Vet-ag merger stirs up debate

The merged school will be renamed the Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, with the changes announced after a review into the biological and agricultural sciences suggested that consolidation would lead to better cohesion.

Vice-chancellor Professor Gwyn Davis said all teaching and research programs in geography, resource management and forestry would be consolidated within the Faculty of Science while the Melbourne School of Land and Environment would be disestablished.

But Ag Institute Australia national chair Mike Stephens said he held concerns over the changes, which he said were made with a lack of consultation from industry stakeholders.

Mr Stephens is particularly anxious about the impact of shifting the Bachelor of Agriculture into the new faculty.

"It is essential to keep the Bachelor of Agriculture and other graduate courses within the School of Land and Environment," Mr Stephens said.

He also said the changes could weaken agriculture at a time when the Victorian Government was hoping to double food and fibre exports by 2030.

Mr Stephens said he had relayed his concerns in a letter to the university, outlining that widespread innovation was required to make the quantum shift in production that would be necessary in order to deliver exports on that scale.

"That can only be underpinned by the highest standard of education," he said.

Merging agricultural science had been attempted at other universities but had failed, he added.

After hearing of the news, Mr Stephens said he was now calling for a roundtable discussion that would involve the Agribusiness Association of Australia, Grasslands Society, Victorian Farmers Federation, Birchip Cropping Group, Mallee Sustainable Farming Systems Inc and Southern Farming Systems.

Mr Stephens said all of the above-mentioned groups wanted further discussion on the merging of the two faculties.

However, Ken Hinchcliff - who will be the new dean of the Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences at Melbourne - said the changes were made to strengthen its agriculture course, not weaken it.

"We are keen to promote and see the Bachelor of Agriculture enhanced through close consultation with industry," Mr Hinchcliff said.

He said the decision about agriculture joining the veterinary science school occurred as part of a series of other moves within the university.

"We are not changing agriculture," he said.

"We will have the same staff in the new faculty.

"This is not a takeover; this is the faculty of vet joining with our colleagues in agriculture.

"What is important now is the consultation we will have in the future."

Mr Hinchcliff said the university was committed to its agriculture course and making sure its graduates could enter the sector as engaged and productive people.

"I am really excited about this," he said.

"It's a wonderful opportunity for the university to increase the prominence of the really good work we are doing in ag and vet science.

"By bringing together two complementary groups, we can be much stronger."

He said the university had received Mr Stephens' letter and would consider further consultation.

"We are keen to meet with Mike to speak about his concerns," he said.

But Mr Stephens said if the university did not retain the Bachelor of Agriculture within the School of Land and Environment, he would prefer to see the institution remove the degree altogether.

"If we look at what is the best outcome for agriculture, then we are better off with one institution doing it (an agriculture course) properly," he said.

"They (the University of Melbourne) would be better to withdraw from agriculture altogether and leave the field clear for somebody who will do it properly rather than reduce the expertise."