Arable
AHDB winds down potato work following levy vote
T
he Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board is winding down the activity it undertakes on behalf of the horticulture and po- tato sectors.
It follows votes to abolish the com- pulsory levies which fund AHDB ac- tivities across both sectors. The gov- ernment has pledged to honour the outcome of the vote – which means growers will eventually no longer have to pay the levy. The AHDB said it wanted to reas- sure farmers that their views had been heard following the two ballots – al- though the levy board was still await- ing a decision on its future by govern- ment ministers in England, Scotland and Wales.
AHDB acting chief executive Ken
Boyns said the organisation was now stopping programmes of work that could be restarted in the future by grower associations, individual grow- ers or the supply chain. This includes stopping work on ex-
port market access, trade missions and promotions overseas; ending its con- sumer marketing campaigns; and call- ing a halt to market pricing and in- sight information. Mr Boyns said the AHDB would continue to deliver limited emergen- cy work on pests and diseases – includ- ing the Extension of Authorisation for Minor Use (EAMUs) and some con- tracted research work. This work would be diffi cult to re- start and would be detrimental to the industry to stop while the AHDB awaited a managed transition or a dif- ferent funding mechanism to ensure EAMU work was able to continue. Mr Boyns urged levy payers to be
patient in this period of transition. He said: “We are taking a responsible ap- proach in winding-down our work pro- grammes for the horticulture and po- tato sectors.
“In addition we have to recog- nise operational liabilities associat- ed with contracts, people and assets.
Farmers and processors
voted to abolish the potato levy
This means that some level of levy will be needed in 2021 to supplement sec- tor reserves to cover these costs as we manage the change.” The AHDB was legally obliged to collect a levy until parliament amend- ed the legislation, said Mr Boyns. Some 140 staff are expected to be made re- dundant and it would take time to im- plement those changes.
Now
The Perfect Combination... Just got better.
available to buy online
are proud to announce the launch of the new and improved grain conditioning pedestal.
Larger, and with uniformed perforations, this new model gives 12% better airflow through the grain pile.
1.5m high x 450mm diameter base Hard wearing polypropylene No chance of rusting or buckling Dual adaptor sleeve (150mm/200mm) Manufactured in the UK
www.plugandcool.co.uk 01621 868 138 24 ANGLIA FARMER • JULY 2021
sales@plugandcool.co.uk www.plugandcool.co.uk
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76
