What a difference a month makes! April showers arrived in May as a relentless deluge, threatening the success of the Chelsea Flower Show and wiping out many outdoor activities over the last bank holiday. However, some of us retained our stiff upper lip as we braved the elements, our immense enthusiasm never waning for the delights of the great British barbecue! But all was forgotten only days later, as temperatures soared above the national average for the time of year and we contemplated the diversity of this green and pleasant land - and the impact of such unstable conditions on our crops and our industry.

At the FPC, we embraced another busy month. Re:fresh was an outstanding success again this year and I thank you for the encouraging and constructive feedback; it is always great to hear your views. Conference speakers were well received, and the Eat in Colour presentation updated us on the successful progression of this industry-wide PR campaign. We congratulate the winners and finalists of the awards. If you were unsuccessful in securing an award, why not start thinking about next year? There’s no harm in early preparation, and entries for 2008 are set to be even stronger and more competitive as these awards gain in popularity.

We are currently in the middle of a run of Defra Plant Health Seminars, starting in Manchester last week and rolling out across the country throughout the first half of June. I look forward to seeing many of you at these events. Impending changes are crucial to UK import businesses and agents, and it is encouraging to see so many of you have signed up to attend these workshops to better understand the details.

A diary date for 2008! The FPC Annual Dinner is scheduled for Saturday, February 2. The Savoy will be closed for refurbishment so, following popular request, we have booked the Intercontinental, London - details to follow.

And finally, Douglas Pattie, our technical advisor, has now left the team, although he will be back to attend the June Pesticide Working Group Meeting. We thank Douglas for his input and commitment to the FPC over the past few years and wish him all the very best in his change of career. We very much look forward to welcoming a new member to the team at the end of July.

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