FUTURE ON HOLD

Words by: Spence Gunn

Six months after the horticulture and potato sectors collectively voted to withdraw from the AHDB compulsory levy, growers are still waiting for a government decision on the legislative change needed to fulfi l ministers’ repeated promises that the outcomes of the ballots ‘will be respected’.

Those who campaigned to hold the ballot have pointed out it was a vote for or against the continuation of a statutory levy, rather than a poll on the work of AHDB.

But some growers and crop associations take the view that a form of collective grower funding is still needed, even if only for work in areas such as applying for crop protection extensions of authorisation for minor use (EAMUs), which few farms and nurseries have the resources to do alone. And they are concerned that the lack of clarity from government will soon scupper the chances of establishing any form of voluntary grower-led programmes to continue work in areas they believe are of value.

“There continues to be a wide range of views, and there will always be a proportion of growers who want to manage things alone,” says NFU Horticulture and Potatoes Board chair Ali Capper.

“However, a lot believe collaboration is important and see the need for some sort of collective funding mechanism for the fundamental, must-do things like EAMUs, emergency authorisations and horizon-scanning to identify emerging pest and disease threats.”

Many say they support the idea of some form of voluntary, sectorbased funding where they could vote both on the level of funds needed and the work to be done.

Twenty-three projects or programmes in horticulture will end horticulture and potato sectors collectively voted to withdraw from the AHDB compulsory levy, growers are still waiting for a government decision on Future on hold by March next year, including crop protection programmes and EAMU authorisations, and work on disease detection and forecasting, insect pest control, soil health and automation. In potatoes, 19 programmes will run to the completion of their the legislative change needed to fulfi l Some growers favour an independent approach contracts in March, covering storage, crop ministers’ repeated promises that the to R&D, others a more collaborative one. But protection and soil management. outcomes of the ballots lack of a ministerial decision following the ‘will be respected’. Those who campaigned AHDB ballots is keeping everyone in limbo A ‘BETTER’ LEVY? Proposals for a new, to hold the ballot have independent ‘growerpointed out it was a vote for managed research agency’ or against the continuation of were put to Defra at the end of a statutory levy, rather than a July by the Growers Better Levy poll on the work of AHDB. Group (GBLG). The group is drawn

But some growers and crop from more than 30 businesses across associations take the view that a form the horticulture and potato sectors and of collective grower funding is still is backed by some crop sector needed, even if only for work in areas associations – although it describes such as applying for crop protection itself as a group of concerned growers extensions of authorisation for minor rather than an elected body. use (EAMUs), which few farms and Their proposal is for a ‘small’ nurseries have the resources to do statutory levy to fund critical work, alone. And they are concerned that the together with a voluntary investment lack of clarity from government will Mrs Capper adds: “Nothing can move for sector or crop-specifi c soon scupper the chances of forward till we have a ministerial programmes, for which the group is establishing any form of voluntary decision. I can’t believe that didn’t seeking government tax reliefs and grower-led programmes to continue happen before parliament broke up for match-funding arrangements. Run by work in areas they believe are of value. the summer. By the time it returns we’ll growers, the body itself may only need have barely six months before most of a minimal structure, it says. the AHDB-funded horticulture and “The R&D would be directed by an potatoes R&D work is stopped. elected, independent board of “If nothing is in place by then, we representative growers who would risk researchers moving on and so decide on research priorities and much accumulated knowledge and projects, in consultation with the wider expertise disappearing with them. industry, including businesses and After that it could be impossible to pick grower associations,” says GBLG chair up again with any continuity.” Phil Pearson, director of glasshouse How much levy growers will be salads grower APS Group. charged this year is also contingent on Defra, however, may be reluctant to the ministerial decision. draw up legislation to create a separate AHDB said the rate for horticulture levy-collecting body. was likely to be ‘considerably lower’ due It’s developing a new industry and to the sector’s high level of fi nancial farmer-driven Farming Innovation reserves, but the potato rate is expected Programme that it says will stimulate to be similar to last year. innovation and boost sustainable In the summer, the levy board productivity in agriculture and published plans to wind up its work horticulture. That package will be open in horticulture and potatoes. to applications in 2022.

programmes in horticulture will end by March next year, including crop protection programmes and EAMU authorisations, and work on disease detection and on hold forecasting, insect pest control, soil health and automation. In potatoes, 19 programmes will run to the completion of their contracts in March, covering storage, crop to R&D, others a more collaborative one. But protection and soil management. lack of a ministerial decision following the

AHDB ballots is keeping everyone in limbo independent ‘growermanaged research agency’ were put to Defra at the end of July by the Growers Better Levy Group (GBLG). The group is drawn from more than 30 businesses across the horticulture and potato sectors and is backed by some crop sector associations – although it describes itself as a group of concerned growers rather than an elected body. Their proposal is for a ‘small’ statutory levy to fund critical work, together with a voluntary investment Mrs Capper adds: “Nothing can move for sector or crop-specifi c forward till we have a ministerial programmes, for which the group is decision. I can’t believe that didn’t seeking government tax reliefs and happen before parliament broke up for match-funding arrangements. Run by the summer. By the time it returns we’ll growers, the body itself may only need

Leading recruitment expert whose untiring work helped growers harvest this year’s crop against the odds has warned that plans for 2022 must be put in place much earlier.

The clock is already ticking for businesses that will need seasonal workers to help them harvest next year’s crops, a leading recruitment agency has warned.

Doug Amesz, whose efforts to ensure growers could get this year’s crops picked included setting up a whole new supply chain, has said the Home Office simply has to make a better job of organising the seasonal workers scheme for next year.

“We just can’t risk being left in the same situation again,” said Doug, who founded and runs AG Recruitment with wife Estera.

“This year was an incredibly close-run thing and in truth we only got away with it because the cold spring delayed the growing season and gave us a few weeks in which to catch up. Without that we would undoubtedly have seen produce left to rot in the fields.”

While the cold weather helped, Doug’s own response played an even more important part in saving the harvest for the UK’s growers. After switching his focus to Ukraine, he had to set up four new offices and then recruit 15 new people to staff those offices. “In effect I had to set up what was essentially a new business – in a hurry,” he recalled.

AG Recruitment was one of two new agencies invited by DEFRA and the Home Office to recruit the 30,000 overseas workers allowed into the country this year. The authorities didn’t make it easy, though; even though he knew his company had been given the job, Doug wasn’t allowed to begin recruiting workers, or even tell anyone, while the Home Office spent several weeks carrying out ‘due diligence’ checks.

“It was very late in the day when we were finally given the go-ahead, by which time it really felt like there was a gun at our heads,” he said. “We had to move incredibly quickly to find, recruit and sort out visas and transport for the picking teams UK growers so desperately needed.”

With workers from Bulgaria and Romania less keen to travel to the UK and pre-settled and settled status workers increasingly disinterested in picking vegetables and fruits on British farms, Doug spent several months in Ukraine lining up a reliable source of workers. The results, though, repaid the long days and hard work. “The Ukrainian workforce we are now bringing over is keen, skilled and as good as any we have recruited in recent years,” he said. “I am delighted with the standard of the teams; it’s just a pity that the late announcements and continual delays pushed things so close to the wire.”

Although demand has been high for overseas workers to help with this year’s fruit and veg harvest, AG Recruitment has some headroom left within the 7,500 visas available to the recruitment specialists in 2021.

While the allocation is an annual figure, there is some flexibility at the end of the year, which means horticultural businesses that know they will need help in the first quarter of next year should get in touch with AG Recruitment now. “We can use the last of this year’s visas to recruit workers in December, as long as they travel to the UK early in 2022,” he explained.

While he has pulled out all the stops to meet the demands of the industry so far this year, Doug has warned that the Government really needs to move more quickly ahead of 2022. “Not only do we need confirmation that the scheme will continue, but we need to know how many people we are going to be able to recruit,” he said.

“We can’t wait until December for a decision again this year, as that just doesn’t allow enough time to get everything in place, find the right people, organise visas and transport and get them on to the farms here in the UK. Ideally we need decisions to be made in September.”

Doug is now looking to set up another operation in Russia to broaden AG’s recruitment options and believes the

Home Office needs to increase the number of seasonal workers allowed into the country next year to 60,000. He highlighted the fact that the domestic workforce once touted as a replacement for seasonal workers has shown no signs of wanting to pick up the slack.

Doug is also looking more broadly at ways of ensuring growers and recruiters work together to deliver the best service to the industry. He is determined to campaign against the idea that growers should cover the costs of visas and transport, something he describes as “completely unworkable”.