"It's unusual and it's encouraging to have such high-level affirmation in a speech like that for science.
"So we're thrilled to bits."
While tax issues dominated the Prime Minister's speech, he also spoke of the importance to the economy of "generating and using new ideas".
"The challenge for New Zealand is to get more of our firms using science, research and technology to deliver more valuable products and services.
"Science and innovation are therefore key elements of the Government's economic agenda."
Mr Goldson, who was attending the Southern Field Days at Waimumu, near Gore, yesterday, noted the Government intended to give priority to science and research when allocating new spending in this year's Budget.
"That undertaking was made and that means a fair bit to the science community."
He considered government measures already undertaken, such as the review of Crown research institutes (CRI), reflected "an awakening of the importance of science to New Zealand's economic growth and environmental and social quality".
Mr Key said the Government would this year change the way it invested in the institutes and would introduce measures to "get more research and knowledge out of CRIs and into firms".
Mr Goldson said the farming community was "pretty good" at picking up new ideas, but the Ministry of Agriculture was looking at ways to improve "technology transfer".
Biotech industry organisation NZBio also welcomed Mr Key's speech.
Chief executive Bronwyn Dilley said Mr Key recognised the "vital role" bio-based industries had in boosting the economy.
"The steadily increasing number of organisations actively involved in biotechnology-related activities, the growth in income and export revenues and the number of people employed by the sector all demonstrate a solid foundation from which we can add value to other industries and create new products to springboard New Zealand's economic performance."
Federated Farmers president Don Nicolson said he was excited by the possible increase in public funding for research and development.
"Federated Farmers wants the major political parties to sign on to a 3% research and development spend by 2029."
