World economy threatens agricultural research

Researchers in Australia and New Zealand are concerned that the global financial crisis could significantly reduce investment in biotechnology and agricultural science. General manager of AgResearch’s Applied Technologies, Jimmy Suttie, said the international financial crisis means there’s a low appetite for risk and less likelihood of investment in areas such as animal biotechnology. “The extent of the impact the financial crisis will have on national science budgets in Australia and New Zealand cannot be predicted,” he said. – Alan Harman