Two of New Zealand's key agricultural research institutes, which missed out on Government funding last year, will now be funded.
Lincoln University's Bio-Protection Research Centre and Massey University's Riddet Institute were successful in their applications to become Centres of Research Excellence.
The Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce announced the Bio-Protection Research Centre and the Riddet Institute were successful in the second round of funding.
Mr Joyce said they were guaranteed five years of Government funding from 2016 to 2020.
Federated Farmers was critical of the Government's decision to stop funding three agricultural scientific centres last year - saying science underpins the primary sector.
It said it was thrilled the Riddet Institute and Bio-Protection Research Centre will now be able to continue their work in food science, human health and sustainable pest management.