The NFU has added its support to a new research project looking at how science can help to overcome challenges to the UK's food industry.

Alongside the Royal Agricultural Society of England, the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, and the Agricultural Industries Confederation, the project, entitled Feeding the Future: Innovation Priorities for Primary Food Production in the UK to 2030, aims to produce guidelines for farmers' and growers' requirements towards research and development.

The project comes two years on from the Foresight Report which warned of a serious lack of research and development in British agriculture, and the resulting negative impact on food chain sustainability.

Professor Ian Crute, chief scientist at the Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board, believes the findings of the project could become the reference manual for the UK government for the next two decades.

'With limited research funding available and with the clock ticking we believe it is vital to spell out the industry’s view on the research priorities for UK agriculture,' said Crute.

The key findings of the study, which has been led by Professor Chris Pollock CBE, will be unveiled at the Institute of Agricultural Management's National conference in London on 21 November.

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