Scientists only seek facts—Mr Mitchell

Press, 21 October 1983, Page 27

Scientists only seek facts —Mr Mitchell

It is not the job of the Wheat Research Institute to con millers into using useless test results just to help farmers to sell wheat, said the institute’s director, Mr T. A. Mitchell.

“Such dishonesty would be futile because millers must please their baker customers and bakers must please their bread customers,” said Mr Mitchell, commenting on remarks made by Mr David Ritchie, Dominion agricultural chairman of Federated Farmers.

Mr Mitchell said he regretted that Mr Ritchie had attacked the integrity and competence of the institute simply because the farmers did not like the results obtained from the institute’s wheat-testing system. “They seem to feel that if you do not like the message you should shoot the messenger. They also seem to believe that what you do not know cannot harm you.” The Cereal Science Conference last week was intended specifically to inform growers, millers and bakers of the tests carried out by the institute and the reasons for them, said Mr Mitchell. However, growers, including Mr Ritchie, were absent when the papers which dealt specifically with their concerns were presented. “Now, on the basis of hearsay, Mr Ritchie misquotes and misconstrues what was said,” said Mr Mitchell.

‘lt is not the job of scientists to be optimistic or pessimistic; it is our job to provide objective facts

based on sound experimental data.

“It is up to business people, including growers, to assess the facts and to make their decisions accordingly. “They are entitled to ask questions and to disregard the facts, but they are not competent to suggest that the facts are wrong or that the scientists are ignorant of their requirements.” Mr Mitchell said he had told Federated Fanners that he was prepared to discuss their requirements and that offer still stood.

If Federated Farmers could get export markets for wheat, as Mr Ritchie claims, the institute would be delighted to do whatever tests the customer required, and this policy had been adopted for the home market.

Testing methods and marketing systems could not cover up basic defects in wheat, said Mr Mitchell.

Bakers often had manufacturing or sales problems when they used New Zea- ■ land flour, which was being forced on them at present. But bakers had no such problems with Australian flour. “It now appears likely under C.E.R. that the bakers, will be able to choose their flour. It is certain that many of them will opt for Australian flour even if it is more expensive. “If growers are not ready to face this and to take corrective action now they will have no cause whatever to be optimistic about the future of wheat-growing in New Zealand,” said Mr Mitchell.