Keep budget cuts away from science and technology, says ASA

THE organisation representing graduates in the agriculture and food industry warned last night about the danger of targeting science and technology for budget cuts as a solution to the current difficulties in the public finances.

Gerry Scully, President of the Agricultural Science Association (ASA), said a reduction in investment in agriculture and food research, advice and innovation would starve the sector of competitive, cutting-edge technology.

Addressing the opening of the ASA annual conference in Galway, he said the massive cutbacks in the late 1980s put the Irish agriculture and food industry at a serious disadvantage relative to its international competitors.

“Support for research, advisory and training services was cut by over 40% in 1988. It set back services provided by Teagasc, particularly in agriculture and food research, by up to 10 years. We should learn from the mistakes that were made at that time,” he said.

Mr Scully said with the current buoyancy in global food prices, the Irish agri-food sector is poised to play a key role in export earnings.

Studies have shown that every euro spent on research and innovation in the agri-food sector gives a ten-fold return in benefits to the economy.

“Increased capacity has been developed in agriculture and food research during the past decade and this should not now be jeopardised,” he said.

Food inflation — a blip or a trend — is one of the questions being discussed at the conference, which will be addressed by a panel of experts.

US commentator, Bob Young, who is head of the American Farm Bureau, and Jeff Grant, former chairman of Meat and Wool New Zealand, will be among the speakers.

Mr Scully said this year’s conference signals a new beginning for the association, which recently appointed a new manager, James O’Mahony.