ABSTRACT
Previous chapters have illustrated how a ‘top-down’ emphasis in agricultural research arose in both the UK and its colonies as a natural consequence of the circumstances prevalent in each. In the UK it was an increasing desire of government to intervene so as to ensure that food security was maintained in the event of war. Even so, the farmer interest in guiding such research was strong and farmers had a major influence in policy. In the latter part of the 20th century this balance changed with the rise of agribusiness and a move towards biotechnology. The power of the farmer to direct public-funded research agendas has diminished, although there are a number of privately financed research stations. Instead the agendas are increasingly being set by government agencies and business, with little or no farmer, or indeed consumer, representation. The research environment has increasingly become highly competitive, with UK-based researchers operating within a global market.
