The new collaboration between four of horticulture’s leading associations, including the Tomato Growers Association and the Cucumber Growers Association, to help save crop research and development following the demise of AHDB Horticulture and the statutory levy, is welcome.
The organisations are determined to ensure that research and development will continue through a voluntary levy system and collaborate as far as they can in order to drive value for money and to share resources to avoid duplicating costs.
This highlights a real coming together of the industry, across the sectors at a time when it is needed the most. It also starts to explore where some growers really wanted to go, without a levy that goes directly to one organisation and research that isn’t necessarily directly decided by the growers paying that levy. This was the argument made by many as to why AHDB Horticulture should no longer remain.
Whether that argument is right or wrong, growers should now be given the chance to lead decision making on research and development and this new collaboration could be the perfect platform. They are the best people to understand and advise on what the research priorities should be.
At the heart of this is the EAMU (Extension of Authorisation for Minor Use) programme, which is currently being run by AHDB until the end of March 2023.
EAMUs give the UK horticulture industry access to crop protection products, ensuring growers have the essential tools they need to protect the health of their crops and to remain competitive. This work prioritises pest and disease issues for each of the crops.
It is vital that this and some of the other sound scientific research is continued in the most effective way to ensure continuity and consistency.
Something else that needs to be considered is the balance between the different types of research. This should ideally lean towards more applied research that is able to be quickly implemented by growers so that they can use it to help make better decisions for their businesses.
There is a real opportunity with this collaboration and the sector should embrace all it has to offer.
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