Federated Farmers: Government need to invest in science

Graham Smith, Chief executive, Federated Farmers.

It might seem surprising that I'm advocating the Government spends considerably more money on science and innovation in New Zealand, with an emphasis on the primary sector.

New Zealand's comparative advantage is its biological industries, particularly food and fibre.

Science investment in agriculture increases productivity, improves our ability to add value to our products, provides us with the tools to mitigate our environmental footprint and increases the efficacy of our biosecurity effort.

Part of the reason why agriculture earns 70 per cent of New Zealand's export earnings is due to the efforts of our scientists, a group that we increasingly need to look after.

The reality is that the agricultural sector embraces science and innovation and understands its benefits.

Farmers directly invest millions of dollars in organisations like DairyNZ; Livestock Improvement Corporation (LIC), Beef + Lamb, Foun- dation for Arable Research(FAR- ), and the Meat Industry Association.

Farmers also run small to medium sized businesses which are fast adopters of technology, much of which is not captured in official data on Business Expenditure on Research and Development (BERD) data due to it occurring behind the farm gate.

Some people may believe that economic policy needs to focus more on diversifying the economy by developing new "sexy" industries.

Now I agree that we do need to diversify, but not at the expense of strengthening what we are already very good at.

For example much of our advanced manufacturing is in essence food-related and leveraged off our primary sector base.

Similarly it is important to recognise the huge economic multipliers associated with advances in the pastoral sector.

I support new efforts like FoodHQ at Massey University and the Lincoln Hub where research institutions are getting together in a collaborative and strategic way.

Implementing some of the recommendations of the Crown Research Institute (CRI) taskforce has given the CRI's greater strategic clarity and responsibility.

These are all good initiatives, but there needs to be more and it needs to be fuelled by more research money in the primary sector.

That way, all of New Zealand benefits.

What do you think? Food for thought!