Rothamsted Research

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The British agricultural research institute Rothamsted Research, formerly known as the Institute of Arable Crops Research (IACR), describes itself as "the oldest agricultural research station in the world".[1] Rothamsted Research has research sites at Rothamsted, Hertfordshire and Broom's Barn, Suffolk. As of January 2010 it is one of seven UK institutes sponsored by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).[2]

Rothamsted is a charity and a company limited by guarantee and occupies land and buildings owned by the Lawes Agricultural Trust. The Trust's purpose is described on Rothamsted's website as being "to support agricultural science".[3]

According to Rothamsted's website, "We look upon most of our arrangements with commercial companies as partnerships". Rothamsted sees such partnerships as ideally providing the opportunity for "a seamless mix of basic research and practical applications." The website lists Aventis, DuPont, Novartis and Syngenta, as among Rothamsted's 'partners'.[4]

Rothamsted is part of the consortium of three research groups (the others being the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (CEH) and the Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI)[5]) that carried out UK government work on farm-scale evaluations of genetically modified crops. Among the Rothamsted scientists involved in overseeing the trials were Dr Mike May and Dr Alan Dewar[6], who have also undertaken research for AgrEvo (later part of Aventis and later still Bayer)[7] and Monsanto[8][9] - companies whose crops were assessed in the farmscale trials.[10][11]

People

Rothamsted's Dr Peter Lutman was a co-author of a report to the government on progress of the UK government's farm scale GM crop trials. Dr Lutman also works for CropGen, a pro-GM lobby group set up and financed by the biotech industry. Two other scientists who have worked for Rothamsted who are also part of CropGen are Dr Nigel Halford and Dr Guy Poppy (now at Southampton University).

In January 2010 it was announced that Professor Maurice Moloney has been appointed the new Director and Chief Executive of Rothamsted Research. He is the Chief Scientific Officer of SemBioSys Genetics Inc.[12] - a plant biotech company well known for its controversial work on pharma crops (eg producing insulin from safflower seeds).[13]

A GM pharma specialist, Moloney has also worked on deriving a blood anti-coagulant from canola.

Previously, Moloney led the Cell Biology group at Calgene, acquired by Monsanto in 1997.[14] At Calgene he developed the world's first transgenic oilseeds, which resulted in RoundUp Ready Canola and other novel crops. Moloney holds more than 300 patents.[15]

  • Professor Maurice Moloney - director and chief executive, appointed January 2010, to take up full duties from 15 April 2010[16]
  • Professor Ian Crute - director until January 2010

Rothamsted Research Board of Directors

Lawes Agricultural Trust Company Limited Board of Directors

Funding

In 2005/6 Rothamsted Research had a total income of over £ 25 m, in part from corporate sponsors.

  • 9% industry
  • 5% EU
  • 24% DEFRA
  • 40% BBSRC - CSG
  • 9% BBSRC Grants
  • 4% Other Government
  • 9% All other

Contact Details

Notes

  1. ↑ The Origins of Rothamsted Research, Rothamsted Research website, accessed December 2008
  2. ↑ Ownership & funding, Rothamsted Research website, accessed 25 Jan 2010
  3. ↑ The Lawes Agricultural Trust, Rothamsted Research website, accessed December 2008
  4. ↑ Research Partners, Rothamsted Research website, version placed in web archive 20 Aug 2003, accessed in web archive 25 Jan 2010
  5. ↑ Formation of the Consortium: Spring 1999, Joe Perry's work in GM research - A personal account of the Farm Scale Evaluations of GMHT crops, Rothamsted Research website, accessed 25 Jan 2010
  6. ↑ Formation of the Consortium: Spring 1999, Joe Perry's work in GM research - A personal account of the Farm Scale Evaluations of GMHT crops, Rothamsted Research website, accessed 25 Jan 2010
  7. ↑ John Vidal and James Meikle, Test experts paid by GM firm, 4 August 1999, accessed 25 Jan 2010. NB The Guardian wrongly reports that one of the scientists was "Bob May" - in fact, it was Mike May.
  8. ↑ Mike J. May, Gillian T. Champion, Alan M. Dewar, Aiming Qi and John D. Pidgeon, Management of genetically modified herbicide-tolerant sugar beet for spring and autumn environmental benefit, Proc. R. Soc. B 2005 272, 111-119, accessed 26 Jan 2010. This research used Monsanto patented seed.
  9. ↑ Alan M Dewar,* Lisa A Haylock, Kathy M Bean and Mike J May, Delayed control of weeds in glyphosate-tolerant sugar beet and the consequences on aphid infestation and yield, Pest Manag Sci 56:345-350 (2000), accessed 26 Jan 2010. This research was funded by Monsanto, as is acknowledged on the final page of the study (p. 350).
  10. ↑ John Vidal and James Meikle, Test experts paid by GM firm, 4 August 1999, accessed 25 Jan 2010. NB The Guardian wrongly reports that one of the scientists was "Bob May" - in fact, it was Mike May.
  11. ↑ GeneWatch UK states: "The oilseed rape and maize have been developed by AgrEvo (part of the multi-national company, Aventis), the company that also produces glufosinate. The sugar beet has been developed by Monsanto, which also manufactures glyphosate, in partnership with Novartis." UK Farm Scale Trials with GM Crops - 2000, Fact Sheet Number 1
  12. ↑ New Director for Rothamsted Research, BBSRC press release, 14 January 2010
  13. ↑ SemBioSys Genetics Inc. Company Overview, undated document, located on Canadian government Foreign Affairs and International Trade website, accessed 25 Jan 2010
  14. ↑ New Director for Rothamsted Research, BBSRC press release, 14 January 2010
  15. ↑ New Director for Rothamsted Research, BBSRC press release, 14 January 2010
  16. ↑ New Director for Rothamsted Research, BBSRC press release, 14 January 2010
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