and Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen.

At the time, chief executive Professor Iain Gordon said staffing reductions would allow the institute to focus its activities on “key strengths and areas for growth”.

NFU Scotland is set to meet with Professor Gordon next week to discuss the matter.