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<pre>Scientific research (funded by a levy) will not improve prices. We have
been in an agricultural depression for 187 years. It started in 1815. Prices
have fallen continuously in real terms and even more copared to income. The
first 50 years of the depression was due just to free trade. After that
scientific research played an important part in assisting free trade in
keeping prices down.

The theory is the science makes agriculture more efficient. That means
more output for the same inputs. What they don't say is that prices go down
so the additional output is worth the same and you are running harder to
stay in the same place. Farmers feel they need to keep running or they will
get run over - an agricultural rat race.

Cheers Brian Chatterton
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