Federated Farmers chief executive Conor English is hoping for more 'mad scientist' innovation in agriculture.Food innovation is named as one of the sector's next key steps in Igniting Potential, the pathway document released yesterday to accompany Prime M
Federated Farmers chief executive Conor English is hoping for more 'mad scientist’ innovation in agriculture.
Food innovation is named as one of the sector’s next key steps in Igniting Potential, the pathway document released yesterday to accompany Prime Minister John Key’s pre-budget funding announcement for science and research.
The 2009 Budget allocated up to $21m to food innovation projects over five years, as part of the wider Primary Growth Partnership funding pool.
Mr English told NBR that the sector would benefit indirectly from the new business R&D initiatives announced yesterday, even if no further funding for agriculture was allocated.
“Clearly, NZ produces food, so any extra money will end up somewhere along the way going towards food.”
He was pleased at the emphasis placed by Mr Key on innovative research.
“We’re all part of the same supply chain, and we need our innovation and we need to be leading edge,” he said.
“Farming and agriculture needs mad scientists as much as any other sector of the economy, so anything that supports that is good.”
While he supported a closer relationship between the business and science sectors, Mr English retained concern about an overlap between science and politics, particularly in relation to climate change.
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