Issue 34 July 2009 AgScience Inside President's au revoir Primary Growth Partnership Passion for wool The New Zealand Institute of Agricultural & Horticultural Science Inc John Lancashire AgHort talking President Comment Au Revoir But Not Goodbye It is traditional to dwell on successes CROWN RESEARCH system with an advisory committee when leaving a position and as this is my INSTITUTES including working scientists. The MoRST last AgHort Talking as President I will Your Institute (and others ) has campaigned priorities for the 2009/2010 include follow this route, but will not forget the for many years for a serious look at the improving the science system so that failures. way the CRIs have developed. The lack of scientists can "spend more time at the Fortuitously there has been some good a proper oversight of their public good bench" (and presumably in the paddock). news for the primary sector and science in role, which is actually enshrined in the recent weeks. CRI Act, resulting in an over-emphasis on THE FUTURE commercial activities, has driven the There are still disappointments, of course. BUDGET Institutes to short-term work and The lack of some sort of inflation proofing Despite some carping from traditional consultancies in an attempt to pay the for long-term funded research is ridiculous sources the budget represents government government a dividend. The recent as over a 12 year period, say, much of the confidence in the primary sector with government decision to lift the required funding will have disappeared. The some real, if small, extra allocations in dividend to 9% does not suggest that a dropping of tax credits for R&D does not tough economic times. Most of these are return to a significant emphasis on long- send a good message to the private sector. dealt with elsewhere in this issue; suffice term research is likely. And competition And there are still too many organisations to say the government has delivered on with the private sector will continue if not representing the concerns of scientists to much of the content in its science increase. government. manifesto. The role of a "corporate" management But more importantly we still need The "Primary Growth Partnership" style does not seem to work well in a to establish science at the heart of builds on the "Fast Forward" initiative by science organisation. This is of course government policy. Despite the excellent the previous Minister, Jim Anderton, but reminiscent of the Douglas mania of the appointment of Peter Gluckman as a both he and the current Minister, David 80s, where specialists such as teachers, part-time Advisor to the Prime Minister, Carter, must be given great credit for what doctors and scientists were not regarded it is obvious that parts of government has developed into a real "bi-partisan" as capable of an unbiased management and Treasury do not believe there is a approach to funding innovation in the role and policy and operations had to relationship between increased investment primary sector. There is also no doubt be in very separate boxes. As Michael in science and innovation and productivity. that these policies were the result of years Wintringham, the former State Services This is despite masses of international data of lobbying by the primary sector on the Commission boss, has pointed out, which support the concept, and the fact reduction of research funding in the area. "why do we want to take the brains out that the USA, Australia and the UK have However, this will not necessarily result of operations?" This outmoded mantra recently hugely increased their science in substantial extra resources for science, may still be alive and well in the Salinger investment in the middle of the biggest as the fund covers the entire value chain "affair" and it is very hard to understand recession since the 1930s. – education, product development, why "management" had not solved the market development, commercialisation, issue before it came to a public hearing of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS technology transfer and research and the Employment Court. I would like to thank all members for their development (R&D). Most of the criticisms of the CRI system support and interest over the past four are alive and well, but would seem to be years…But we always have the challenge AGRESEARCH / LINCOLN quite easily fixed by simply adhering more of attracting new members by showing we MERGER closely to the CRI Act. The lack of success are an effective organisation. Ideas on how As most of you will know, the merger will in achieving change in this area has to to achieve this are always welcome. not happen and will be replaced by a be a regarded as a failure by many in the I would also like to thank our corporate "closer relationship" which could mean science community. sponsors for their continued support. We almost anything. The initiative will are fortunate to have such an impressive certainly stimulate some soul searching in SCIENCE BUREAUCRACY line-up of primary sector players in behind the science community and continued The increasing size and expense of the us. government pressure for more interaction science bureaucracy has been of serious Finally the strong support of council between universities and CRIs will concern to the science community for and editor Bob Edlin have been an continue. What has been overlooked is the many years. It is very gratifying to see that essential part of any success we have had. 009 2 huge increase in meaningful collaboration message is finally getting through and it And without Jenny "stalwart" Taylor, our between these organisations in recent was a strong part of the National Party secretary, the Institute would be a pretty years, which has been driven, in part, by science manifesto. FRST are pushing a minor force. John Lancashire our very competitive funding system. simplified funding and accountability President AgScience • Issue 34 • July AgScience • Issue 34 July 2 By John Lancashire President The Budget and the Primary Growth Partnership Opinion The Budget announcement of the The scheme also puts an onus on industry Primary Growth Partnership is good news to develop strategies and, in some cases, think for the primary sector and a very encouraging long-term rather than in short-term fixes. The investment by the National Government in recent criticism of the newly released Dairy our major export industry, particularly as it Industry strategy by both the Prime Minister builds on the "Fast Forward" initiative by Jim John Key and Agriculture Minister David Anderton, Minister of Agriculture in the Carter about the lack of serious comment previous Labour administration. It is very on environmental issues in their strategy is encouraging to see what is virtually a bi- not a good sign. partisan approach to supporting primary Under the original "Fast Forward" scheme, sector innovation following years of relative funding was committed for at least 15 neglect by both parties. The build-up to a years. In the "Primary Growth Partnership", total of $140 million/year by 2012/13 is very funding (which builds to $140 million a year welcome. in 2012/13) is specified for only four years. There are more similarities between It is stated that funding will be ongoing, but the two schemes than differences. They David Carter no details are given. The Minister has stated both include matching funding dollar for that projects will generally be "BIG", which dollar from Government and Industry and may imply that they could run for a number an independent advisory panel appointed by the Minister of of years so that funding beyond four years will be required. Agriculture to assess proposals for investment programmes. There were other good signals in what was inevitably a "bleak" This takes it outside the processes for funding science run by budget. Effectively the Government remained committed to an the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology (FRST). increased investment in science and innovation. Increased funds There is an implied criticism of the status quo via the statement for the capability allowances to CRIs to enable them to do more that the "Primary Growth Partnership incorporates a transparent "core" science; increases in the Marsden Fund and Health Research and accountable funding structure that is focused on results, not Council research and the appointment of Peter Gluckman as red tape". Chief Science Advisor to the Prime Minister all delivered on the Another reason for the funding being outside of FRST is National Party science manifesto. The commitment to reducing because the scheme covers areas other than science. Investments transactional costs in the science system by both FRST and will span the whole of the value chain, including education, MoRST so that scientists could spend more time at the bench or product development, commercialisation, technology transfer, in the paddock was very welcome as a response to complaints market development AND research and development. So it will over many years. be interesting to learn how the funding is spread. But it remains to be seen if this commitment will continue. I don’t think scientists should hold their breath. This is not a There is no doubt that there is still a job to be done by the sectors bonanza for science. But the emphasis on commercialisation could and the science community to persuade parts of the Government be very important for primary sector CRIs such as AgResearch and Treasury, that our productivity will not improve without a and Plant & Food, because they have never been funded by large increased investment in science and innovation in future government to commercialise their innovations (even though years. Government is currently demanding a 9% dividend), and have This is a shorter version of an article that was published in the had to try to handle this by diverting funds from research.