THECOMMERCIALGREENHOUSEGROWER
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FEBRUARY 2017
4
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N
EWS
Defra secretary of state Andrea Leadsom used theOxford
FarmingConference in January to announce how she plans
to scrap red tape for farmers and growerswhen theUK
leaves the EU.
She said the government will consult industry later this year
on the areas that farmers and growerswanted reformed. “My
prioritywill be common sense rules that work for theUnited
Kingdom,” she said.
“By cutting the red tape that comes out of Brussels, wewill
free our farmers to growmore, sell more and export more
great British foodwhilst upholding our high standards for
plant and animal health andwelfare.”
New role for NFU adviser
ChrisHartfield, who held the protected crops portfolio in the
NFU’s horticulture team and has been acting chief horticulture
adviser for the last two years, has been appointed to a newly
created role of senior regulatory affairs adviser in the
organisation’s plant health unit.
Hewill be focusing on regulatory processes and their
implications for availability and use of plant protection products
andwill continue to leadon issues about bee health and
pollinators.
Horticulture adviser AmyGray currently has responsibility for
protected crops alongwith ornamentals.
Royal opening for Lea Valley
glasshouse
Greenhouse horticulturewas due to receive royal support last
month (aswewent topress) with the official openingby
Princess Anne of the final phase of ValleyGrownNurseries’
new 9ha expansion for pepper production, at Nazeing in the
Lea Valley.
LeaValleyGrowers Association secretary LeeStiles said he
had requested the visit on behalf of the association to
celebrate the completion of what is now the largest glasshouse
in the region.
The first phasewas opened inMay last year.
ValleyGrownNurserieswon planningpermission in 2014 to
build the new glasshousewithin the green belt but the decision
was challengedby LeeValleyRegional ParkAuthority on the
grounds that green belt policy hadbeenmisinterpreted. The
authority appealed unsuccessfully to theHighCourt and then
theCourt of Appeal.
Meanwhile, the growers’ association haswelcomedEpping
Forest Council’s intention “to support the diversification of the
agricultural economy, including the expansion of the
glasshouse horticulture industry, subject to appropriate
environmental considerations” as stated in its draft Local Plan
whichwent out for consultation last autumn. But it said it was
‘disappointed and concerned’ that theCouncil is granting
planningpermission and allocating viable existing andpotential
horticultural sites for housing and ‘rewardingderelictionwhilst
lacking any proposals for new horticultural development sites
to support growers’.
The plan acknowledges that the industry continues to rely
significantly on seasonal labour formost of the area’s
glasshouse andpackhouse jobs and that the cost of local
accommodation is out of reach formany employees. In turn,
the association is seeking stronger backing for the provision of
horticultural workers’ accommodation in associationwith
glasshouse developments.
Consultation on the draft plan closed at the end of December.
ValleyGrownNurseries’ newglasshouse has recently
appeared as a stunningbackdrop to a television drama in the
Netflix seriesBlackMirror about new technology, in this case
‘robotic bees’.
TheNFU has urged the
Government once again to
seriously consider a tariff-free
access to the European
Union and has highlighted
that access to labour is
crucial for farming
businesses.
Its President, Meurig
Raymond, speaking after
PrimeMinster TheresaMay’s
Brexit speech, said: “Farming
underpins the biggest
manufacturing sector in the
UK – it’sworth £108bn and it
employs 3.9million people,”
he said.
“It’s so important that we
have as fair a deal as possible
with unfettered access into
the Europeanmarket.We’ve
always saidwe need
seasonal workers to harvest
the fruit and vegetables in the
field.We need a reliable
competent workforce to do
skilledwork. I believe that we
have something to negotiate
with government in theweeks
ahead and I can assure you
that’swhat we’ll be doing on
behalf of ourmembers. This
must be aBrexit for all in the
UK andBritish farmers have
somuch to contribute,” he
added.
Last month a group of MPs
heard from theNFU about the
urgent need for aSeasonal
Red tape in Leadsom’s sights
NFU urges theGovernment
on labour
Agricultural Permit Scheme
for non-EUworkers.
NFUDirector of Policy
AndrewClark gave evidence
to theDepartment ofWork
andPensions Select
Committee in a one-off
session on the potential
impact of Britain’s exit from
the EU on the ability of UK
firms to recruit theworkers
they need.
Mr Clark said: “Today’s
evidence session gives us the
opportunity to once again
make the case for farming’s
urgent need for a flexible,
reliable and competent
workforce to ensureBritish
food and farming can flourish
post-Brexit.
“Horticulture especially has
very specific needs for labour.
This sector alone needs
around 80,000 seasonal
workers to pick andpack fruit
and veg andplant crops
across the country. This is
expected to rise to 95,000 by
2021 based on current
growth projections. Any
schememust reflect the
needs of theUK farming
industry - the bedrock of the
UK’s food anddrink industry
worth £108 billion to the
economy andproviding jobs
for 3.9million people,” he
added.
