The R & D Committee of the BGS is chaired by Steve Peel of Natural England and consists of ten members of the society and its meetings are also attended by Pinder Gill of Defra. Its functions are:

• to formulate and advise Council, Presidential team and Society Director on BGS R & D policy
• to promote to R & D funders the importance of grassland R & D
• to influence R & D funders towards BGS priority areas
• to respond to Government consultations and reflect the views and concerns of members
• to participate in Government and industry reviews of research programmes
• to make recommendations to Council on the improvement of knowledge transfer
• to manage the vacational studentship and travel award schemes

BGS priorities for grassland R & D are regularly reviewed. The current priorities document for 2009-12 can be viewed here.

Comments are invited and should be addressed to the BGS Office.