SACs Rural Policy Centre welcomes new Agricultural Innovation report

SACs Rural Policy Centre (RPC) has welcomed the publication of a new House of Lords Sub-Committee report calling for greater innovation in EU Agriculture.

The RPCs Professor John Oldham gave evidence to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Environment EU Sub-Committee during its year-long investigation, the conclusions of which were published today.

Professor Oldham believes the Committees views that more applied research is needed and that this should be conveyed more effectively to farmers, reflect the points he made during his evidence.

He said: SACs Rural Policy Centre believes the Scottish model for applying the latest scientific research has distinct advantages for promoting innovation in European agriculture. While giving evidence, I stressed that greater recognition of the value of applied research is essential if innovation is to help agriculture rise to the challenges it faces. We therefore welcome the fact that the Committee has recognised this need in its conclusions.

In giving his evidence, Professor Oldham said that innovation – such as biotechnologies, the use of new machinery or commercial decisions to plant new crops -is critical to the growth and sustainability of European agriculture.

Speaking of the role the Common Agricultural Policy should play, Professor Oldham said: Faced with the likelihood of reductions in European support to agriculture in the long term it would make sense for European support to be used now to help foster innovations that will be needed for long term health and competitiveness. It is good to see the Committees strong recommendations that the European Commission diverts funding from the CAP to agricultural research.

In response to the issue highlighted by the Committee that some believe Brussels to be an innovation hostile environment, Professor Oldham said: It is essential that research providers and industry liaise closely with each other and with the Directorate in Brussels to overcome hurdles to innovation whether real or apparent and agree constructive ways forward.

SACs Rural Policy Centre examines the impact of current policies on rural businesses and communities and aims to provide the knowledge required for developing of future rural policies.