Feds must commit to rural R&D

Tasmanians farmers say the future of agriculture is on the line in next Tuesday’s Federal Budget with the Productivity Commission having effectively pressed for a substantial reduction in funding for agricultural research.

“Without adequate research there is no future,” TFGA chief executive Jan Davis said today.

“From research comes innovation and development. They are pivotal to Australian farmers boosting production and sustainability and providing the nation with food security.

“That is why the agricultural sector has stayed ahead in the face of declining terms of trade for 20 years. It has been shown that farmers provide a return on investment of $11 for every $1 spent on research.

“Without a meaningful commitment to science, the Government will condemn Australia to a return to the days when we were technologically backward and therefore reliant on other nations to do the hard work for us. We will also lose our major talent to overseas labs.”

Ms Davis said that instead of cutting public funding to rural research and development, the Government should be taking a holistic approach to determine the optimum mix and delivery of public and private research funding.

“It is no answer to simply withdraw,” she said.

“If we are to address the vital issues of the day and the future, like climate change and water management across the country, the flow of research funding has to continue.”
Jan Davis http://www.tfga.com.au/