All-Party Parliamentary group on
Science & Technology in Agriculture
The challenges presented for Applied R&D,
Within Agriculture & Horticulture.
Where are the funding stream & facilities?
Presented by: Neil Bragg
Chair of HDC
Managing Horticulture within AHDB
Background to HDC
 HDC
started in 1986
– 300 crops and 35 Cropping
associations Income
– Approx £5million –
– 90% spent on R&D
– Through panels» Field Veg, Top Fruit, Soft Fruit, Protected
Edibles, Protected Ornamentals, Nursery
stock, Bulbs and Cut flowers & Mushrooms
Challenges for Applied research
 National
Horticultural Forum (NHF)
Review of the provision of UK
Horticultural R&D
– Brian Jamieson et al Aug 2008
» Available on HDC & NFU websites
Main Conclusions form the Jamieson
review – no: 1

This latter review clearly identified
the challenges for the HDC in the
light of the falling centralised
funding of R&D and support for the
existing R&D infrastructure in the
UK.
– By 2012, loss of all guarantee funds £7-8 million per year?????
Main Conclusions form the Jamieson
review – no 2
 The
report also identifies that there
specific skills shortages specifically
in basic areas of agronomy related to
horticulture
– See also the RASE report on Soils and
water management
– Age profiles of existing professionals
Funding streams
 Defra
– Link – scattergun approach
– Now disappearing ?
Sci – TSB – specific targets via
Agri/food platform-
 Go
– E.g. Crop Protection
– What about ornamentals- life quality
– Techno clubs 90%
 EU – calls for concepts- HDC/SME’s
 RDA’s – innovation in Business
 BBSRC
Physical resources then & now
 Loss
over the last twenty years
– EHS’s. eg Lea Valley – 8 or 9
– GCRI, Long Ashton, Wellesbourne– Kirton
 Remaining:
–
–
–
–
Warwick HRI, EMR, STC, SCRI,
ADAS, NIAB,
Cranfield, Harper Adams
Universities
Physical resources in 5 &10 years
 EMR,
STC, ADAS
 Cranfield & Harper Adams
 Universities at high level- Warwick, Lancs,
York
 EM Trust
 Cranfield & Harper
 Universities
 ???????????????
What is happening in other
Countries?
– HAL – matched funds
 Denmark – Levy central collection – CA
delivery- applied centres now part of
Universities
 Germany – Still centres in most regions
 France – Astredhor- 14 substations
 ROI – Teagasc- Student/Advise and R&D
 Australia
HDC initiatives
 Encourage
collaboration
– Currently ADAS/EMR/STC working on
HortLINK project/TSB submission
 Seeking
to get remaining expertise
recognised and saved as mentor
group
 Set up strategic R&D groups
 Look for the ‘impact’ of the science
Challenges to the levy payers
 Levy
payers will have to work as a
business development group?
 Growers will have to accept levy being
diverted into Strategic work areas?
 Levy payers will have to support specific
centres for applied research?
 For
discussion please