More than 120 top-fruit growers vented their frustration, and tempers boiled over into direct anger, at a recent meeting in Kent, called to discuss the workings of the Assured Produce Scheme (APS).

The main complaint of growers was the stress caused, particularly to smaller growers, in trying to comply with what they described as the bureaucratic upheaval involved in meeting the standards.

The meeting was organised by the British Independent Fruit Growers’ Association (BIFGA), which has been leading a campaign for clarification and simplification of the scheme, before the situation deteriorates further.

One grower said that what started out as a voluntary scheme - although driven by supermarket persuasion - has now turned into an expensive “bureaucratic and over-complicated nightmare”.

At the centre of what turned into a very heated discussion was Professor Mark Tatchell, chairman of APS, which is part of the wide-ranging Farm Assured Scheme. This was his first invitation to speak to the fruit-producing industry on the scheme, and he welcomed a two-way dialogue with what he agreed is a complex sector of agriculture - the top-fruit industry.

He told FPJ he was delighted to have the opportunity to begin to build a rapport with BIFGA members, who raised a number of valid points.

“We now need to work together on ideas to solve some of these issues. This will be assisted by growers getting actively involved with the Assured Produce Board and Technical Advisory Committee,” he said.

After a disappointing previous meeting, attended by NFU president Peter Kendall, growers were at least appeased by the apparently sympathetic ear of Tatchell.

BIFGA chairman John Breach, pictured, said another meeting will be organised next year, by which time new farm assured regulations will be in place, and growers will be keen to assess their effect.

He added that BIFGA remains opposed to all assurance schemes, claiming food produced in the UK is already governed by strict EU legislation.

Growers at the meeting said that with the UK providing only 30 per cent of apples consumed domestically, farm assurance schemes should also be applied to imported apples.

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