AgResearch lays off at least 35 staff

The nation's biggest state science company, AgResearch today confirmed it is laying off 35 or 36 scientists, engineers, and technicians - many of them working in the blighted wool sector.

In addition to wool biology, and textiles, other specialities affected include dairy foods, food safety, parasitology, reproductive biology, developmental biology, protein structure, biomembranes and bioprocessing.

AgResearch is also selling off its textiles testing unit and scaling down textiles pilot plant, and transferring 10 research positions between its campuses.

The combined effect of downsizing and relocation means its Ruakura complex at Hamilton will lose between 17 and 18 positions, its Grasslands site at Palmerston North will increase by gain a net two positions, its Lincoln site near Christchurch will lose 15 jobs, and the Invermay site at Mosgiel, near Dunedin, will drop 5.5 positions.

Agresearch currently has the equivalent of about 900 fulltime jobs.

- NZPA