In the previous five years (the relevant
interval for all questions), our respondents
launched, on average, seven research projects.
Two were directed toward commercial applications,
consistent with the 27% average share
of funding from industry, including commodity
producer associations. Fifty-six percent
undertook at least one project directed toward
commercial application, and 45% report some
funding from industry, a figure identical to
that reported for a broader group of landgrant
agricultural scientists by Goldberger
et al.16. (All percentages refer to fractions of
respondents.) By comparison, the studies of
biomedical scientists reviewed by Beckelman
et al.17 report that 23–28% received some
industry funding.