John Hall’s resignation was very disappointing. We had struck up a good working relationship with him to ensure that growers’ views were taken account of during this period of change in the way in which the levy boards are run. The news that Andrew Colquhoun, former director general of the RHS, has agreed to act as interim chairman will ensure that horticulture continues to be represented and we will be meeting him immediately to explain how NFU horticulture sees Levy Board (UK) and the new horticulture sector developing.

I have become very concerned that the continuing negative reporting of Levy Board (UK) will start to have an impact on horticulture’s influence on the process. Growers were understandably uneasy about the potential impact of the changes to the way in which their levy board operated. The HDC has done a good job over the past few years and there is no reason why this should not carry on under the new arrangements. Indeed there is potential for the new horticulture sector company to build on the recent work of the HDC but to do that we must work with the new arrangements and influence the outcome.

The continuing debate on carbon footprinting is now becoming a bandwagon that would appear difficult to stop. Yet I am not sure that anyone really knows what a good or bad footprint is - let alone the best way to measure it. If our industry is to take advantage of this (because consumers want to source locally) then we must ensure that there is one recognised measure and not a multiplicity of formulas. As important will be to ensure that it is not a carbon footprint alone but also takes into account environmental measures. It cannot be right to take one aspect of a production system in isolation while ignoring other aspects. That’s why I favour an environmental footprint which takes in management of the countryside as well as the measurement of carbon expended. A carbon footprint alone may put some sectors of horticulture in a harsh light.

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