By Andrew Shirley, Farmers Weekly Business Editor
And so it's announced that six more ADAS research units are to be sold off by landlord DEFRA.
Part of the explanation was that, with farming in the doldrums, ADAS's research and development revenues were falling and running the farms was becoming a burden to the organisation.
Forgive me for seeming naive, but isn't it now, when farmers are struggling to make a living, that we need more, not less research?
ADAS says the research will continue, with land being rented when required for specific projects, but I can't help feeling that UK farming R&D is losing its critical mass.
Surely now is the time for the government to encourage more reseach. You might think that part of DEFRA's role would be to facilitate innovation in the industry it's supposed to represent, instead it seems keener on telling everybody how damaging farming is to the environment and slapping yet more restrictions on producers.
The future of the levy boards is uncertain, so who will continue the research? Private companies will fund projects that benefit themselves, but that's about all.
Climate change means temperate farming will be facing more challenges and the loss of food-producing land to biofuel production is another hurdle that will have to be overcome.
Improved grain prices have given arable farmers at least more optimism, but we can't rely on the market to save us.
The future could hold so many opportunities for British farmers, but also a multitude of threats.
Without decent reseach will we able to take advantage of the opportunities and cope with the threats?
I, for one, don't think so.