UK-based groups East Malling Research (EMR) and STC Research Foundation (STCRF) have announced the signing of an agreement to provide integrated applied science resources to the horticulture industry.
The collaboration is designed to link the group's resources and pool knowledge to find solutions to agricultural problems at production levels, while also providing a stable focal point for funders to invest confidently.
Graham Ward, chairman of STCRF, and Oliver Doubleday, chairman at EMR, said that they were happy the ground-breaking agreement had been made to allow specialist organisations to create a total horticultural focus and resource for scientists.
'We believe it offers a new stable partnership, to bring together the various parts of research funding from pure research to growers, for long-term future delivery of innovation to the industry.'
Sarah Pettitt, chair of the NFU horticultural board, welcomed the news: 'The industry needs a focus like this to persuade the government to commit funding to help us cope with damaging legislation which is based on dogma rather than science such as the EU pesticide proposals 91/414,' she said. 'We will be encouraging our members to fully support this initiative which takes control of our innovation facilities back under the ownership of growers.'
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