Potato research facility in Australia to close down

Workers at the Department of Primary Industry’s (DPI) potato research facility at Toolangi have been told the facility is to close. The jobs of seven of the 11 staff members are to be relocated to Knoxfield while four have found themselves without jobs. The Toolangi site, historically know as the Potato Research Station is home to the Australian National Potato Breeding Program. The independent Victorian Certified Seed Potato Authority (ViCSPA) also operates from the site as a tenant. Des Jennings VPGC chairman and member of AusVeg, the peak Australian potato industry body, said the Toolangi facility was a world-class, unique facility and called on the DPI to consult with the industry before making any further moves.