Rothamsted Research
Rothamsted Research, formerly known as the Institute of Arable Crops Research (IACR), claims to be 'the largest land-based institute in the UK and the oldest in the world'. It has research sites at Rothamsted and Broom's Barn (and formerly Long Ashton). It is one of eight UK institutes sponsored by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC).
Rothamsted is a charity and a company limited by guarantee and occupies land and buildings owned by the Lawes Agricultural Trust. According to its own website it is an "independent body that facilitates interaction and dialogue between researchers, especially those at Rothamsted, and practitioners in the agri-environment sector."
Contact Details
- Address: Harpenden. Hertfordshire, AL5 2JQ
- Tel: + 44 (0) 1582 763 133
- Website: http://www.rothamsted.bbsrc.ac.uk
People
- Director Professor Ian Crute
Rothamsted Research Board of Directors
- Professor D J Read FRS (Chairman)
- Professor M Elves DSc (Deputy Chairman)
- Dr David Brightman
- Mr P W Chamberlain
- Professor E C Cocking DSc, FRS
- Mr R Ellis
- Professor K Kilham
- Professor B J Legg
- Dr R G Turner
Lawes Agricultural Trust Company Limited Board of Directors
- Lord De Ramsey DL (Chairman)
- Earl of Selborne KBE, FRS
- Lord Haskins of Skidby
- Professor Sir Tom Blundell, FRS
- Professor E C Cocking DSc, FRS
- Lord Cameron of Dillington
Funding
In 2005/6 it 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
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'.
Rothamsted is also part of the consortium of 3 research groups that carried out UK government work on farm-scale evaluations. Among the Rothamsted scientists involved in overseeing the trials were Dr Mike May and Dr Alan Dewar who have also undertaken research for Agrevo (later part of Aventis and later still Bayer) and Monsanto - companies whose crops were assessed in the farmscale trials.
Rothamsted's Dr Peter Lutman was a co-author of a report to the government on progress on the 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).
