Today, it is widely acknowledged that agriculture is at a crossroads. The need for greater productivity to cope with a growing population and changing consumer demands - coupled with the necessity that this be done sustainably by reducing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions - presents a number of challenges. Inspired by the successes of the Green Revolution in the 20th century, which saw global cereal production double over the course of 30 years or so, greater levels of research-driven innovation have been promoted as offering a solution to these twin crises; yet this method is not without its own problems. A number of publications in recent years have pointed to there being a failure to 'translate' the basic science conducted by agricultural and horticultural scientists into effective technologies 'on the ground'. This paper considers what lessons the agricultural knowledge & innovation system (AKIS) can learn from medical research translation by reviewing recent literature on translational science and implementation. It is hoped that such a synthesis will contribute to agri-innovation policy formation in the UK.