Round 1 of the 2024 Young Horticulturist of the Year Competition (YHoY) is well underway and the closing date Thursday 29^th 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!

ENTER HERE

The competition is open to anyone across the UK and Ireland, who is under 30 on 31^st 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 9^th, 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 1^st 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

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.  

https://consult.defra.gov.uk/supply-chain-fairness/contractual-relationships-in-the-uk-freshproduce-i/ 

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.   

Attention all aspiring horticulture professionals!

The 6th intake for the Fellowship will be opening for applications on September 1st, 2023.

If you’re looking to develop your career within the horticulture industry, then this is the perfect opportunity for you. The Fellowship is designed to nurture future leaders in the commercial horticulture industry and is supported by some of the industry’s leading organisations, including the National Farmers Union, the British Growers Association, The Horticultural Trades Association and the Chartered Institute of Horticulture.

One of the key benefits of the Fellowship is the opportunity to broaden your perspective, create a network, and equip yourself for a future leadership role within the industry. The Managing Agent for the Scheme, Coral Clark, commented, “These are exciting and challenging times for horticulture, and the LSA Fellows will be vital in shaping our sector for the future.”

Here are the top 5 reasons why you should apply for the Fellowship:

1) Increase your understanding of the commercial horticulture industry and the role that trade bodies play in the development of industry strategies.

2) Our two-year scheme increases your knowledge of current research and wider industry issues.

3) Opportunity to attend meetings and study tours across the horticulture sector, covering technical, strategy, and marketing.

4) Chance to experience the entire horticulture industry; from Lettuce production to Hardy Shrub production.

5) You will be awarded a bursary of up to £3,000 which you can draw down on to cover your activities within the scheme.

Lauren Hladun, a 2021 Fellow, had this to say about her experience, “The Fellowship has been a superb opportunity to meet similar like-minded individuals from across all sectors of the industry. Each fellow brings a different set of skills and knowledge to the group, and together we have been able to share experiences and learn from each other, as well as attend various industry meetings, and conferences, and visit business and research facilities throughout the UK which are pivotal to the development of the sector. I would highly recommend the LSA fellowship scheme to any young person who is looking to expand their knowledge and understanding of the horticultural industry.” Don’t miss out on this exciting opportunity to take your career to the next level!

The Fellowship opens for the 2023 intake on the 1^st September and closes on the 31^st October. Application forms and scheme information can be found on our website www.lsactfellowship.org. For more information, please contact Coral Clark at British Growers on  coral.clark@britishgrowers.org or 01507 602427.

Following the recent Horticulture Crop Protection Annual General Meeting, read the latest update here.