Potato Review

www.potatoreview.com POTATO REVIEW JULY/AUGUST 2021 5 NEWS WHILE growers will continue to fund AHDB Potatoes this year, as the organisation winds down its activities, the organisation has stressed that the levy will be kept as low as possible. A ministerial decision, expected this summer, will conclusively decide the future of the AHDB’s potato and horticulture activities. Meanwhile, the organisation has said the levy will be required to fund operational liabilities as well as contributing to cross-sector activities, but has stressed that it will be set at the “lowest possible” rate. The news follows the outcome of a petition signed by 176 levy-paying potato growing or buying businesses earlier this year into whether or not a statutory levy should continue. There was a conclusive ‘no’ vote against its continuation, with 66.4% of voters opposed to the continuation of the levy Defra Minister Victoria Prentis MP had previously sparked anger from growers who organised the ballot - Peter Thorold, John Bratley, Simon Redden - when she said that the 2021/22 levy will be collected. John said: “Potato growers across the UK have had enough of this expensive compulsory levy body which oers little in return and doesn’t understand the realities of the marketplace that today’s modern businesses operate in. Looking at the voting analysis published by UK Engage, these sentiments are shared by both growers and potato buyers.” Peter added: “The administration associated with closing the sector is essentially a desktop operation and the reserves the organisation holds should be used to cover such eventualities.” Funding will be provided for current research programmes to the end of contracts, and 42 of these contracts will end by March 2022, AHDB has stated. A recent AHDB statement said: “Subject to a ministerial decision, the remaining research contracts and other technical work that is wanted and valued by growers, but might need a managed transition, will be reviewed to ensure levy payers do not lose the value of their investment to date in these projects.” Research into new potato storage at AHDB’s Sutton Bridge facility will cease and there will be a limited knowledge exchange service available until the end of May next year. Any contracted events will still go ahead, but all others due to take place from the beginning of this month have been cancelled. AHDB is in discussion with Defra, the devolved administrations, industry and levy payers about the possible transition of services to other providers. Any companies, organisations or industry groups who are interested in taking on this work can register interest by emailing Strategy Director Rob Clayton at rob.clayton@ahdb.org.uk . Levy tobeminimisedas activities arewounddown Empathy urged as sta face job losses AHDB is now stopping programmes of work that could be restarted in the future by grower associations, individual growers or the supply chain. This includes export market access and promotional international trade event work, consumer marketing campaigns and market pricing and insight information. The organisation has said it will continue to deliver limited emergency work on pests and diseases, including the Extension of Authorisation for Minor Use (EAMU)’s and some contracted research work. InterimCEO Ken Boyns said this is the ‘responsible’ thing to do and confirmed that ‘a large number’ of sta now faced ‘uncertainty’ about their jobs. “We would ask growers to respect the contribution they have made to horticulture and potatoes and the personal empathy required as we implement these changes,” he said. The growers who organised the ballot have questioned the need to collect a levy this year. Rob Clayton has urged any companies or groups interested in taking on services to get in touch with him. Scottish consultationonAHDB services A SURVEY was conducted by NFU Scotland (NFUS) and the Scottish Society of Crop Research (SSCR) for three weeks in June after a number of concerns were raised about the loss of key AHDB Potatoes functions following the ballot outcome. NFUS says the survey results will not result in a new version of AHDB being formed, but will enable more informed discussions to take place between the UK Government and members of the industry going forward, while ensuring the valued functions can still be carried out and establishing how these should be carried out and funded. Growers were urged to take part in the survey by NFU Scotland’s Potatoes Working Group Chairman, MikeWilson, who said: “We need to look forward to the future to protect, maintain and improve our brilliant potato industry without the AHDB having a role in that.”