Organisation of Agricultural Research

Abstract

STATE assistance to agricultural research in Great Britain began with the Development Act of 1909, and in accordance with the principle of that Act, the finance of the schemes then initiated remained with the Development Commission, while the administration rested with the departments of agriculture, until in 1930 the Agricultural Research Council was set up. This council, though equally under the Privy Council, has not quite the same status as its parallel bodies, the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research and the Medical Research Council, both of which administer directly the whole of the funds available from the Treasury for research in their subjects. It would be difficult to explain to a foreigner the curious machinery which now prevails for the purpose of making grants, involving as it does the Research Council, the Development Commission, the two departments of agriculture in England and Scotland, and finally the Treasury.