Opportunity: TSB announces £13m crop protection R&D competition, c/d 25 Feb 2010

The Technology Strategy Board has announced a new competition with £13m available for industry-led projects that will help growers respond to the challenge of increasing crop productivity whilst also reducing the environmental impact of crop production.

The competition opens on January 18th 2010 and aims to meet existing and new EU regulation on the approval and use of pesticides. This call is relevant to businesses and stakeholders across the agricultural supply chain, including those involved in the following sectors:

• arable crops including wheat, barley, oilseed rape, potatoes and pulse crops
• horticulture
• grasses and forage crops
• crops for biofuels, and other non-food uses
• in the field or protected cultivation

Further information is available at the Technology Strategy Board website.

The Biosciences KTN, which is free to join, can help assist by providing advice on project scope and fit to eligibility criteria; identification of potential collaborative partners; confidential review of draft proposals.

Policy input: Parliament enquiry into Biosecurity in UK research laboratories, c/d 26 January 2008

The House of Commons Innovation, Universities and Skills Committee is seeking written evidence for its enquiry on Biosecurity in UK research laboratories. Issues to be examined include the current capacity for research on dangerous pathogenic material in the UK and the capability to conduct research on the causative agents of disease that may emerge at a future time and the state of biological containment facilities in the UK. The House of Commons Innovation, Universities and Skills Committee is a Select Committee of Parliament, and scrutinises the work and policies relating to the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. Although its reports and recommendations are not binding, but must be responded to by the Department, and are influentual. For each inqury it undertakes, it asks for written evidence (statements of fact and suggestions of recommendations), which it reviews. Anyone may submit written evidence, which should be written specially for the Committee, and should be brief. Evidence for this enquiry should be submitted by noon on Friday 26 January 2008 in the format described on the Biosecurity in UK research laboratories webpage.