The Horticultural Development Company (HDC) is celebrating its 25th anniversary.
This month marks a quarter of a century of grower-funded research and development development (R&D) body.
Up until 1986, almost all R&D for commercial horticulture was government funded, either through the Ministry of Agriculture or through the Agriculture and Food Research Council.
Following a ballot to growers in 1986, a horticultural development council funded through a compulsory levy was formed.
It was tasked with ensuring that all growers of all crops could have access to knowledge based on sound applied R&D that individually they would not have been able to afford but which is essential for them to develop their businesses competitively and profitably.
HDC has said its future now depends on achieving the best applied R&D and knowledge transfer for the profitable well-being of UK horticulture.
“The need to feed more people from diminishing resources is well publicised, but quality of life and the environment also depends on a well supported and researched ornamentals industry,” it said in a statement.
HDC chairman Neil Bragg said: “Only if we take a more strategic stance between the needs of the individual sectors within horticulture can we really make the best use of our resources. Businesses are under increasing financial pressure - we must make the money we have work harder and get the best returns on our investment.”
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