Finding the money for research and technology transfer is one of the issues on the minds of scientists and farmers gathering for the Grassland Association conference.
The association's 75th conference begins in in Tauranga on Monday night.
Departing president Professor Jacqueline Rowarth says funding has become more of an issue for scientists investigating sustainable production and farmers looking to make use of that innovation.
"Ministers do say that we're keeping up with inflation. In fact science inflation is worse than normal inflation because so much has to come in, in terms of equipment, from overseas."
Professor Rowarth says more and more people being are being diverted to finding money for organisations and this is having an impact on research quality.
She says New Zealand is still highly regarded for its pasture production systems, but restrictions on developing new genetically modified pasture species in this country is blocking the ability to make the next big breakthough.
