In response to last week’s letter ‘A sale that should never go ahead’ (Northern Argus, October 28, 2009), I’d like to outline the University of Adelaide’s contribution and ongoing commitment to agriculture and the rural sector and how the sale of these properties will help.

Agricultural research is one of the University’s major research strengths. We are renowned for our research and expertise across our Waite and Roseworthy Campuses in areas including plant and animal sciences, plant breeding, biotechnology and dryland farming systems. For instance, a great number of wheat, barley and other crop varieties grown across Australia, past and present, were developed by University of Adelaide plant-breeders.

We intend to continue developing these strengths. A new research institute is being established by the University that will be dedicated to ensuring profitable and productive agriculture in the face of threats from climate change, increased energy costs, limited natural resources, etc. It will build on the outstanding achievements to date of our Waite Campus, already recognised as one of the world’s great agricultural research centres. Agricultural science students, on the newly merged course, will benefit greatly from being located there, and from the ongoing animal science teaching and hands-on experience at Roseworthy. Our agricultural graduates will continue to be in strong demand.

Two of the projects included in the University’s infrastructure program are our new School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences at Roseworthy Campus and the new ‘super greenhouse’ or Plant Accelerator, at Waite Campus, both of which promise significant benefits for the rural sector.

Our veterinary science course has a unique focus among Australian vet schools on livestock production, equine health, aquaculture and biosecurity, with a specific aim of producing more vets for rural practice.

The Plant Accelerator being constructed at Waite Campus will be the largest and most sophisticated facility of its kind in the world and will help speed up the time taken to move varieties from plant breeding programs to agricultural application. It will help produce varieties with improved yields and increased tolerance to drought, rising salinity and disease.