Memorandum submitted by the Agricultural
Industries Confederation
DEFRA SCIENCE: INVITATION TO HELP FRAME EFRA
COMMITTEE INQUIRY
INTRODUCTION
This submission is made on behalf of the Agricultural
Industries Confederation, representing approximately 300 companies
involved in fertiliser manufacture and distribution; animal feed
manufacture & distribution; arable crop marketing; seed and
agrochemical distribution. The combined annual turnover of the
membership is in the order of £6.5 billion.
SCIENCE INFRASTRUCTURE
We believe the Committee should investigate
the science infrastructure, in particular the long term planning
for that infrastructure and how different parts of the Department
co-ordinate their work and scientific input.
We would ask that the Committee examines how
co-ordination of a cohesive structure has been impacted through
the splitting of functions, previously centrally managed, into
executive agencies and the effectiveness of operational control
being at arms' length from policy making. We would also ask that
the effectiveness of stakeholder communication through this revised
structure is also examined.
FUNDING
We would support a review of how funding priorities
are determined and how they link back into the long term infrastructure
planning.
The Committee may wish to examine the balance
of funding in relation to environmental and production issues
whilst at the next level down the balance between, for example,
animal health and animal production.
OBJECTIVES
We would ask that the Committee considers Defra's
core science objectives and investigates the feasibility and desirability
of these objectives being met by all core research funding applications.
For example not all core research into agronomic efficiency can
be directly related to Defra's core objectives—we would
argue there should be greater flexibility
With more than an eye to issues of food security
the Committee might investigate how Defra's approach to science
and R&D particularly, balances the demands for reduction of
inputs such as fertilisers against continuing research into optimisation
on application timing and their efficiency of use.
SCIENCE CAPABILITY
The ability/knowledge to make decisions regarding
R&D funding is one area. But recent national cataclysms have
also highlighted that Defra may not have the "science capability"
to make the necessary decisions. Effective control or eradication
of national epidemics within the livestock population being a
case in point. The Committee could therefore consider how Defra
might make best use of available expertise, not necessarily on
a full-time basis, but through a system of expert contact points.
The Committee might investigate whether such an approach delivers
a consistency by utilising expertise from a wider science base
which has been gathered over a longer period of time.
March 2008
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