Priorities for BBSRC-Funded Research Relevant to Sustainable Agriculture

Submitted by the Applied Research Forum for Farming and Food

15 August 2003

The core membership of the Applied Research Forum is drawn from the seven agricultural and horticultural levy boards within the UK. The Forum includes representation for BBSRC.
The levy board members are keen to improve the flow of information between the BBSRC and ARF and to collaborate wherever possible, for example, through consultation exercises such as this one, through identification of BBSRC-funded work which requires further strategic/applied work to allow the benefits of research to be taken to market, and through joint funding in LINK. ARF welcomes the Pollock Report on Sustainable Agriculture and would draw particular attention to Recommendation 3 ('We recommend that Council explores ways in which the strategic relevance of projects which meet the criteria of excellent science can be better taken into account.).

The Forum has identified three areas for joint activity in the next few years, commencing with workshops/conferences. These are:

Nutrition and Health
Waste Management
Biodiversity (with an initial emphasis on soil)

The workshops will identify specific areas of work but, in the meantime, BBSRC may wish to note that we consider these to be priority areas.

In addition to the above, the following have been identified as priority topics, where basic/strategic research would be of considerable benefit:

Relevant to all sectors:

Research into the genetics/genomics of farm animals and crops, and bioinformatics support, particularly in respect to breeding. Targets include quality and durable disease resistance, plus (for crops), pest resistance, nutrient uptake and water use efficiency.  We recognise existing strengths in this area and would encourage BBSRC to build on these.

Basic research to underpin Integrated Farm Management, including management of the environment.

Relevant to animals:

Understanding the science behind the pig disease Post-Weaning Multisystemic Wasting Syndrome.

Research into integrated grassland/livestock systems management.

Understanding the fundamental science relating to meat tenderness.

Relevant to plants

Fundamental research on understanding and managing fungicide and herbicide resistance.

Research to assist minimisation of residues from inputs; for example, research into alternative pesticides.

Research relating to non-food crops and alternative uses for food crops.