Ráðunautafundur - 20.02.1996, Page 19

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SAC’s broad range of services gave SAC the highest penetration level for any single organ-
isation.
SAC was the leading supplier of both “free” and paid services. For “free” services,
SAC’s market share (29%) was more than twice that of the next largest supplier (13%). For
paid services, SAC’s market share (64%) was more than twelve times that of the second
largest supplier (5%). Local knowiedge, objectivity and practical advice were identified as
SAC’s main strengths.
THE AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY SERVICE IN ENGLAND AND WALES
The provision of agricultural advisory services in England and Wales was set on a funda-
mentaily different course from that in Scotland with the creation of the National Agricultural
Advisory Service (NAAS) in 1947. This broke the links that had previously existed between
Advisers and a variety of educational organisations and transferred the staff, as civil servants,
to a division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for England and Wales.
NAAS staff had certain statutory duties as well as advisory duties.
In 1972 NAAS was amalgamated with some related MAFF divisions, renamed the
Agriculturai Development and Advisory Service (ADAS) and given a revised remit, with
much less emphasis on the provision of advice to farmers on an individual basis. In 1987
charges were introduced for advice and services in response to similar reductions in Gov-
ernment funding as applied in Scotland. To cope with the progressive effects of the require-
ment for increasing cost recovery, ADAS has gone through several reorganisations since
1987. ADAS became a Next Steps Agency in 1992 and it is the Government’s present inten-
tion that it should be privatised in 1997 if this proves practicable.
ADAS provides business management and technical consultancy across the full
spectrum of primary producers in agriculture and horticulture, providing about 60% of its
consultancy income which totals £20M annually. The baiance of consultancy revenue comes
from the associated industries involved in land management, food processing, manufacturing
and retailing. ADAS also operates a number of research facilities covering the main agri-
cultural sectors and associated environmental issues. About 25% of the research revenue is
from the private sector, the remainder being government funded.
ADAS also delivers consultancy for and on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture and the
Welsh Office under a series of contract-style agreements. This advice is provided without