Breaking News

2010 September 23: Reinvigorate Applied Research
2010 September 22: This site will close
2010 September 16: Where is Warwick?
2010 September 13: Professor John McCarthy
2010 September 08: Cuts
2010 September 07: Optimism
2010 August 30: Pre-Obituaries
2010 August 26: Facilities are at risk
2010 August 13: The WHRI redundancies in detail
2010 August 12: Death announced of Professor John Nelder
2010 August 09: University appoints Director
2010 July 12: Normal service will be resumed
2010 July 10: Plant Impact has appointed Dr Steven Adams
2010 July 03: Future unclear plus thrifty UKP 247,000 pa.
2010 June 17: Four research themes
2010 June 12: Government axe hangs over hort research|
2010 June 10: Key critical capabilities for public sector support
2010 June 08: HRH The Princess Royal and Genetic Resources (Scotland)
2010 June 05: Defra and Genetic Resources (Wellesbourne)
2010 June 04: Up to 8 scientists
2010 June 02: Private Eye
2010 May 22: Warwick University Senate agree to the concept
2010 May 18: A Record of the Factors leading to
2010 May 17: The glitches affecting this site
2010 May 14: Talks set to decide fate of Wellesbourne
2010 May 10: Contact us to discuss your requirements
2010 May 09: Complaining bitterly
2010 May 07: The story so far
2010 May 06: 32 jobs to be axed
2010 May 05: Petition reaches 100
2010 May 04: Warwick prices everything, values nothing
2010 May 01: University plans to build 1100 houses
2010 April 30: Not a word
2010 April 26: Dont let them close Wellesbourne!!!
2010 April 25: Save Warwick HRI on Facebook
2010 April 23: More on the redundancies
2010 April 19: Redundancy notices have been sent
2010 April 08: Dear Professor Thrift
2010 April 09: FAQs for the wider University community
2010 April 04: Easter Daffodils
2010 April 03: Plans for the development of the WHRI site
2010 April 02: Redundancy notices
2010 March 31: Hilary Benn replies
2010 March 31: Whats going on @ Wellesbourne?
2010 March 28: Early Day Motion
2010 March 27: Pressure mounts
2010 March 22: Letter to international colleagues
2010 March 17: Watch the House of Commons video
2010 March 18: HEFC announces grants
2010 March 14: Students upset over Life Sciences merger
2010 March 13: Hilary Benn summons university chief
2010 March 10: The HRI SSLC felt that there were rumours spreading
2010 March 8: Research on Improved Pea Varieties
2010 February 26: Future of Wellesbourne to be considered by stakeholders
2010 February 21: Draft letter calling for solution to the research and development crisis
2010 February 11 : Knight rides in to Warwick to clean up layoff mess
2010 September 23: Reinvigorate applied research
The Conservative Party has published the recommendations of the Taylor review which was commissioned whilst in opposition.

Minister of State for Agriculture and Food, Jim Paice said: "This report was prepared by Lord Taylor [Lord Taylor of Holbeach, Shadow Minister for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs] for the then Conservative opposition and makes a number of recommendations which were warmly received."
And he added, "DEFRA is now examining the proposals closely and will respond shortly."
http://www.conservatives.com/News/News_stories/2010/09/Conservatives_announce_recommendations_of_Taylor_Review.aspx

The review is entitled "Science for a new age of agriculture" [pdf, 11 pages]. Extracts follow
... A Conservative Government will take steps to:
- Encourage private sector investment in R&D
- Reinvigorate applied research
- Ensure research is translated into practical benefits
- Equip our farmers and growers with the skills to succeed
- Drive scientific advances and technological innovation across the world
... Over the last three to four decades the UK has fallen behind in total factor agricultural productivity and now lies behind the US, Netherlands, Denmark and Spain.

... The current state of research and development for agriculture and horticulture is reflective of a legacy of two decades of steady decline in public expenditure.

..., there is concern that applied subjects of greatest relevance to farming systems such as agronomy, plant breeding, livestock genetics, soil science, entomology, both crop and livestock physiology, pathology and weed science have gone through a period of significant attrition and remain vulnerable.
As with any career or business activity, scientists respond to the opportunities for obtaining funding, for being recognised in their field and for progressing in their careers. Due to government withdrawing from applied, productivity-related research and the increased relative importance of fundamental science, these incentives have not been there.

There is now an urgent need for applied agricultural research in the UK to be reinvigorated.

...
2010 September 22: In six months time this site will close
Today, Google Groups announced that
...
Starting in November 2010, Groups will no longer allow the creation or editing of files and pages;
the content will only be available for viewing, and only existing files will be able to be downloaded.

In February 2011, we will turn off the pages and files features, and you will no longer be able to access that content.
...
http://groups-announcements.blogspot.com/2010/09/notice-about-pages-and-files.html?hl=en
2010September 16: Where is Warwick
The Times Higher Education's World University Rankings are published today.

Warwick University is not ranked in the top 200.

The list of ranked UK universities is (in order)
Cambridge, Oxford, Imperial, UC London, Edinburgh,
Bristol, Kings College London, Sussex, York, Durham,
LSE, Manchester, Holloway, Southampton, Saintt Andrews,
Queen Mary, Lancaster, Glasgow, Sheffield, Dundee,
Birmingham, Aberdeen, Birkbeck, Newcastle, Liverpool,
Leeds, East Anglia, Nottingham, and Exeter.

The bottom markers include Younsei University Korea and Drexel University USA (ranked 190),
Zhejiang University China (197)
and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (199).

The T.H.E. says We are confident that the 2010-2011 world university rankings
represent the most accurate picture of global higher education we have ever produced.
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2010-2011/top-200.html#score_OS|sort_rank|reverse_false
2010September 13: Professor John McCarthy
Warwick University has announced that Professor John McCarthy of the University of Manchester is to become the head of the new School of Life Sciences. http://theboar.org/news/2010/sep/6/uni-announces-head-life-sciences/

John McCarthy started his research career studying the biochemistry and biophysics of electron transport-dependent ATP synthesis.
In subsequent years as a postdoc and then group leader in Germany, he worked on prokaryotic posttranscriptional control, with a major focus on the diverse set of mechanisms controlling expression of the atp operon in Escherichia coli.
Expression of this operon was found to be regulated by a combination of controls exerted at the levels of translation initiation, translational coupling and mRNA decay, thus enabling correct assembly of a membrane-associated H+-ATPase with the highly complex stoichiometry a3b3g1d1e1a1b2c10.
Novel principles of posttranscriptional control were elucidated and also applied to various challenges in biotechnology. ... http://www.rsc.org/Publishing/Journals/ib/edb/JohnMcCarthydetails.asp
2010 September 08 : Cuts
The full text of V Cable's speech is now up at http://nds.coi.gov.uk/
"...My preference is to ration research funding by excellence and back research teams of international quality - and screen out mediocrity ? regardless of where they are and what they do....
"...there is no justification for taxpayers money being used to support research which is neither commercially useful nor theoretically outstanding....
"... The important point from a national economic perspective is that we continue to increase the level of economic interactions between business and the research base, including spin-outs, licensing, consultancy and commissioned research ...
(with thanks to Emma and the invaluable StockbridgeOnline)

(2010 September 15 - Read what Nature has to say about it at Save British Science, again)

Previously, the BBC reported that Business Secretary Vince Cable has signalled a squeeze on government funding for scientific research.
He urged universities to do "more for less" and said that taxpayers should only back research that has a commercial use
or is academically outstanding.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11225197
2010 September 07 : Optimism
Professor Dave Pink, Dr Miriam Gifford and Dr Dave Chandler
have contributed to the forthcoming work
?The New Optimists: Scientists View Tomorrow?s World and What It Means To Us?
which will be officially launched on 14 September
Links at whri newsandevents
2010 August 30 : Pre-Obituaries
New on this site: help for those asked by learned societies to write a Pre Obituary of an NVRS colleague
Contributed files are protected with strong encryption like this (temporarily stored off-google)
More contributions requested (see discussion on Members page)

2010 August 26: Facilities are at risk - Defra Task Force
Defra has published the Report of the Fruit and Vegetables Task Force
..."Levels of home produced vegetables reduced by 23% while imports increased by 51% over the last 20 year
..."over a 10 year period, self sufficiency in indigenous vegetables declined from 73% to 60% ...
..."The task force has identified a range of low cost proposals to remove the barriers to increased domestic production and consumption of fruit and vegetables. These proposals focus on:
- Removing regulation
- Sustaining R&D capability
- ...
... "Lack of consistent funding has led to a reduction in R&D capability.
There has been no overall strategic view on what is the minimum requirement to support UK horticulture in terms of expertise and facilities and so there are now three weakened R&D facilities for commercial fruit and vegetable crops.
Unfortunately project-only funding is not sufficient to maintain facilities and retain expertise.
Consequently, reductions are occurring in an unplanned manner and the future of Warwick HRI is currently uncertain

"University of Warwick are proposing creating a single School of Life Sciences which would include the Wellesbourne campus which currently carries out near-market horticultural R&D. Warwick have committed to using Wellesbourne until at least 2012.

"It is anticipated that up to a third of existing posts will be lost during any restructuring and facilities are also at risk.

"There are concerns that the plans for the new School do not appear to include horticulture
and that facilities and expertise that are important to the vegetable and protected crops sectors in the UK could be lost....
pdf (37 pages)
2010 August 13: The redundancies in detail

"Redundancies for Principal Investigators (academic staff equivalent to lecturers) has now just about been completed with HRI losing over 20 and Biological Sciences 6 out of 40 each [sic].
This is despite the fact that the success rate for BBSRC grant applications at HRI is far higher than Biological Sciences (10 ? 0 last year). ... ...

"The University is now implementing the redundancy process for post doctoral scientists, technicians, farm staff and admin staff ? there are 180 people in addition to the academics, and most of these will be affected. ... ...

More at http://www.sustainablefood.com/wellesbournelatest.html
2010 August 10: Death of Professor John Nelder FRS

The death has been announced of Professor John Nelder, Fellow of the Royal Society, head of the Statistics Section, National Vegetable Research Station 1951 ? 1968.
1. A Conversation with John Nelder
  by Stephen Senn
  Statist. Sci. Volume 18, Issue 1 (2003), 118-131.
  http://projecteuclid.org/DPubS?service=UI&version=1.0&verb=Display&handle=euclid.ss/1056397489
2. Prof John Nelder's 80th birthday celebration
  http://www.icpress.co.uk/profiles/newsletter04.shtml
3. Death of Professor J Nelder - announcement by Warwick University
  http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/whri/newsandevents/?newsItem=094d43ed2a4b6cb0012a573021ee7c55
4. J Nelder and Sudoko
  http://cameroncounts.wordpress.com/2010/08/09/john-nelder/
5. J Nelder has died - announcement to Genstat community
  http://www.vsni.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=633&sid=dbab6790a07c20cfafb63898dba0a530
6. J Nelder - biography in Wikipedia
  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Nelder
2010 August 09: University appoints Director
In a recent Press Release, the University of Warwick announces that
Dr Rosemary Collier is to take up the role of Research Director of the University?s "Crop Centre"
in October 2010.
More at http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/newsandevents/pressreleases/university_of_warwick_appoints_research_director_of_crop_centre1/
2010 July 12: Normal service will be resumed
The nvrs-hri-gg staff (i.e.editorial, secretarial and web-site personnel) who run this site have been granted 4 weeks leave.
Normal service will be resumed in the second week of August
Management apologize in advance for any inconvenience this may cause, and thank you for your understanding.
2010 July 10: Plant Impact has appointed Dr Steven Adams
Plant Impact announces that [they have] appointed Dr Steven Adams as director of product development.
Steven's last role before joining Plant Impact was principal investigator at Warwick HRI, The University of Warwick (formerly Horticulture Research International).
http://www.proactiveinvestors.com/companies/news/6907/plant-impact-appoints-scientist-dr-steven-adams-as-product-development-director-6907.html
2010 July 03: Future unclear
The Birmingham Post reports that Scientists at the University of Warwick?s Horticultural Research Institute unit (HRI) were told that 23 of the 44 academic staff are due to be made redundant at the centre in Wellesbourne, Warwickshire. The future is unclear for the 179 remaining staff, made up of field and lab technicians, research scientists and admin.

The site carries out essential research into food crops for the UK.

Those who keep their jobs will join staff from the biological sciences department (from October 1) to work at a newly formed School of Life Sciences.

But experts at the HRI have told the university that the new department will not be enough to continue project work.
http://www.birminghampost.net/news/west-midlands-education-news/2010/07/02/rewards-for-university-vice-chancellors-at-odds-with-spending-cuts-65233-26775569/

And Thrift ...
The Post also used the Freedom of Information Act to discover that ...Warwick University?s vice chancellor Nigel Thrift,
... earns (sic) UKP 247,000 a year, [and] benefits from farmhouse accommodation, owned by the university.

He claimed nearly UKP 23,000 in two years ? mostly spent on university-related travel to America, Hong Kong, India and China.
In one trip, he claimed more than UKP 2,000 in hotel expenses in the United States and UKP 2,246 on a trip to Hong Kong.
http://www.birminghampost.net/news/2010/07/01/cuts-at-universities-while-vice-chancellors-enjoy-huge-salaries-and-perks-65233-26766544/

(Professor Thrift gained his PhD in Geography from the University of Bristol in 1979 and his DSc from Bristol in 1992
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/insite/newsandevents/warwickpeople/warwicks_vice-chancellor_to )
2010 June 17: The School of Life Sciences is being created (Job advert.)
The School of Life Sciences is being created from a merger of the Department of Biological Sciences and Warwick HRI.
The School will be established on 1st October 2010. The School of Life Sciences will contain four primary research themes, 1 Controlling Infections, 2 Integrating Cellular Systems, 3 Redesigning Plants, and 4 Shaping the environment, with each further divided (sic.) into research sub-disciplines :-
1. Controlling Infections
  The aim of the ?Controlling Infections? research area within the School of Life Sciences is to bring together world-leading work on pathogens infecting a range of hosts and to address the major disease burdens in human health and agriculture.
  Sub-disciplines:-
  - ?Epidemiology? ... the interaction of pathogens with the host population(s
  - ?Infectious Agents? ... molecular aspects of a wide range of pathogens.
  - ?Controlling Infections? ... complements and enhance work in the three other research areas of the School of Life Sciences.
2. Integrating Cellular Systems
  Sub-discipline:-
  - Cutting-edge research into some of the most important biological processes in Life Sciences
3. Redesigning Plants
  Sub-disciplines:-
  - ?Plant regulatory mechanisms? ...model plant systems to understand the regulatory processes that underpin key agriculturally relevant processes
  - ?Translational Crop Genetics? ...model and crop plant systems to study key traits related to sustainable food security.
4. Shaping the environment
  Sub-disciplines:-
  - ?Environmental Microbiology?: Biogeochemical cycles are a critical feature of environmental change and recent progress in molecular microbial ecology has provided unique insights into the sources and sinks of key molecules such as methane, which play a critical role in climatic changes and in addition serve as central components of food webs in natural and some man made environments. Microorganisms play a crucial role in these cycles and by understanding their activities we may be able to exploit this knowledge to reduce the rate of climate change
  - ?Environmental Resource Management?: Research activities in this area are focused on studying ecosystem function with a view to long term sustainable exploitation of environmental resources
http://go.warwick.ac.uk/jobs/further_particulars/55131-060.doc
2010 June 12: Government axe
"Government axe hangs over hort research
"And there have been further developments at Warwick HRI, with the
publication of Prof Tim Jones's report on the future of applied crop
research at the ..."
(the link is subscription only ... http://www.freshinfo.com/index.php?s=n&ss=nd&sid=51568&s_txt=&s_date=0&ms==0&ntype=nws
2010 June 10: Key critical capabilities for Public Sector support
Just come to hand :- "Survey of External Capabilities to meet Defra?s Strategic Requirements"
by Arthur D Little Limited (January 2009) (213 pages)

"This report provides the main results of a review conducted by Arthur D. Little for Defra, aimed at providing initial advice on priorities for managing the key strategic assets within the UK science base that Defra will have to draw on to provide evidence for policy and operations."

On page 12 of the report, Warwick HRI is classified after John Innes but before IBERS and Rothamsted as fulfilling "key critical capabilities" for Public sector support for crop genetics
http://www.defra.gov.uk/evidence/science/how/documents/defra-external-capability-project-final-report.pdf
2010 June 08: HRH The Princess Royal and Genetic Resources (Scotland)
Her Royal Highness, The Princess Royal, has officially opened Scotland?s National Seed Store held at the Scottish Crops Research Institute

The store houses seed and germplasm collections that are of world importance.

The Scottish Government provides about three-quarters of the income of SCRI and of the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute ( UKP 3 million p.a. to SCRI and UKP 10 million p.a. to MLRI, for bespoke (sic) reseach).

The organisations also have contracts from the European Union and other research sponsors.

SCRI director Professor Peter Gregory said: "We have been outlining to Her Royal Highness the significant economic contribution SCRI makes to Scotland and the UK. The soft fruit and potato varieties we breed here have become market leaders. We are making major inroads in the fight against crop pests and diseases that cost farmers millions of pounds".

Next year SCRI will merge with the Macaulay Land Use Research Institute in Aberdeen to form a new, food, land and climate change research organisation. It will be the first of its kind in Europe and one of the biggest such centres in the UK.

SCRI has been in Invergowrie since the early 1950s. The centre works closely with the Division of Plant Sciences at the University of Dundee

The commercial arm of SCRI (Mylnefield Research Services Ltd) was established in 1989. It has made a profit in every year of trading and in the last 10 years has returned UKP 2 million in profits to SCRI in gift aid.

Mylnefield Research Services partners include some of the biggest companies in the food and drink sector including GSK, Greenvale AP, McCain, Pepsico, Marks & Spencer and Limagrain.

http://www.scri.ac.uk/news/princessroyalvisit
2010 June 05: Defra and the Genetic Resources Unit
Email just in:-
From: ccu.correspondence@defra To: hilary.fraser Sent: Friday, June 04, 2010 12:15 PM Subject: Response to your Query : - Ref:DWOE000184251 - Warwick HRI Genetic Resources Unit Dear Dr Fraser Thank you for your email of 23 May. The University of Warwick is creating a single School of Life Sciences and is currently in discussion with industry and other stakeholders over setting up an associated crop centre to continue applied horticultural research. The gene bank is being considered further in this context. An outline of the crop centre proposal was given on 27th May at a stakeholder meeting including industry. Yours sincerely, Laura Wilson Customer Contact Unit Defra Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra)
2010 June 04: Up to 8 scientists
The invaluable Hort Week reports that
"A document assessing the viability of an applied crop research
centre to replace the University of Warwick's Wellesbourne research
station has been welcomed by stakeholders. Concerns have been
raised, however, that funding issues have yet to be addressed.

"The document outlines a potential model for the centre that would
see up to eight key scientists supported by around 20 staff.
...
More at http://www.hortweek.com/news/rss/Latest+News/1007568/Stakeholders-welcome-crop-research-centre-plan-questions-funding/
2010 June 02: We're in Private Eye
I just found this in an old page of http://community.hortweek.com/blogs/matthew (scroll down)
"1. We?re in Private Eye ?In the Back? this week - for the right reasons.

We?ve been reporting that the University of Warwick is closing Wellesbourne research station.
HW quoted as blaming Defra for years of cuts to research funding,
but saying Warwick was showing a complete disregard for a prime facility
it was gifted at a knock down price.

Investigative journalism at its finest."
http://community.hortweek.com/blogs/matthew/default.aspx?PageIndex=2
2010 May 22: Warwick University Senate agree
Password-protected version:-
See http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/insite/newsandevents/intnews2/cropresearchcentre

Public version:-
Warwick University Senate agree to the concept of a Applied Research Centre at Wellesbourne
This news (thats all they say**) is from the excellent Stockbridge Online

As of 22 May the agenda of the meeting (it took place on May 19) is not yet up on the official website http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/services/gov/atoz/council/minutes/

The University intranet says
Applied Crop Research Centre
University Council has considered a recommendation to establish
a stand-alone Applied Crop Research Centre.
Council?s deliberations noted that consultations with external stakeholders to date
showed that there was significant support amongst funding bodies and industrial partners
for the University to retain translational crop research (sic.)
that could draw on specialist facilities at Wellesbourne
and the capabilities of a number of staff within Warwick HRI that were valued by industrial partners?
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/insite/
With thanks to P Grimbly

**A little later, StockbridgeOnline adds that
Council approved the recommendation in principle noting that
the proposal will be presented to a meeting with external stakeholders to be hosted by the University next week,
and also noting that the University?s Finance and General Purposes Committee
will continue to examine the sustainability and commercial basis of the proposed Centre.
http://www.stockbridgeonline.co.uk/news/university-council-response-to-applied-crop-research-at-warwick/
2010 May 18: A Record of the Factors leading to
Wye College Agricola Club ...has announced the publication of a Record
that clarifies the factors that contributed to the decision taken by the Governing Body of Wye College to merge with another institution.
The Record outlines the options considered, and the reasons for the selection of Imperial College
for the formal merger in August 2000.
This is followed by an account of the post-merger events and consequences,
leading to the decision that Wye was ?surplus to Imperial?s requirements? and was to be closed ....

...The Record has been produced as a documentary.
All entries and references are evidence-based, and the source documents are held by the Agricola Club.
A pdf version is available on the Agricola Club website on: http://www.wyeweb.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Wye-Record.pdf
http://www.wyeweb.org/?p=7292
2010 May 17: This site
The glitches (by Google) (1, 2, )
that were affecting this site
appear to have been solved (by Google).
With thanks to B. Hole
2010 May 14: Talks set to decide fate of Wellesbourne
Magda Ibrahim writes in HortWeek:- Tim Jones, the professor tasked with producing a business plan for Warwick HRI, will meet representatives from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) on Monday (17 May)
to share proposals for a crop research centre....

This will be followed by a stakeholders meeting on 27 May...
Warwick's head of communications Peter Dunn said he was getting "very good vibes" of a "plausible plan" that could receive support from industry and government.
http://www.hortweek.com/channel/EdiblesProduction/article/1002807/Talks-set-decide-fate-Wellesbourne/
2010 May 10: Contact us to discuss your requirements
Warwick Enterprise Park can offer a total of 18600 square feet of flexible accommodation at reasonable rates ...
Our Main Building contains three storeys of serviced laboratories ...
The Enterprise Centre is a one-storey building with 24-hour access ...
Computer controlled glasshouses, cold storage and arable land can be rented ...
Our rates are very competitive ... ... ... ... Contact us to discuss your requirements
http://www.warwickenterprisepark.com/business_and_enterprise.html
2010 May 09: Complaining bitterly
A correspondent draws attention to
"a letter in the Stratford Observer received today (dated May 6) from Anne Morton,
complaining bitterly about how the WHRI staff are being messed around
and the stress this is causing ..."
Only available on paper ?? - no link found
2010 May 07: The Story So Far, by WSU
Warwick Students' Union says School of Life Sciences: The Story So Far
The 'Life Sciences Initiative' was first presented to the student body in June 2009, ...

In October 2009, the Life Sciences Proposal paper finally surfaced. What had once been a proposal to consolidate several departments was revealed to be, at least at this stage, a straightforward merger of Biological Sciences and Warwick HRI, with financial motives being the clear driving force ...

The only concessions made by the University were that degrees would still be awarded, and that PhD students who lost supervisors would be handled by the Chair of the Board of Graduate Studies, Professor Lee Bridges. No solid guarantees could be made on the quality of degrees, or on the support procedure for postgraduates.

Term 2 saw the process move from the ?Proposal? phase to the ?Implementation? phase ...

...many decisions cannot be made until the true extent and specifics of academic redundancies are made clear....
http://www.warwicksu.com/lifesciences/history/
2010 May 06: 32 jobs to be axed
Birmingham Post reports University spokesman Peter Dunn: ?I can confirm that we are looking
at a pool of 83 people across the two facilities.
That pool will be reduced to 51 academic staff who will go onto work at the new centre."

(n.d.l.r. - See also "More on the redundancies which also talks of 32 job losses,
being 9 Academic staff from the University and 23 of the 44 Principal Investigators from WHRI)
Birmingham post adds "Warwick HRI currently employs about 36 academic staff at principal investigator level,
together with 175 research and support staff, plus PhD and Msc students.
It receives guaranteed funding of UKP 5 million per year from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,
which is set to fall to UKP 200,000 by 2012."
http://www.birminghampost.net/news/2010/04/27/jobs-fears-at-university-of-warwick-as-science-departments-merge-65233-26327599/
2010 May 05: Petition reaches 100 names
The Petition Save Wellesbourne, started April 23, reached 100 names today
We call on Warwick University to reconsider and stop its plan to close the facility for Horticultural Research at Wellesbourne, known as Warwick(HRI). We ask them to follow the recent report of the Royal Society 'Reaping the Benefits' that recommends: "Universities should work with funding bodies to reverse the decline in subjects relevant to a sustainable intensification of food crop production, such as agronomy, plant physiology, pathology and general botany, soil science, environmental microbiology, weed science and entomology."
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/wellesbourne/ (No sponsor information)
2010 May 04: Warwick prices everything, values nothing, and acts accordingly ...
Jeremy Cherfas writes
...Much of the discussion is about the loss of jobs, the loss of expertise, the loss of competitiveness and so on. These are hugely important topics, on which I don?t feel qualified to comment. Then there is the apparent duplicity and callousness of management at Warwick University, which does have a reputation for its strength in ?business?. On balance, though, it does seem to be just a bit short-sighted for governments to promote food security, exhort people to eat more nutritious food, and then stand by while one of the few places still able to deliver both is closed.
Personally, I?m not optimistic. Warwick prices everything, values nothing, and acts accordingly. But more idealistic people than me are beginning to stir. ...
http://agro.biodiver.se/2010/05/uk-genebank-still-threatened/#identifier_1_11420

2010 May 01: University plans to build 1100 houses
Hands Off Long Ashton reports that Bristol University has submitted plans to build 1100 houses on its Fenswood Farm;
that is, on the old LARS site.
(Fenswood Farm was bought by the University in 1920, in order to extend the space available for experiments
for the old "National Fruit and Cider Institute")
2010 April 30: Not a word
Twitter says that the latest issue of Warwick HRI student newsletter ('Opening the door to Warwick HRI') is just out.
"Warwick HRI is dedicated to academic excellence in plant and microbial sciences
"and the application of research to improve crops and the environment.
"Teaching and research are underpinned by core capabilities in mathematical biology,
"biometrics, genomics and bioinformatics. etc (sic)"
Not a word about redundancies.
So that's all right then.
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/whri/study/newsletters/
2010 April 26: Dont let them close Wellesbourne!!!
Colin Tudge writes
Long Ashton gone, Silsoe gone, Wye gone, the Plant Breeding Institute sold long ago to Unilever -- and now Warwick University plans to close the world-renowned Vegetable Research Station at Wellesbourne, known these days as Warwick (HRI). In short: though Hilary Benn called for more home-grown food, and the then government as a whole seemed dimly to become aware that Britain could not continue to rely on foreign countries to feed us, the systematic dismantling of Britain's farming infrastructure continues.
But some people are determined not to allow Wellesbourne to be sacrificed. Charlie Clutterbuck explains why.
More details of the background to the closure and the campaign can be found here
And please sign the petition!
http://campaignforrealfarming.blogspot.com/2010/04/dont-let-them-close-wellesbourne.html
2010 April 25: Save Warwick HRI @ Wellesbourne
Hilary Fraser says
For those of you with a Facebook account, you can find my group 'Save Warwick HRI @ Wellesbourne' on my page.
Join and spread the message!
2010 April 23: More on the redundancies
We understand that April 19th's redundancy exercise concerns eighty nine senior staff; being forty five Academic Staff in the Warwick University School of Biological Sciences, plus forty four "Principal Investigators" at Warwick HR

Letters "your position is provisionally at risk" have been sent to
9 of the 45 Academic Staff in the University School, and
23 of the 44 Principal Investigators at WHRI

Recommended further reading -
Britain: The Disgrace of the Universities
by Anthony Grafton
The New York Review of Books April 8 2010 (Vol LVII Number 6 page 32).
2010 Apr 19: Redundancy notices have been sent
The first round of the redundancy process has begun, with the sending of "your position is provisionally at risk" notices to senior staff judged surplus to requirements.
They have a month in which to appeal.
After any appeals have been considered, final redundancy notices will be sent.
In a second phase, "at risk" notices.will be sent to all the other members of staff judged surplus to requirements.

2010 Apr 08: Dear Professor Thrift

Professor Nigel Thrift

Vice-Chancellor

University of Warwick

Coventry

Warks CV4 8UW

25 March 2010

Dear Professor Thrift

In my capacity as chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Science and Technology in Agriculture, I am writing to express the Group?s deep concern at the impact on the UK?s agricultural science base of the creation of a new School of Life Sciences, in a process that will lead to the closure of Warwick HRI. I was grateful for the opportunity to discuss it with you.

The group is mindful of the financial pressures that the University faces. However, our concern is for the UK-wide capability to undertake applied science in this field. We hold the internationally renowned Warwick HRI site at Wellesbourne in high esteem and are disturbed at the potential loss to the UK of an important asset to the food and agriculture industries.

Academic staff at Warwick HRI are calling for the merger process to be put on hold pending an independent review of the potential impact of these changes on the UK?s ability to meet the food security objectives set out in the Government?s recent Food 2030 Strategy.

We believe there is a need for a better understanding of the impact that the loss of Wellesbourne might have. Consequently we are supporting calls for an impact assessment and are directing this request to the Government as well as to the University of Warwick.

Addressing members of the All-Party Group earlier this week, the Government?s Chief Scientific Adviser Professor John Beddington highlighted the urgent need to re-build the innovation chain within the UK agri-food sector and in particular to strengthen the links between the advances taking place in basic science and their translation into practical on-farm application.

We hope that you will consider your proposals for a new Life Sciences School in this context and I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours sincerely,

Rt Hon Jane Kennedy MP

Chair

All-Party Parliamentary Group on Science & Technology in Agriculture

http://www.appg-agscience.org.uk/linkedfiles/WARWICK%20HRI%20-%20NIGEL%20THRIFT.doc

2010 April 07: University of Warwick - Life Sciences:
FAQs for the wider University community
...
"The University recognised that some of the industry-facing activities being delivered within WHRI (sic)
could be of critical importance to stakeholders but might not be sustained through the new School for financial reasons.
To address this, the University commissioned a project working in partnership with external funders
and industrial organisations to identify what activities might be sustained in a standalone unit
once the School had been established and the levels of support that might be available.
The outcomes of this second strand of development work will be considered by the University in early May 2010
...

"What has Professor Tim Jones been asked to do?
"We are currently exploring whether there is sufficient interest and commitment from external stakeholders
in supporting and sustaining an industry-facing crop science research facility.
The University has asked Professor Tim Jones to investigate the viability of such a facility
working with stakeholders and relevant staff.
This investigation will confirm or challenge the sustainability of such a unit and the actual level of external support
it would need and could expect. Professor Jones advised a meeting of external stakeholders in March
that he intends to report back by the end of April on that possibility.
The University will consider any options arising from this investigation as quickly as possible once they are received.
... http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/insite/newsandevents/lifesci_basic_faqs
2010 April 04: Easter Daffodils

The Warwick HRI Narcissus collection

"We believe that maintaining Narcissus (daffodil) genetic resources is important to the horticultural and agricultural heritage and future of western Europe". http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/whri/horticulture/bulbsandoutdoorflowers/geneticresource/
2010 April 03: Plans for the development of the site

Commercial expansion? Educational expansion??
Stratford on Avon District Council has launched its Consultation Core Strategy 2010

The deadline for comments to be received by the District Council is 5.00pm on Thursday 8 April 2010.
2010 April 02: Redundancy Notices
We hear that
1. "At risk" notices will be sent, beginning on April 19th .
2. Final redundancy notices will be sent at the end of May
  .

2010 March 31: Hilary Benn replies

Dear Mr Hardwick,

Thank you for your email of 22 March to Hilary Benn about Warwick HRI. I have been asked to reply.

We appreciate your concerns. Warwick HRI is an important centre for horticulture research in the UK, which we recognised when we provided transitional funding to facilitate the transfer of the organisation into the University of Warwick. It is clearly a matter for the University to run its own business. However, Hilary Benn has reminded the University of the importance of this resource and encouraged them to consult fully with stakeholders on their future plans and will continue to do so.

To help us provide you with the best service we can, we at the Defra Customer Contact Unit would appreciate your views on the quality of service we have provided in replying to your letter. Please take a couple of minutes to complete our online survey at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GZVP53N. Thank you .

Yours sincerely,

Anna Mundy
Customer Contact Unit
Defra

2010 March 31: Whats going on @ Wellesbourne?
Charlie Clutterbuck has a page Whats going on @ Welleshourne?
"This page is aimed to help save the Warwick (HRI) Research station. We welcome all comments that can further that end."
2010 March 28: Early Day Motion
Early Day Motion
HORTICULTURAL RESEARCH AT WARWICK HORTICULTURAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
22.03.2010
Kennedy, Jane

That this House is concerned that the planned merger of Warwick Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) and the University of Warwick's Department of Biological Sciences will result in the closure of the internationally renowned Wellesbourne site, further eroding the UK's applied agricultural and horticultural research capabilities at a time when policy imperatives recognise the urgent need for such research to address the threat to food security posed by population growth, climate change and environmental degradation; calls for the redundancy process facing most of the academic and skilled technical staff at Warwick HRI to be halted pending a proper independent review of the potential impact this merger will have on the UK's ability to meet future food security objectives; and asks the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs personally to intervene to ask the University of Warwick to consider the impact of this decision on the UK's agri-food science base.
2010 March 27: Pressure mounts
Pressure mounts on Defra's Hilary Benn over Warwick HRI
A call has gone out from researchers at the University of Warwick to halt the redundancy process taking place as part of the planned merger of Warwick HRI ...
Horticulture Week

Jane Kennedy leads fight for Warwick HRI
Ms Kennedy has asked Defra Secretary Hilary Benn to intervene in the planned merger between Warwick Horticultural Research Institute (HRI) and the ...
Farmers Guardian

Horticulture Week interview: Ian Crute, chief scientist ...
"Even at this 11th hour, why is it not prepared to move back to the position when HRI was sold to the University of Warwick?
Horticulture Week interview:

2010 March 22: Letter to international colleagues

22nd March 2010

Dear Colleagues,

Late last year you reacted to the article ?here-we-go-again-uk-genebank-threatened? written by Jeremy Cherfas outlining possible threats to the future of the Warwick HRI Genetic Resources Unit. At that point I wrote to say that we knew very little about the University of Warwick?s intentions for the future of the Wellesbourne site and for the Genetic Resources Unit in particular. All of you offered to lobby on our behalf if we needed it.

Over the last few months we have witnessed the University developing their plans to create a School of Life Sciences. In recent weeks the Wellesbourne stakeholders (funding bodies & horticulture industry representatives) have lobbied the University & Government to keep an applied Crop Research Centre at Wellesbourne. The GRU staff see the Crop Research Centre at Wellesbourne as a potential life line providing it maintains the site in terms of service utilities along with a level of administration & management. The GRU staff members have asked the University & the Department of the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) representatives for a clear statement on the future of the GRU. The University representatives make general comments, such as the GRU is a valuable asset for plant science. We have received no comment from Defra, indeed last week at a meeting of the UK Plant Genetic Resources Group the Defra representatives were asked directly for a statement on the future of the GRU and were unable to answer.

The Life Sciences process has entered a new phase in terms of all academic staff having had the first of 3 possible redundancy interviews. So the University is now moving the quickly in terms of decisions being made on the future of staff. The situation is very worrying in that the Life Sciences redundancy process seems to be moving much faster than any ideas to develop a Crop Research Centre. It is hard to see how the GRU can fit into the Life Sciences academic scenario outlined by University, which is based on teaching and ?cutting edge? science. A further concern is that if we do not get any indication outlining a possible future for the GRU soon, the GRU staff will take the short-term attractive option of voluntary redundancy or will simply leave. Either way the vast experience of the staff within the GRU will be lost.

The academics at Warwick HRI have written to Government Ministers to lobby for the wide range of world class research currently carried out at Wellesbourne.

I believe it is now time to ask you and any other willing international colleagues to lobby on behalf of the GRU, if only to ask the University of Warwick and Defra for a clear statement on the future of the Warwick HRI GRU. It will be important to stress the long term nature of the work and that a short term fix for 2 to 5 years in the Crop Research Centre is not a solution.

We ask that you contact the Rt Hon Hilary Benn MP, the UK Secretary of State for the Environment (bennh@parliament.uk ) and Prof Nigel Thrift, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Warwick (Nigel.thrift@warwick.ac.uk ) to ask for a statement of the future of the Warwick HRI Genetic Resources Unit. I am happy for this note to be forwarded to anyone that you feel will support this request and lobby on our behalf.

Best wishes,

Dr Dave Astley
Head, Warwick HRI Genetic Resources Unit

2010 March 17: Watch the video - House of Commons examines Defra science

The video of the House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee is at http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=6162
(where it will be available for the next 12 months)

Witnesses
1. Professor Robert Watson,
  Chief Scientific Adviser, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,
2. Professor Alistair Hetherington,
  Defra Science Advisory Council,
3. Dr Timothy Hall,
  Head of Unit for Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Aquaculture, EU DG Research,
4. Steve Visscher,
  Deputy Chief Executive, Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council,
5. Miranda Kavanagh,
  Director of Evidence, Environment Agency,
6. Helen Ferrier,
  Chief Science and Regulatory Affairs Adviser, National Farmers Union,
7. Dr David Gibbons,
  Head of Conservation Science, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
With thanks to Horticulture Week's webpage, which says

"The House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs committee staged a one-off evidence session
examining Defra science yesterday (17 March).
"Defra's chief scientific adviser Professor Bob Watson was questioned on funding for applied research and development
by horticulture sector representatives including East Malling Research's head of science Chris Atkinson,
the John Innes Centre's head of business development Jonathan Clarke,
and Horticulture Week's Magda Ibrahim.

"Atkinson explained to the meeting - which included speakers from BBSRC and the Environment Agency - there were benefits in applied science.
"We are currently in a situation where there is a lot of discussion about the future demise of horticultural research at the University of Warwick,"
he said.
"I believe Defra is keen on funding applied research into food systems but we need rapid responses otherwise further institutions will close."

"Horticulture Week's Ibrahim raised a question on funding for R&D over and above the Technology Strategy Board programme,
including for ornamental horticulture, as well as future funding for Warwick HRI.
"Professor Watson responded:
"We understand there are a lot of small scale producers and I don't know whether or not Defra will continue to fund this sort of research.
"To find out more and read the full story see Horticulture Week magazine on 26 March.
http://www.hortweek.com/resources/PestsAndDiseases/991213/Defra-chief-scientific-adviser-quizzed-horticultural-R-D-Parliamentary-select-committee/
2010 March 18: HEFC announces research grants for 2010-11
The Higher Education Funding Council today announced its grants
('total research funding', 'recurrent research grant funding') to
universities for the year 2010-11.

The University of Warwick will receive UKP 33.316 million.
This is an increase of UKP 0.963 million, or 3.0%, on the 2009-2010 grant.

According to the Times Higher Education website,
the HEFC has rejigged the funding formula to favour "world leading" research.

In terms of percent increase in the recurrent grant, Warwick is in 33rd place,
just behind the University of York, just ahead of the University of Brighton.
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=26&storycode=410880&c=2
14 March, 2010 Students upset over Life Sciences merger
from http://theboar.org/news/2010/mar/14/students-upset-over-life-sciences-merger/
by Derek Hatley and Heather Spur

The University has announced the numbers of staff to be made redundant through the creation of the new School of Life Sciences. The figures are higher than anticipated, and have reignited outrage amongst the student community.

In the School of Life Sciences there will be the fulltime equivalent of 55 academic staff, which includes 5 teaching fellows responsible for teaching undergraduates, 49 principal investigators ? each of whom leads an area of research ? and the new School?s head of department.
Currently the fulltime equivalent number of staff across the two departments is 89.[Note 1]

The reduced number of principal investigators amounts to
a cut of nearly half to the current staff of 107 full and parttime academics
across the existing Biological Sciences Department and Warwick Horticultural Research Institute (HRI).

The prospect of losing over half of the principal investigators is one that has caused concern and anger amongst current students. Principal investigators are responsible for supervising postgraduate research students, and while the University insists current postgraduates will be able to continue with their research in the event their supervisor is made redundant, students involved are doubtful.
...
The future of the HRI site in Wellesbourne, south of Leamington Spa, may also be threatened by the merger. HRI, which is roughly the same size as Warwick?s main campus, features 120 acres of farmland, numerous specialised greenhouses, quarantine areas, and laboratories. It also houses the Genetics Resource Unit, an important library of plant genetic material, and a UKP 5 million genomics laboratory. Much of the work done at HRI is unique to the site, and it is one of the few remaining crop science centres in the UK.
...
The University denies that it has any plans to close the site.

?We are not closing Warwick HRI ? it?s being merged with Biological Sciences. There are no plans for the Wellesbourne site post 2012. We expect to have research activity on the Wellesbourne site till around 2012 and we continue to have discussions with funders as to whether there is interest in funded activity at Wellesbourne beyond that point,? said Peter Dunn, the University?s Press Officer.
...
The University stated that the reason for ending HRI?s existence as a separate centre is that ?it?s [running] a UKP 2 million a year deficit and that is likely to grow significantly in the long term?.
... ... ... ?BBSRC, DEFRA and a range of horticultural and agricultural organisations? were consulted in the merger process and that ?we continue to have active discussions with them?.

This was confirmed by Dr Bill Parker of the Horticultural Research Company (HRC) [Note2], who told the Boar, ?We?re in discussion with Warwick at the moment. HRI is one of our major contractors, some of the people are key deliverers for us. The fact they?re at risk is of great concern to us.?

Warwick?s consultation with HRC began before Christmas, Parker said, but added that the ?initial announcement came as something of a surprise?. Most of the consultation had taken place ?in the last couple weeks?.
...
Students complained that after the proposals were announced in October, they were given just 16 days to come to terms with them and write a response. ?Four weeks after the biggest cohort of PhD students in HRI?s history had started, they were told they?re likely to lose their supervisors within a year,? said one student.
...
The University, when asked why students were given 16 days to respond, and whether their views had been taken into account, said: ?The responses of a great number of interested parties have been taken into account.?

James Plaskitt, MP for Leamington and Warwick, said: ?I have a lot of concerns about the way that students learnt about the merger and I have asked the administration to improve the communication. There should be extensive consultation on a one to one basis.?

Note [1] As at 1 January 2010 the WHRI "People" page listed 256 staff in 67 categories ...
Note [2] Horticultural Development Company http://www.hdc.org.uk/ see also our archive

With thanks to http://theboar.org/news/2010/mar/14/students-upset-over-life-sciences-merger/
Emphasis, notes and deletions by RH
2010 March 13: Hilary Benn summons university chief
Hilary Benn summons university chief over future of HRI Wellesbourne horticultural research station
by Magda Ibrahim
Horticulture Week 12 March 2010

Horticulture Week has learned that Defra secretary Hilary Benn has summoned Professor Stuart Palmer, the interim chair of the School of Life Sciences at the University of Warwick, for talks about the future of horticultural research station HRI Wellesbourne.

The news follows industry talks on 2 March, chaired by Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board chief scientist Ian Crute, about the future of the site once HRI Wellesbourne is amalgamated into a new life science school.

Over the next six to eight weeks, Professor Tim Jones, from the university's chemistry department, will hold individual meetings with stakeholders to formulate a plan for a possible industry-led research unit to retain applied R&D activity.

Crute said: "It all seems to hang on the way in which this unit will be separate from university financial accounting. My sense is that the ambition is to start something fairly modest but robust."

NFU, HTA, National Horticultural Forum, Defra's farming and food science deputy director Sue Popple and Beddington's colleague Elizabeth Warham all attended.

Horticultural Development Company chairman Neil Bragg said: "Warwick HRI has been the preferred contractor for Defra for some time and I think the worry is that there could be a gap."

Professor Stuart Palmer's meeting with Benn is expected to cover plans for the new academic department of life sciences, which will have around 55 "principal investigators", down from around 90.

A source, who did not wish to be named, explained: "It seems this is a sign that Defra, at the highest level, is now taking an interest in Warwick HRI."

Defra transitional funding for the Wellesbourne site runs out in 2012. NFU chief horticultural adviser Phil Hudson said: "It is understandable Hilary Benn would want to discuss the implications of the plans at Warwick on R&D given that Defra has put a considerable amount of money into Wellesbourne."

But another industry figure told HW that without providing funding, Defra could not pull any strings. "Hilary Benn cannot force people to do things that are not financially sound," he said.

The focus on horticultural R&D is set to sharpen within Parliament as key figures prepare to examine Defra's approach to funding research institutes. As an inquiry from the influential Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EFRA) looms, an EFRA evidence session will examine Defra's Evidence Investment Strategy 2010-2013. Government's chief scientific adviser Professor John Beddington and Defra's chief scientific adviser Professor Robert Watson will attend the meeting on 17 March

With thanks to Horticulture Week:- http://www.hortweek.com/channel/OrnamentalsProduction/article/989754/Hilary-Benn-summons-university-chief-future-HRI-Wellesbourne-horticultural-research-station/
2010 March 8: Research on Improved Pea Varieties
The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and Defra announce
a UKP 1.5M, 3.5-year LINK project which will (sic.)
"find new ways to develop improved pea varieties for the high profit margin food market.
They will also study the likely impact of greater uptake of legume farming on nitrogen fertiliser use."
Project is coordinated by the John Innes centre, with partners
1. the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera)
2. the Processors and Growers Research Organisation
3. Campden BRI
4. Bird?s Eye
5. The Co-operative
6. Limagrain
7. Thermo Fisher Scientific
8. Premier Foods
9. Pinguin Foods
10. the Horticultural Development Company
WHRI apparently not included
http://www.seedquest.com/news.php?type=news&id_article=14038&id_region=&id_category=&id_crop=
2010 March 10: The HRI SSLC felt that there were rumours spreading
Warwick Students Union Life Sciences Student Consultation Committee
Unconfirmed Open Minutes Meeting of 17th February 2010 (page 4 para 2.5)
http://www.warwicksu.com/pageassets/lifesciences/LSSCC-Meeting-2-Unconfirmed-Minutes-Open.pdf

The HRI SSLC felt that there were rumours spreading
regarding the worst case scenarios becoming very realistic,
particularly regarding staff numbers being cut
to below the stated minimum.
2010 February 26: Future of Wellesbourne to be considered by stakeholders
by Magda Ibrahim
Horticulture Week
26 February 2010
http://www.hortweek.com/channel/EdiblesProduction/article/986558/Future-Wellesbourne-considered-stakeholders/
Options for the future of Wellesbourne research station will be tabled during a stakeholder discussion at the University of Warwick next week.

Although the university's senate approved draft proposals for Warwick HRI Wellesbourne to be absorbed into a new School of Life Sciences last year, a new paper exploring an industry partnership will be presented at the meeting on 2 March.

The business plan is being finalised by a group of scientists at Warwick HRI in collaboration with Brian Jamieson,
author of A Review of the Provision of Horticultural R&D.[footnote 1]

However, it is expected to contain ideas for how Warwick HRI might continue as an industry centre linked to the new School of Life Sciences.

The university, which has stated that it cannot continue to meet the deficit of running Wellesbourne, will explore possible solutions centred around industry partnership.

It is already in talks with the Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council, the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and the Horticultural Development Company (HDC) over future funding streams for the site.
But these discussions will "go on for months, if not years", according to a university representative.

AHDB chief scientist Ian Crute will chair next week's meeting. Crute told HW he "imagined the options are fairly straightforward". He explained that the options are to "move to straight closure, develop something with an applied focus or seek an alliance with other organisations".

Following this first discussion, a further meeting will take place in May to extend the talks to more specialised stakeholder groups.

HDC chairman Neil Bragg added: "Industry partnership is a good idea but the trouble is finding the partners who will be able to put in the money."

HTA director-general David Gwyther said: "The industry has had a partnership with Wellesbourne in the past through levy funding and we need to find a way of cranking that up."

NFU chief horticultural adviser Phil Hudson said he was "keen to hear whether there are any viable alternatives".

Footnotes
1 re: "Brian Jamieson, author of A Review of the Provision of Horticultural R&D" - see http://www.emr.ac.uk/PDF/Reviewof%20the%20provision%20of%20UK%20Horticultural%20R&D.pdf ]
2010 February 21: Draft letter calling for solution to the research and development crisis

http://www.hortweek.com/News/984959/Draft-letter-calling-solution-research-development-crisis/
HortWeek.com 19 February 2010

"A draft letter to the minister of agriculture, calling for a solution to the research and development crisis was in discussion at the BPOA AGM at Hellidon Lakes in Daventry last week.

"It was submitted by an anonymous grower who proposed members agree on the text before passing it on to politicians at next week's NFU AGM.

"However the 30 BPOA members at the meeting agreed to delay action on the research and development crisis in a bid to develop a properly thought out strategy.

"It was agreed that a sub-committee would be created to sound out members views and present a firm position at the NFU AGM in 2011.

"Below is the original letter and BPOA members are invited to share their views in the comment box provided, to help inform the debate:

<<Online comment by Richard Hardwick

"It was agreed that a sub-committee would be created"
This is exactly the reaction of the good villagers of Wye
And it got them nowhere
If you want to be effective
Buy (or download) a copy of David Hewsons book
"Saved - How an English village fought for its future ... and won"
http://www.save-wye.org/
http://www.troubador.co.uk/book_info.asp?bookid=416
Or at least read his piece in the Guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2007/apr/09/mondaymediasection9

End of online comment>>

Open Letter to the Minister of Agriculture

"Sir,

Despite the tremendous campaign in Horticulture Week by distinguished scientists to save it, research funding is being slashed. Warwick HRI is to be closed. Research requires long term funding to guarantee jobs or scientists leave and go elsewhere. When Efford was closed there was a government pledge to establish long term facilities at Warwick so it would be wholly appropriate to have the facilities such as the multi factorial unit, growth chambers etc which were installed provided at Stockbridge house or East Malling Trust. This has to be agreed and acted on quickly by the NFU.

The UK no longer holds 60 days of food supplies as it used to. I have been given to understand it is down to 20 days, maybe lower. Sustainability of the food supply must be the government's number one responsibility. The UK can no longer rely on the rest of the planet as a food bank because the Worlds ever increasing population demands increased standards of living. If there was an international threat to food supply from a climatic disaster or other incident, what would the UK's population do?

The UK has one of the best world climates for home production but this has to depend on research to produce more per hectare. Better security is needed from the ever increasing queue of pests and diseases waiting to spread into the UK. UK producers already subscribe to Agricultural research but the responsibility must be shared. Whilst undoubtedly the multiples have contributed to the UK's "well being" they depend on food as the main bait to entice the public into stores. My suggestion is that Government sets up a compulsory food security levy for multiples (similar to the one operated by HDC producers) to take from their profit margins one penny in every pound on fresh produce registered through the tills. All multiples need food security and traceability and it is easier to achieve this in home production. Jobs are essential and in short supply and would be increased by home production.

The fund would be similarly administered to our HDC committee system but there would be a similar separate supermarket committee, both of these bodies would forward their recommendation to an "Apprentice" type three person committee with a Government Minister who would allocate the funds. Jobs are now a major issue; this would generate good long-term quality rural jobs.

The plan is a win for sustainable UK food supply, a win for UK jobs, a win for the multiples supply chain, a win for all UK producers and a win for all UK residents."

http://www.hortweek.com/News/984959/Draft-letter-calling-solution-research-development-crisis/
2010 February 11: Knight rides in to Warwick to clean up layoff mess
Today the Times Higher Education has a piece "Knight rides in to Warwick to clean up layoff mess"
Its about Warwick's Centre for Translation and Comparative Cultural Studies, which was closed in September 2009

One reader said
Their blunders and their refusal to set them right are a stain on British Higher Education as a whole.
Dr Regina Akel (Chile)
http://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/comments.asp?storycode=410328

Another THE reader added the following comment

There are concerns too for other Departments and Centres within Warwick.

The University recently announced plans to form a new School of Life Sciences
by merging the Department of Biological Sciences with Warwick HRI.

The latter was a non departmental government body based in Wellesbourne
(about ten miles away from the main Warwick campus)
specializing in agricultural and environmental science
and funded by Defra and the BBSRC.

It was gifted to the University in 2004
with over UKP 25 million of guaranteed funding from Defra
on condition of becoming a full University Department.

In the last RAE, Warwick HRI was rated as the UK's top Department
within its assessment unit (agriculture, vet and food science),
and was one of only two Departments within Warwick to receive a top place ranking.

Warwick's plan for "restructuring" to create the new Life Sciences School
was based on a report written by the retired academic Sir John Beringer
and it looks set to result in 40 academics at Warwick HRI and Biological Sciences being made redundant.

The planning done thus far to implement the School takes little account of the current and future funding priorities
of the Research Councils or Defra and will result almost certainly in the closure of the Wellesbourne site.

Warwick HRI has unique facilities and expertise for land-based research
at a time when the world is entering a sustained period of agricultural and environmental crisis,
and yet the University seem intent on selling off the site for housing
and sacking at least 50% of the research staff,
including many of the country's outstanding agricultural scientists.

This is a national disgrace and I'm afraid it illustrates the management culture within the University at present.
Concerned Scientist 15 February, 2010x

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