Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique

The Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA, pronounced [inʁa]) is a French public research institute dedicated to scientific studies surrounding the problems of agriculture. It was founded in 1946, and is a public scientific and technological establishment (EPST) under the joint authority of the Ministries of research and Agriculture.

According to its mission statement, its objectives are:

to serve the public interest, whilst maintaining consistency between its research goals and the demands of society;

to acquire and disseminate information on scientific knowledge and innovation, particularly in the fields of agriculture, food and the environment; and

to contribute to decision-making and training, to promote the transfer of scientific knowledge and participate in the science-society debate.

INRA maintains a unique collection of vines at Domaine de Vassal, Montpellier, a site selected because phylloxera cannot survive there.