Horticulture ballot: Town Hall FAQs

The question is: 

Do you agree that the statutory horticulture levy (including the mushroom levy) should continue? 

The result will then go to ministers who will consider it and then make a decision on the future, however Ministers are not bound by the result of the ballot itself. 

The government have said that there is no scope to wind the clock back and recreate ‘HDC’ (Horticulture Development Council which became AHDB along with the other levy boards).

On average, around 20 people have attended each Town Hall open meeting. The audience has been a mixture of levy payers, stakeholders and the media. By the end of our Town Hall programme, AHDB Horticulture will have held 11 open meetings and so, we estimate that around 200 people will have attended. 

We know that some of those who have attended, will have done so on behalf of their organisation, and so we envisage that what we have discussed in these sessions will be reaching more interested parties. 

This is not the only opportunity, however, to engage. We are keen to continue speaking to as many levy payers as possible either on a one-to-one basis or through industry meetings. This includes our senior team and Research and Knowledge Exchange teams who are attending a variety of grower association meetings. 

Ultimately, we want to ensure that all levy payers have had the opportunity to ask their questions, so that they feel well-informed when they cast their vote. 

As part of our new strategy, we have outlined a commitment to improve how we engage and interact with our levy payers. This includes inviting you to join an ongoing conversation with AHDB to have your say on the work we do and where your levy money is spent. 

Go to the Change programme and strategy 2021–2026 where you can find out more about how you can get involved (see page 7 of the strategy document). Or visit our Town Hall events page for details on the last of the sessions aimed at all Horticulture growers in an open conversation format.

At present, the Statutory Instrument (which is the legislation under which AHDB operates) allows for: 

• A ballot to be called in a sector, at any time, by either the AHDB Board or by Ministers
• Levy payers to trigger a ballot if 5%+ of levy payers in a sector request one. However, once a ballot has run, levy payers themselves cannot trigger another one in that sector for five years 

The current statutory instrument only allows for a yes / no question on the continuation of a statutory levy.  

We have made a commitment in summer 2020, to move to holding regular ballots which will take place, perhaps every five years. This requires a change in the legislation governing AHDB and Defra and the Devolved Administrations are working up the detail of how a regular ballot may operate include the question or questions that may be asked. Initial discussions have suggested the first ballot might be five-years on from the Defra-led Request for Views on AHDB.

Levy payers are at the heart of what we do, but we recognise that there is more that we can do to engage with a greater number of growers. Within AHDB, the panel structure is unique to Horticulture however, there are only around 50-60 growers engaged across all the panels.

Every grower should be able to tell us at some level what their priority is and have the opportunity to engage or become more involved e.g. as part of a project group, a committee, an online portal, etc. 

Starting from now, we have the ability to transform the way we interact with growers. We are inviting you to join an ongoing conversation with AHDB to have your say on the work we do and where your levy money is spent. 

Go to the Change programme and strategy 2021–2026 where you can find out more about how you can get involved (see page 7 of the strategy document).

• AHDB are developing a more comprehensive account management approach that enables us to communicate effectively with all growers regardless of their size whilst recognising the needs of a large levy paying business may be different to a small one
• We need to get the right balance between face to face engagement and the ability to have quick online round table discussions with growers at all levels, in a way that suits them and their business
• All growers must be able to feed into the AHDB and submit priorities are accessible and needed by all growers e.g. EAMUs

We need and want to work collaboratively with levy payers to ensure that our knowledge transfer and communications are accessible to all.

AHDB operates on a fundamental principle that we provide a service to levy payers. If you feel that we don’t listen to levy payers and we don’t respond to your comments and queries, then we have to revaluate how we are delivering that service. This is why we have embarked on a programme of radical reform including enhanced engagement with levy payers; you know your businesses and we’ve got to listen to you to ensure that we meet your needs. 

AHDB Horticulture currently has over 1,400 levy payers, and research programmes and levies have to be determined with the whole agreement of the different crop groups within Horticulture. AHDB Horticulture operates a panel structure with around 50-60 growers engaged across all the panels. But, we want to go further to ensure that every levy payer has the opportunity to engage with us in a way that’s meaningful for them.  This will support a more collaborative and partnership approach. 

We know that AHDB has previously used a one size fits all approach to communications. We recognise that a man-marking approach with a member of our team to support you will ensure that businesses can feed back and better access our services. We are determined that no one will go through the year without someone from AHDB being in touch.

Absolutely, we have learnt a lot this year. We have reached new audiences with our digital offering this year and will look to continue to deliver online events.  We do also recognise the continuing importance of face-to-face engagement, so will look to deliver a mix of online and face-to-face events in the future.  

We are also committed to delivering a new online service for levy payers next year. We’re open for business – engage with us.

The Group comprises some of the large levy payers across Horticulture and Potatoes. We are aware that they have been working up an alternative view of how AHDB should or should not look. 

Throughout December, we have had some very useful working sessions and discussions with them, and they have come up with some very useful suggestions on how we can deliver. We are very appreciative of the amount of time that this Group has put into this. Their conclusion is that they are supportive of AHDB but things need to change. 

They are not the only group that we have been speaking to. We have had many useful conversations with other groups as part of this process and look forward to much more continued engagement with these groups, as well as individual levy payers. 

Subject to a yes vote in the ballot, grower engagement via internal groups such as grower panels and their sub-groups, as well as external bodies such as grower associations and producer organisations, will be critical in defining and driving the priorities for AHDB Horticulture. 

The Government’s Request for Views consultation on AHDB called for our governance to modernise to improve transparency, efficiency and accountability to industry. Using feedback from levy payers, we are undertaking a review of our governance. This work is ongoing and proposals are being considered by the AHDB Board. 

We have made a further commitment to involve levy payers in steering the work that we do to ensure the best possible return for levy. More information can be found in our Change programme and strategy 2021–2026.

There is a governance review which is yet to be completed and so it is too early to say if there will be any potential change to the panels. 

We want to make sure that we have levy payer support for any changes. As such, if the result of the ballot vote is ‘yes’, we will be discussing with levy payers any proposals for the future. 

Our aim is to build on the great foundation of the panels and develop levy payer engagement through several methods, so every grower has the opportunity to highlight priorities and steer investment.

The Change programme and strategy 2021–2026 includes a clear programme of change, including amendments to the existing Statutory Instrument. AHDB is already working with levy payers across all sectors to deliver the changes that will make a difference to each levy payer, such as the levy mechanism. However, this is not a top-down process and we want to further engage with levy payers to ensure that future needs and priorities are met. 

We recognise there are genuine differences between the challenges facing sectors and even within sectors. Levy payers’ requirements for research, marketing, exports or analysis are not the same. One size does not fit all and levies must be set to reflect the value provided. Within Horticulture, we also know that there are specific challenges for different crops which require targeted solutions. 

The new Chair, Nicholas Saphir was appointed with a remit for reform following the Request for Views exercise by the Government. Hayley Campbell-Gibbons, Chair of the Horticulture Board ,has been championing change for levy payers throughout her time in post. Both are personally committed to ensure that AHDB delivers this change for levy payers.

It is a common criticism of AHDB that it has become bureaucratic and top heavy. As a public body, we have to answer to the Statutory Instrument. There are things we would like to change now, but we can’t as we have to change the Statutory Instrument to do so. However, we are proactively working with the Government now to address this. 

We want a new structure that is co-designed with levy payers to ensure that all sectors will be able to access funds and turn around projects as needed. It will be a flexible approach and run at sector level. It will be much more about sectors making the decisions about where they want to spend the levy. 

In Horticulture, engagement with levy payers to achieve this is absolutely vital. We couldn’t do what we do without levy payer involvement. We need to get the right balance between face to face engagement and the ability to have quick online round table discussions with growers at all levels, in a way that suits them and their business.

Absolutely. Our Change programme and strategy 2021–2026 is about co-designing the way costs and the setting of levies will take place, as well greater levy payer engagement. 

The Horticulture Board and the panels are already grower-led. The message that we want levy payers to take away is that we want more grower involvement and engagement to enhance the operation.

We are embarked on radical reform – change is already happening.  Results from the Government-led Request for Views were published in April. We responded to this by publishing our five commitments to levy payers. This month we published our Change programme and strategy 2021–2026. This is out there for levy payers to give us their feedback. This demonstrates the changes that we are making and we are genuinely wanting levy payer feedback – we are here to listen, we are not here to tell you.

Levy payers are at the heart of what we do, but we recognise that there is more that we can do to engage with a greater number of growers. Within AHDB, the panel structure is unique to Horticulture however, there are only around 50-60 growers engaged across all the panels. 

Every grower should be able to tell us at some level what their priority is and have the opportunity to engage or become more involved e.g. as part of a project group, a committee, an online portal, etc. 

Starting from now, we have the ability to transform the way we interact with growers. We are inviting you to join an ongoing conversation with AHDB to have your say on the work we do and where your levy money is spent. 

If anyone has any suggestions, please tell us. Go to the Change programme and strategy 2021–2026 where you can find out more about how you can get involved (see page 7 of the strategy document).

There will be a five-year ballot and the timetable and process are being discussed with Defra. 

Five years from the original request for views in 2018 (2.5 years from now) would be logical and then a five year cycle, but we are in discussion with Defra as to the timing and the make-up of such a ballot - by crop, by value of levy, by region are all being discussed - including whether it's a ballot just on levy continuation or also on the programmes delivered.

One of the principles in our Modern Levy System proposal is that “AHDB will undertake work where there is value in the industry resourcing it collectively”. Under this principle, the levy is only to be used to fund activity that is more valuable to growers when conducted for the benefit of that whole group. 

Within ornamentals, an example of this is the vine weevil work. Research is conducted on a range of sample crops. So whilst this means that 70 crops have been trialled, the findings can be adapted more widely meaning that the learnings from that research benefit the majority of growers. Those individual tweaks that levy payers will make by using the findings as a template are what provides growers with their own competitive edge. 

Regarding tax relief, AHDB cannot comment on something that is different to each levy payer and their own unique circumstance. We would suggest levy payers speak with their own advisors regarding their tax position. 

We’re inviting input to the levy mechanism conversation from growers. We want to better understand from the levy payers’ perspective what AHDB is delivering now, that growers feel they could achieve more efficiently as an individual. To take part in that conversation, go to the Change programme and strategy 2021–2026 where you can find out more about how you can feed back (see page 7 of the strategy document).

AHDB is grateful for the time and engagement that we get from our six grower panels. 57 companies and individuals sit on these panels and working with our Research and Knowledge Exchange Managers they guide our work and provide feedback on grower needs and priorities. 

We have announced some proposed changes to how the main AHDB Board works following our governance review and have committed to co-designing the level of decision making below the main board. That is the key level for sector priorities to be decided at and it is key that growers are able in to input into that future process. We want more input from levy payers – the way we get that might vary from sector to sector as they are all different. 

Subject to a yes vote in the ballot, change will come and levy payers will be critical in defining and driving the priorities for AHDB Horticulture for the future.

The Defra Request for Views really provided a catalyst for change. When Hayley Campbell-Gibbons commenced in post as AHDB Board Member and Chair of the Horticulture Board around two years ago, she committed to addressing key concerns raised by growers. 

Equally, Nicholas Saphir, AHDB Chair, was appointed in early 2020 with a remit to reform AHDB. Since his appointment, AHDB has published its Five Commitments to levy payers including greater levy payer say on how their levy is invested, a new ballot on the levy and reviews of AHDB’s governance and levy systems. In December, AHDB published its Change Programme and Strategy 2021 - 2026. 

Additionally, AHDB is in the process of recruiting a new Chief Executive Officer and we are hopeful that they may be in post as early as April 2021. 

We have proposed to Defra for ministers to appoint six new AHDB board members to replace those board members that are completing their terms on the board on 31/3/2021. 

The new Change Programme directly responds to grower feedback, including key concerns about the levy. AHDB is transforming how the horticulture levy is calculated and how budgets are set. Our aim is to ensure the levy rate is fair, proportionate and is also flexible enough to reflect the varying needs of crop sectors. More details can be found here and we are actively inviting growers to have their say on these proposals.     

AHDB has also been working with specialist independent consultants to look at the reform of the governance structure. 

Change is being driven and change will come.

The Government’s Request for Views consultation on AHDB called for our governance to modernise to improve transparency, efficiency and accountability to industry. Using feedback from levy payers, we are undertaking a review of our governance. 

We have announced some proposed changes to how the main AHDB board works following our governance review and have committed to co-designing the level of decision making below the main board. That is the key level for sector priorities to be decided on and it is key that growers are able in to input into that future process. Levy payers have to be able to have more input in to what work is commissioned and transparently know the costs associated with that work. We have committed to cut staff and support costs across AHDB. 

More information can be found in our Change programme and strategy 2021–2026. 

Starting from now, we have the ability to transform the way we interact with growers. We are inviting you to join an ongoing conversation with AHDB to have your say on the work we do and where your levy money is spent. Go to Change programme and strategy 2021–2026 where you can find out more about how you can get involved (see page 7 of the strategy document).

The levy collection mechanism is written in the statutory instrument which is the legislation under which we operate. In response to feedback from growers and the Government’s Request for Views, we are working with growers to review the mechanism and have committed to design a more modern levy system. 

Once this work is completed, there will be consultation on the proposals and they will go to UK Ministers for agreement and then be built into the statutory instrument under which we operate. 

Go to the Change programme and strategy 2021–2026 for more information on the proposed levy changes. 

Alternatively, please contact Rebecca Geraghty, Chief Technical Officer, Rebecca.Geraghty@ahdb.org.uk

As part of AHDB’s Change Programme, we have been addressing the issues of delivering programmes that are wanted by levy payers and ensuring they deliver value through a modern levy system. We have proposed to set levy rates through zero based budgeting in the future i.e. changing levy rates up and down to undertake the work we are asked to do by levy payers. 

We are proposing to have different rates for different horticultural groups. We are seeking feedback on proposals set out in the strategy document.  

Once the new levy system has been designed in discussion with growers to ensure it’s relevant and practicable, proposals will then be submitted to ministers for agreement and then built into the statutory instrument which is the legislation under which we operate.

Legislative changes are dependent on the Parliamentary calendar and also usually require a 12-week period of industry consultation. So realistically legislative changes are unlikely to be in place before spring 2022. 

We are committed to putting the required evidence together in early 2021 to support the parliamentary process. 

In the meantime, there are changes that AHDB can and already are making. We are seeking feedback on proposals set out in the strategy document so get in touch to have your say. 

The timeframe for the new budgeting cycle is expected to have a broad structure for around three years as  it needs to be of a sufficient length to allow us to commit to research programmes – but this does not mean we cannot have some flex in rates on an annual basis to deal with changes in the industry. 

In the future we will set the levy rate for each crop and/or sector to fund the priorities that the levy payers determine. This means that levy rates may go up and down accordingly. It is also worth noting that we have to change the Statutory Instrument to allow different crop groups to have different rates. 

We intend to sit down with levy payers and determine what this means and could look like for different crop groups.

We investigate all reports of non-payment of levy and often find they are actually paying or below the threshold to pay. We also now using satellite imaging technology and have new data sharing agreements in place with the government that helps us address this issue. We have increased auditing of levy returns over the recent years to ensure the correct amount of levy is paid. 

We also recognise that we need to ensure that the levy process is as easy and accessible as possible to all potential levy payers.

Applied research and development remains a key focus of AHDB Horticulture. Research institutions want to draw on our experience and relationships, and we believe that there is enormous opportunity for future partnerships from both research councils and private investment. 

As a non-departmental government organisation, AHDB occupies a space within the industry to bring together the commercial and research sectors. The role of AHDB in facilitating is important and by using our knowledge and connections, we help to facilitate the delivery of research and support for emergency challenges, such as Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus (ToBRFV) when the industry needs it. We have already embarked on this road. 

It is important that any new levy mechanism enables growers to plan for the long term and be agile enough to tackle emerging issues. 

As we face a period of uncertainty in the wider environment, now more than ever there is a strong case that the industry should work together to solve common challenges. The statutory levy is the mechanism that enables this. If businesses vote no, there will not be another statutory levy. The government have said that there is no scope to create another levy body (for example, HDC - Horticulture Development Council - which became AHDB along with the other levy boards). 

We are committed to delivering better transparency of costs. The What do I get for my levy pages evidence this, and moving forward, there will be greater transparency still.

Absolutely. We have been researching AHDB’s counterparts around the world and have come to the conclusion that we may be able to access more funding if we leverage our position in the horticulture supply chain. 

An example of where this system works well is Horticulture Innovation Australia. In addition to this, we are looking at research councils in the UK, as well as accessing the outcomes from EU projects, such as SmartProtect. 

Applied research and development remains a key focus of AHDB Horticulture. Research institutions want to draw on our experience and relationships, and we believe that there is enormous opportunity for future partnerships from both research councils and private investment. 

We are entering a period where there is going to be huge focus on integrated pest management (IPM), environment, soils, water etc. There will be a lot of investment and we need to investigate those cross-sector opportunities so that Horticulture levy payers have as much access as possible to new products and services.

Our applied research programme has focused on crop specific, rather than production system specific, problems with outcomes that are transferable to conventional and organic production systems.  

The SCEPTREplus programme for instance, assesses both conventional and bioprotectant products to help control important pests, diseases and weeds. Whilst the AMBER project takes a step further by identifying effective management strategies for making bioprotectants work as effectively as possible in practise. 

Recent work looking at management of Spotted Wing Drosophila in soft fruit and projects to refine control of Tuta Absoluta in protected tomatoes have focused on biocontrol strategies to avoid the use of conventional pesticides to avoid disrupting established biocontrol programmes. 

Alternative weed control strategies were examined in 2020 in our leafy salads field vegetable strategic centre in collaboration with Gs Growers. AHDB also part funds the Innovative Farmers initiative which supports a variety of groups of growers and farmers to test best practice collaboratively with technical support to ensure robust outcomes and covering a range of trials from crop mulches to minimising food waste. 

We support a range of variety trial work in the vegetable sector, specifically in onions, carrots, peas and brassicas. The outcomes from this work help growers to identify varieties with good pest/disease resistant traits, as well as storage capacity. We also co-fund pre-competitive breeding clubs in our fruit sectors which develop robust root stocks and breeding material with excellent quality and production traits, alongside reduced susceptibility to diseases. 

We liaise with organic growers through our Horticulture panels, from specific representatives for organics through to technical mangers in businesses that grow for both the organic and conventional markets. However, we are always keen to hear more views and take on board suggestions, including the possibility of setting up a dedicated organics grower discussion group. 

If there is more you want to know on our current projects and activity, please do contact our technical team.

It is concerning to us if a levy payer is paying a significant levy on a specific crop and feels that they aren’t receiving value. It may be that we are delivering value and not communicating it properly, or there are issues with the crop that we are not addressing. If this is the case, we want to better engage with you. 

Improved levy payer engagement is central to our new Change Programme and Strategy 2021-26.  We want to ensure better value for levy by putting growers in the driving seat and having a greater say on how their levy is invested.  

We are also aware that AHDB has previously used a one size fits all approach to communications and that a man-marking approach with a member of our team to support you, will ensure that businesses can feed back and better access our services. We are determined that no one will go through the year without someone from AHDB being in touch. 

We need and want to work collaboratively with levy payers to ensure that our knowledge transfer and communications are accessible to all. For instance, some growers don’t realise that key information provided by their agronomists is work funded and delivered by AHDB. We support levy payers by supporting the industry and some of the services that you access is via consultants, academic researchers and other parties.  

With reference to white cabbage, our current work is looking at products that treat Botrytis on cabbage. Initially started on SCEPTREplus but ramped up due to the wet season. Herbicide trials in cabbage have also been undertaken at our Scottish Strategic Centre. 

The Pest Bulletin provides forecasts and monitoring data for a large set of Horticulture pests, helping growers understand when they might be around, which can be helpful in planning ahead to change planting times slightly in organic crops to avoid the more risky periods e.g. egg laying etc. 

If there is more you want to know on our current projects and activity, please do contact our technical team.

AHDB levy rates are currently agreed by Ministers on an annual basis. Since AHDB was formed in 2008, there has been very little change in levy rates for the AHDB sectors. However, in 2020 we reduced the horticulture levy by 10%. 

In Horticulture, we are planning to move from one levy rate for all of horticulture to different rates for different panels because we recognise that different panels have different needs.  Please see A modern levy system for more information. 

Over the next 18 months subject to a yes vote in the ballot, AHDB will focus closely on working with all levy payers to identify the key challenges and opportunities to address in their area. This will be used to plan the work and budget required to deliver the necessary research, products and services to address the sector’s needs. Based on work programmes agreed with levy payers, different levies will be set for different sectors to cover the work required – a ‘zero-based budget’ approach. 

This is a significant change from the current practice, whereby a historic level of levy is collected and then decisions are made about how to invest it. It will ensure work will only be done if it delivers clear benefits and value for money to levy payers and the industry and includes only costs charged associated to that specific work programme. 

This new approach will ensure AHDB becomes more agile to meet changing demands and ensures our tools and services will only carry on if they are delivering clear benefits and value for money to levy payers and the industry. 

It also means levy rates may go up or down depending on the ‘ask’ from levy payers. 

For more detail on this change, please see here.

AHDB operates in the pre-competitive research space providing evidence and insight that can be further developed and applied to ensure growers keep their competitive edge.  In addition, we believe that it is in the UK’s best interest, to have a whole horticulture industry that is successful.

We are always open to having conversations with any sector that feel they would benefit from collaborating together through a statutory levy. Conversations about these sort of matters do take place from time to time. Any proposals would have to have strong support from that sector.

Water is a key component of our environmental strategy. Our Soft Fruit sector has lead the way on recent work developing water efficiency strategies that also improve crop production which led to the establishment of the WET Centre, set up and run by NIAB EMR but supported and part funded by AHDB. 

Within Tree Fruit the Plum Demonstration Centre has also demonstrated water management and fertigation techniques whilst our work on Ornamentals has taken a fresh look at how reducing the irrigation applied can control increase in plant height, reducing the need to apply plant growth regulators whilst also saving water. 

We will continue to proceed with water management projects in our strategic centres and retain that cross sector focus so that the maximum number of growers and levy payers from across horticulture can benefit. Additional information on water management can be found on our weather hub pages.

Put simply, because we put staff and support cost savings as a key part of our Change Programme, more of the money that is there will be available to spend on activity which benefits growers. 

All of the Horticulture work will be grower led, but more of what is collected will be available to benefit growers. So, we envisage that there will be more levy spent on research and development and less on staff and support costs. 

At the moment there is a single horticulture levy. A significant change that we are already working on that is set out in A modern levy system is, we will raise levies not for horticulture as one levy rate but for certain horticulture crops and then that money would be ring-fenced to be spent on those crops. The current proposal is to do that based on the panels – Soft Fruit is a current panel. Levy payers will decide what the priorities for their sector are and AHDB will create a plan that delivers that work. Levy payers will then decide if it meets their needs in discussion with the team.

Unlike in some AHDB sectors, levy payers in horticulture are very close to their customers. As a result, many say “we don’t need promotional work, and I’m not interested in export.” 

However, not all feel this way. Some businesses are looking to the opportunities within their market space and have asked how they can access support from AHDB. They absolutely should be able to if they wish to, and that is reflected in the changes that we have proposed where levy payers come to us on either an individual and/or crop group basis where they outline their needs and the services that they would like to access. 

As we move forwards, we may want to differentiate British horticulture and its production from some, if not all, imports. We may want to look at a reputational campaign. But that will be part of the discussion that we have with levy payers. 

Quite simply, whether Horticulture is included in export, market intelligence or market development work, will be a decision for Horticulture levy payers.