Sixteen land-based universities that offer courses in agriculture or carry out research for the industry have formed the Agricultural Universities Council (AUC).
The Council will agree on joint agricultural research priorities and work with farmers and others who have a stake in the agricultural industry’s future.
As farming faces up to a transitional period, the initiative aims to provide a joined-up approach to research and to ensure public investment in agri innovation makes a difference on the ground.
The new initiative was announced by Defra Secretary George Eustice at the launch of the UK Agriculture Partnership which took place last week at the Royal Agricultural University, which is one of the members of the AUC.
The Council’s first project will be to map existing agricultural research capacity across the UK for the first time in a decade.
It will also work with farmers, as well as environmental, welfare and community groups, food businesses, and other stakeholders, to shape future research priorities.
Matt Bell, director of agriculture at Hartpury University, said the university was "thrilled to be part of this forward-thinking Council, formed at an incredibly important time for our industry".
"The AUC allows us to contribute to conversations with policy and decision makers with a combined voice of 16 leaders, allowing for a joined up approach to informing the UK research strategy for agriculture.
"Our students, the farmers of the future, are sure to benefit from this joined-up approach, just as they do from having access to our existing industry links and commercial farm."
The AUC’s work to agree joint research priorities is being supported by the Centre for Effective Innovation in Agriculture (CEIA).
Professor Tom MacMillan, from the Centre and who is also the Elizabeth Creak Chair in Rural Policy at the Royal Agricultural University, also attended the UK Agriculture Partnership launch event.
“Farmers, industry, and public interest groups have longstanding concerns about the impact of publicly-funded research," he said.
"Some of this frustration is shared by scientists, particularly when they find themselves competing for research grants when it would make more sense to collaborate.
"At this hugely challenging time for farming, it is really refreshing that so many leading research institutions are teaming up to help address this.”
