With no direct government funding for horticultural development for many years and the demise of ADHB Horticulture last year, the industry has to rely on grant funding to drive innovation.
That’s why news of a new £5 million grant funded competition to help scale up farming, will be welcomed with open arms.
Organisations such as ADAS, EMR, Rothamstead and Stockbridge Technology Centre have important roles to play in the future of horticulture, but these extra funds are vital in supporting the industry’s need to self-fund crucial R&D that leads to more efficient and effective technology.
It has been a challenging few years for glasshouse growers to say the least. But, nevertheless they remain committed to becoming more efficient when and where possible, which not only helps their own businesses but the industry at large.
The trouble is however, that growers never know when these grants funds are going to be announced. Therefore they can’t rely on them or plan ahead.
But, we should embrace them when they come. They provide opportunities for growers that might have some of their own money to invest, to be match funded for further funds that might enable them to complete projects they wouldn’t otherwise be able to fund.
It is interesting that this fund calls for ideas to be put forward on farm resilience. In the current climate, what makes a horticultural company resilient?
One thing is for sure, growers will want to future proof their own businesses as much as possible to protect themselves from future challenges such as rises in energy costs and on-going labour issues or even extreme weather.
But what else makes a business resilient and how does the horticulture industry remain productive, sustainable, viable, relevant and successful in the future?
Once again, this points towards the need for a national agri/hort strategy that deals with all the above. It won’t make things instantly better for growers, but it will bring clarity to how the industry will operate and be supported in the future.
Yes, we now have a national food strategy, which is a start, but the farming sector which encompasses both agriculture and horticulture is only a small part of that. It is a multi-billion pound industry responsible for the provision of a large percentage of the nation’s food. Surely that alone means it deserves its own strategy and focus?
The August issue also includes articles on,
- Pepper grower’s pest warning
- Flower Trials review
- Fleuroselect convention in UK
- Happily on the peat free path
- Robots and powerful LEDs dominate
- National Plant Show review
To read these and more from “The Commercial Greenhouse Grower” subscribe today – find out more here.
