JOBS at a research and development station in East Malling, near Maidstone, may be under threat because of cost-cutting plans by the Government.

Proposed cuts in horticulture research of about 20 per cent would hit staff at Horticulture Research International (HRI), according to the National Farmers' Union's South East horticultural advisor, David Butterworth.

The cuts have been put forward by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to free up resources to regenerate livestock farming following the Foot and Mouth epidemic. The National Farmers' Union has vowed to fight the proposed cuts.

Mr Butterworth, who is based at the station, said: "Horticulture is a massive employer in the county and research and development is key." He said: "We're currently arranging a room in the House of Commons where we will give a briefing to all the MPs for the South East."

Mr Butterworth added: "We have a campaigning leaflet that is being distributed, asking people to write to their MP and the press."

The research station carries out work such as finding natural predators to replace pesticides and predicting climatic conditions to avoid continuously spraying crops. It is one of only five stations in the country, two of which are in Kent.

David Gray, head of HRI East Malling and Wye, said: "DEFRA have signaled for some time that funding for horticulture was under pressure, partly that's because they need to find money to move into animal diseases.

"It's a major concern to us and to the horticultural industry, the life blood for our industry is based on research and development, it provides it with the innovation it needs to be competitive."

Dr Gray said: "We don't know the details of the levels of cuts. In the immediate future there are unlikely to be any cutbacks."

The cuts will become clear with DEFRA's new budget next month.