The Agriculture & Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has opened an industry consultation on use of its levy funds.

The board is seeking views on whether the funds should be used to support a single quality framework across its various sectors of the food supply chain.

AHDB chairman John Bridge said: “For some months, the board has been looking at product differentiation through the use of a cross-sector quality scheme as a potential part of levy-funded marketing activity.

“During this process, we have talked with various parts of the supply chain and employed independent brand consultants to help inform our thinking.

“We are now very keen to understand the views of all our stakeholder organisations and to provide them with the opportunity to help inform the AHDB board and our sector boards in our decision on this important area.”

The consultation closes on October 31, and provides background information on the subject area and asks industry for its views on seven specific questions: whether the board should invest levy payers’ money to promote the quality and standards of its sectors products; whether there needs to be a rationalisation of existing quality marks; and whether levy funds should be used to promote uptake within the industry, regulate proper use of a quality mark and build consumer awareness at an estimated cost of £500,000.

If levy payer money were to be invested in this way, the consultation asks whether AHDB should adopt the Red Tractor scheme or create a new scheme. It also asks the industry to consider which market segments or products would benefit most from the promotion of quality characteristics, either general or specific and whether levy funds should be invested in such promotion.

To take part in the full consultation visit: www.ahdb.org.uk