View the latest newsletter from British Growers here – including updates on seasonal labour, Horticulture Crop Protection, SEDEX audits and more.
We are thrilled to be launching the 2025 Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition (YHoY) run by the Chartered Institute of Horticulture, with the online Round 1 opening for entry on Saturday 1st February 2025, the link can be found on our website and socials.
The competition is open to anyone across the UK and Ireland, who is under 30 on 31st July 2025. Whether you are a student, apprentice or working in the industry, this is a fantastic opportunity to test your horticultural knowledge and network with a wide range of individuals from across the industry.
The winner of the competition gain’s the prestige title of ‘Young Horticulturist of the Year’ and will receive a £2,500 travel bursary from The Percy Thrower Trust, generously provided by the Shropshire Horticultural Society. The winner can undertake a trip, anywhere in the world, to study, complete work experience or embark on visits related to their chosen field of horticulture
The Grand Final will be held on Saturday 10th May 2025 and we are pleased to announce this year’s Grand Final will be held at the Historic Royal Palace Hillsborough Castle and Gardens, in Northern Ireland.
Hillsborough Castle and Gardens serves as the official home of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and as a residence for the Royal Family. The historic house, built by Wills Hill, has played an important role in Northern Ireland’s history, including hosting talks that led to the formation of the Good Friday Agreement. The historic gardens, developed from the 1760s onwards, offer intriguing contrasts between formal gardens, woodland and meadows.
The National Organiser said “I can’t wait to get to Northern Ireland!! This year’s entrants are extremely lucky to have the opportunity to not only win a £2500 travel bursary but also an expenses paid trip to an exceptional Royal venue!”
To find out more about the competition and how to take part, visit the Young Horticulturist of the Year page.
If you are interested in sponsoring the 2025 competition, please contact the Chartered Institute of Horticulture – Email: yhoy@horticulture.org.uk
The Brassica and Leafy Salad Conference will take place on Thursday, 30 January 2025, at the Leicester Tigers Conference Centre. This event promises an engaging day of innovation, collaboration, and celebration within the brassica and leafy salad industries.
We are thrilled to announce BASF Nunhems as the Main Conference Sponsor. Their invaluable support ensures the success of this event.
Naz Ahmed of BASF Nunhems shared, “It gives me immense pleasure that BASF Nunhems is the main sponsor of this upcoming event. We are dedicated to fostering innovation and collaboration and look forward to sharing ideas around quality, reliability, uniformity, and consistency. We are excited to support this initiative and eagerly anticipate an unforgettable experience!”
We extend our heartfelt thanks to our other generous sponsors for their support:
- Bayer Crop Science Ltd – Networking Lunch Sponsor
- Elsoms Seeds – Technical Session Sponsor
- H L Hutchinsons – Conference Programme Sponsor
- Hazera – Networking Beverages Sponsor
- Sakata UK Ltd – Gala Dinner Drinks Reception Sponsor
- Enza Zaden UK Ltd – Gala Dinner Table Wine Sponsor
Would you like to join this fantastic line up of sponsors? Contact admin@britishgrowers.org to find out more.
An Agenda Packed with Insights and Networking
The conference will feature a full-day program of thought-provoking sessions and presentations, followed by a Gala Dinner in the evening. Attendees can look forward to:
- Agtech advancements presented by Autonomous Agri
- Consumer insights from Kantar
- Crop Protection: Past, Present, and Future by Horticulture Crop Protection
- Issues Management with Dieter Lloyd Marketing Consultancy
- Cutting-edge research updates from Professor Rosemary Collier of the University of Warwick
These and many more sessions will provide valuable insights into the latest trends, challenges, and opportunities in the industry.
The conference will also provide an invaluable platform for networking with industry peers and leaders in our large exhibition hall at Leicester Tigers.
Evening Gala Dinner
After the conference, members of the Brassica Growers Association or British Leafy Salad Association will have the chance to tour the iconic Leicester Tigers Stadium while the venue transforms for the Gala Dinner.
The evening will begin with a drinks reception, followed by a delicious three-course meal. Highlights of the evening include the presentation of the prestigious David Piccaver Award for outstanding contributions to the Leafy Salad industry and the Geoff Philpott Award for exceptional achievements in the Brassica industry. The evening will conclude with our after-dinner speaker, which we are delighted to announce is former England rugby player and Leicester Tigers captain, Tom Youngs.
Renowned for his resilience and adaptability, Tom’s illustrious rugby career included 28 caps for England, a role on the British & Irish Lions’ 2013 tour to Australia, and leading Leicester Tigers to success, including their 2012-13 Premiership triumph.
Join us as Tom shares his remarkable journey—from the rugby pitch to the fields—along with invaluable lessons on perseverance, transformation, and cultivating success in every field of life.
Secure Your Spot
Tickets for the Conference and Gala Dinner are available now on Eventbrite. Ticket sales close on 15 January 2025—book early to avoid disappointment!
For sponsorship or exhibition enquiries, please contact us at admin@britishgrowers.org. Your support is instrumental in making this event a success, and we are immensely grateful to all sponsors and exhibitors.
On behalf of the organising committee, we eagerly anticipate welcoming you to the 2025 Brassica and Leafy Salad Conference on Thursday, 30th January.
John Walgate has been appointed as the new CEO at British Growers and will take up his appointment at the beginning of September 2024.
John will take over the role of CEO from Jack Ward who will remain as a main Board director and continue his industry representation role on a part time basis working with John over the coming months.
Commenting on the appointment Jason Burgess Chairman of British Growers said “we had an impressive list of people come forward for the role, but the combination of John’s finance background coupled with his experience of running businesses at a CEO level made him the standout candidate to take the organisation forward. And we are delighted he will be taking up the post at the start of September”.
John’s professional career started with the accountancy firm Grant Thornton. John has over 25 years senior level experience in the pet food sector, leading several successful businesses.
In addition to his finance and CEO experience, John has also chaired the representative organisation for the Pet Food industry and so brings valuable expertise in industry representation.
John said “I am delighted to be joining British Growers and continuing the excellent work of Jack and the team. It’s a great time to be joining the horticultural industry and I look forward to helping support the future growth of British producers”.
When not working John is keen on sport and vegetable and fruit production at his allotment on the outskirts of Lincoln.
Round 1 of the 2024 Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition (YHoY) is well underway and the closing date Thursday 29th February is approaching fast! We have a new platform, a new look registration and single link access to the round making it quick and easy to register and take part!
The competition is open to anyone across the UK and Ireland, who is under 30 on 31st July 2024. Whether you are a student, apprentice or working in the industry, or know someone who is, this is a fantastic opportunity to test your horticultural knowledge and network with a wide range of individuals from across the industry.
The winner of the competition gain’s the prestige title of ‘Young Horticulturist of the Year’ and will receive a £2,500 travel bursary from The Percy Thrower Trust, generously provided by the Shropshire Horticultural Society. The winner can undertake a trip, anywhere in the world, to study, complete work experience or embark on visits related to their chosen field of horticulture.
The Grand Final will be held on Thursday, May 9th, 2024 at Hestercombe House and Gardens, Taunton.
Hestercombe has a rich and diverse history, with the first written record of the estate in 682. It is famous for its unique collection of gardens which span three centuries of garden history and design, first mentioned in a medieval charter in 1249. The formal Garden is hailed as one of the finest examples of the world-renowned partnership of Gertrude Jekyll and Sir Edwin Lutyens, skilfully restored to its originally glory after the original Jekyll planting plans were discovered undisturbed in the potting shed for nearly 70 years when restoration
Victoria George, the National Organiser said “it is another exciting year, Round 1 is in full swing and entries are racking up from the colleges and industry across the whole of the UK and Ireland. It has been great to see such a wide range of entrants, and I can’t wait to announce the Round 1 winners on Friday 1st March”.
To find out more about the competition and how to take part, visit the Young Horticulturist of the Year page.
If you are interested in sponsoring the 2024 competition, please contact the Chartered Institute of Horticulture – Email: yhoy@horticulture.org.uk
British Onions Producer Association (BOPA) announces groundbreaking Fusarium research project funded by Innovate UK under DEFRA’S Farming Innovation Programme.
View the press release here: INNOVATE UK – FUSED – Press Release
Defra has launched its consultation into fairness in the supply chain for the fresh produce sector. The consultation is one of the key commitments made at the Downing Street Farm to Fork Summit in May 2023 and builds upon work already underway to improve fairness in the pork, dairy and egg supply chains.
The consultation is aimed at finding out more about …
- how the UK fresh produce sector currently functions
- the nature of the relationships across the supply chain
- whether the fresh produce supply chain could be improved and how
And getting a better understanding of the issues around fairness and transparency that exist within the sector.
The hope is that this will enable Defra to design future policy aimed at promoting better business practice and making the supply chain fairer for all.
This is the link to the online consultation.
The consultation closes on 11:45pm on 22 February 2024.
British Growers will be making a submission to the consultation so if anyone wants to send us their thoughts and ideas for incorporation into the submission, please let us have them as soon as possible.
£30k funding pot to boost careers, networking and skills across the agriculture and food sector in the region
The East of Agricultural Society is delighted to announce the launch of the East of England Agricultural Society Scholars Programme, with grants of up to £2,000 per successful applicant to help progress careers within the agricultural and horticultural industries. With the first two scholars already benefiting from their grants, the programme has three funding windows – with the first closing 20th February. Further windows will close in June and October, but applications are welcome all year round.
Society Vice Chairman, Stuart Roberts, said: “The East of England Agricultural Society Scholars Programme is an exciting new project for the Society, and I am delighted with the calibre of our first scholars. Going forward we anticipate this programme becoming an important core activity for us as we reach out to those who are looking to increase their own skills and knowledge, and to pass that on to the agricultural and rural community in the East of England.
“The future success of this programme will be determined entirely by the candidates who apply and are successful in receiving award and I would encourage as many people as possible to apply for the next round of scholars grants.”
The East of England Agricultural Society launched the fund in September 2023, offering successful applicants the opportunity to develop their careers, whilst also building a network around the Programme to help create future leaders in the industry. As part of the funding, recipients will receive mentorship from committee members and past scholars, be invited to deliver talks, and have the opportunity to feed into the wider Society network.
The first two successful applicants are Milly Fyfe and Liz Genever. Milly Fyfe is an award-winning PR, marketing and fundraising specialist from Yelvertoft, Northamptonshire, where she is a representative for Ladies in Beef, The Farm Safety Foundation, and The Farming Community Network. She is also English Panel Secretary to the Council for Awards of the Royal Agricultural Societies.
Farming suckler cattle, sheep, arable crops and rare breed pigs alongside her husband Andrew and two young children, Milly has also been a Love British Food ambassador for over 10 years and during the pandemic launched her ‘No Fuss Meals for Busy Parents’ food blog.
Milly has been awarded funding by the Scholars Programme to receive formal TV training. She said: “To be recognised and receive this grant is a huge boost to me personally, on behalf of my business and the wider farming industry. I’ve picked up presenting skills along the way with the experiences I have been involved with, although completely self-taught. However, having coaching from TV industry experts, using state of the art equipment, will really help to up my game, especially when it comes to communicating consumer related food and farming issues. I want to resonate with a wider audience on social media, through my YouTube channel and pick up work opportunities too.”
Dr Liz Genever has also received a grant in the first round of funding to complete Integrity Soils’ CREATE UK course; an intensive programme designed to train and empower consultants and coaches in the theory, principles and practices behind healthy, agroecological systems.
Liz is an independent and holistically trained beef and sheep systems consultant working across the UK. She is a third-generation farmer in South West Lincolnshire, near Stamford, and is transitioning the family mixed farm towards a more regenerative and biological approach. With a strong technical background and working with beef and sheep farmers across the UK, Liz’s expertise covers livestock production, grazing systems and sustainable farming techniques.
She is one of the founders of Carbon Calling CIC, which is building a community of farmers who support and learn from one another to make their farm and themselves healthier and happier, Liz also co-hosts a monthly podcast – ReGenAg chat.
Liz said: “The funding will provide me with new opportunities and new knowledge through enabling me to take part in the CREATE course, whilst also making local farmers more aware of my services. Being a successful Scholars Programme applicant has also given me the confidence to apply for a DEFRA Facilitation Fund Project, which will strengthen that connection with local farmers even further.”
Agricultural Events Manager, Ruth Trolove, said: “We are interested in viewing applications from anyone in the agricultural and horticultural sectors who thinks they could benefit from the programme, there are no limitations on age or background. This is a great opportunity to further your career whilst giving back to the community and to add to the network by encouraging future applicants.”
The East of England Agricultural Society is welcoming applicants for the current window of funding, and applicants should email scholars@eastofengland.org.uk or visit www.eastofengland.org.uk/scholars/ to find out more information and access the application documents.
The Turfgrass Growers Association (TGA) has noted a concerning trend following a year of unpredictable and extreme weather conditions across the UK in 2023. Members of the association have reported that the changeable weather, combined with other factors, is likely to lead to an increase in turfgrass prices in 2024.
The past year saw a spectrum of climatic challenges, from prolonged summer droughts to heavy rainfall in autumn and winter. These conditions, exacerbated by stringent chemical legislation, have led to increased disease vulnerability and impacted turfgrass harvest yields.
The Met Office has highlighted the visible effects of climate change globally, including risks to water supplies, localised flooding, altered seasonality, heat stress, and the expanding habitat range of pests – all of which are concerns for the turfgrass industry. Predictions of warmer, wetter winters, hotter, drier summers, and more frequent intense weather events add further pressure to turfgrass cultivation.
Richard Owens, Chair of the TGA, stated, “Our members are finding 2023 to be a particularly challenging year for turfgrass production. This trend is expected to continue, necessitating an industry-wide adjustment in turfgrass pricing to offset the increasing costs of production.”
In addition to weather challenges, other factors contributing to the anticipated price increase include the rising cost of fertilisers and fuel, supply chain disruptions, and the need for more sustainable growing practices. The TGA is committed to supporting its members through these challenges, advocating for industry needs, and promoting best practices in sustainable turfgrass production.
A comprehensive, regular, and reliable data service for sellers of fresh and frozen produce has been relaunched to enable access to images and information that can only be discovered in UK stores.
British Growers Insights is the UK’s largest and most up to date fresh and frozen produce point of sale data service for organisations within the fresh and frozen produce sector, offering unique insights on over 3,000 Stock Keeping Units (SKUs), both online and in store, including how products look on shelves, and what customers actually see.
Collecting thousands of data points spanning 20 categories of fruit, vegetables, salads, mushrooms, and prepared produce each week, users can access up-to-date customer perspectives, on demand.
“British Growers Insights offers users access to timely retail data that’s updated by our team each week, and all of which has been collected by barcode scanners to reduce the risk of human error. Our team goes into stores, so our clients don’t have to,” explains Lisa Eagles, managing director at British Growers Association, the not-for-profit organisation behind British Growers Insights.
“The data provides over 25 product features, some of which can only be discovered in store, including pricing, promotions, pack size, variety, retailer, availability, and country of origin.
“As well as historical data, users can access and download over 4,500 product record updates each week from 12 major food retailers covering 90% of the UK market share,” says Lisa.
“All of our information is helping businesses to make strategic and tactical decisions,” adds Lisa.
Peter Durose, managing director of Coregeo, the company behind Pink Lady® apples and Tenderstem® broccoli, uses British Growers Insights to make strategic decisions. “BG insights provides us with an invaluable source of in-depth weekly insights and industry data, enabling us to complete detailed category analysis with deeper insight into the activity within the range in retail at any given time during the year.”
British Growers Insights is available on a 14-day free trial from sales@bginsights.org or 01507 353796.
