Defra announced this new consultation with proposals to reform the AHDB.

The consultation ran until midnight on 10 January 2022 and members responded to the Consultation on changes to the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) on their website.

The proposals included allowing levy payers to have a greater say on how their levy is spent, via a vote every five years.

AHDB has already committed to delivering the first of these votes in Spring 2022.

Improving transparency

Responding to this proposal, NFU President Minette Batters said: “Defra’s proposal to give levy payers regular votes on their sector’s priorities and how their levy is spent is positive and consistent with our feedback on improving transparency.”

She went on to explain, “We will now consult with our members on the detail of the consultation to ensure these legal changes can help AHDB deliver our sector ambitions.”

The consultation follows the results of recent ballots in the horticulture and potato sectors to end the statutory levy in these sectors.

The proposed end of the statutory levy

Defra proposes to end the statutory levy for the potato and horticulture sectors from April 2022.