KEY POINTS:
Appearing critical of the Government can be a little tricky for employees of state-owned operations such as the Crown research institute AgResearch.
But its chief science strategist, Stephen Goldson, is not afraid of saying what he thinks.
"I'm not part of the funding decision-making. I'm usually on one
side of the fence bleating for more dough," he says.
"But I will say that I'm told there are [Government] officials who are yet to be convinced of the value of science."
Recently, he bemoaned the fact that total scientific R&D investment here was only about 1.17 per cent of GDP compared with the European Union's target of 3 per cent by 2010.
He believes more state R&D funding is non-negotiable if the environment is to be protected while achieving agricultural productivity growth targets. "Our markets and New Zealanders themselves prevent it from being optional."
Goldson says funding constraints mean "we have to make damned sure what we do have, we use specifically for researching NZ-style problems".
He can't put a figure on exactly how much more is needed - "how many angels on the head of a pin?" - but would like to see this country mirroring the EU's aims. More cash would help scientists achieve productivity and environmental protection breakthroughs more quickly and result in less wastage from programmes being discontinued due to a funding lack.
"And there would probably be a better opportunity to exploit discoveries and ideas that, at the moment, have trouble being exploited."
Officials also should be wary of following a European trend towards disinvesting in agriculture as food security becomes less of an issue for the EU and opportunities to source cheaper food from elsewhere become available.
"We must not. [Agriculture] is our industry and primary industries matter a hell of a lot. We must hold the line because it's what we do."
Goldson does not disguise his frustration that AgResearch handed over an extra $3 million in dividends to the Government last year because it felt the state might have a better immediate use for the money.
Given the Government's emphasis on environmental and sustainability issues, Goldson says, "I think we could have found useful applications for that dough in those areas".
Had he argued for that internally? "We've argued for it all over the place." But the loss of the $3 million was less of an issue than the need to ramp up agricultural R&D spending generally.
One particular area of AgResearch interest is keeping a close watch on how increasing use of grains for biofuels is helping push up prices for New Zealand-produced proteins.
This increased focus on biofuels - which AgResearch is involved with by looking at trees as feedstocks - is one of the big shifts Goldson has seen since the organisation formed its agriculture targets.
"We also have to think hard about how we will use our arable land, and should we move big time into biofuels as well."
On suggestions that scientific research - rather than bureaucratic measures - is the answer to reducing agriculture's greenhouse gas emissions, Goldson notes AgResearch is working at reducing farming's impacts. "But there's no doubt progress is proportional to funding."
And sudden breakthroughs providing solutions to various issues were rarer. "It's gradual multi-dimensional, multi-faceted research that allows you to creep towards the goal."
AgResearch
* NZ's largest agricultural research organisation.
* 1000+ staff.
* Headquarters in Hamilton.
* Revenue 2005/06: $120 million.