20 April 2017 Minutes

AHDB HORTICULTURE PROTECTED ORNAMENTALS AND BULBS AND OUTDOOR FLOWERS OPEN PANEL MEETING MINUTES Venue: Boardroom, AHDB, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, CV8 2TL Date: Thursday 20th April 2017

Item Item subject Action

1 Welcome, introductions and apologies Apologies were received from Mark Clark, Mike Opperman, Caroline Shove, John Elphinstone, Amy Gray, Cathryn Lambourne and Bolette P Neve. Howard Braime has stood down from the Panel.

2 Matters arising from and approval of minutes from last meeting Amanda Bennett was invited to the crop nutrition and soil sterilisation event. Interest in the inclusion of ornamental crops within RB209 is currently being gauged. Groundsel and willowherb control in narcissus crops were included in the weeds review. BPN looked into the use of Basagran – although there is an EAMU for it, it is only permitted for use on outdoor crops. James Syrett who has been unable to complete his PhD project for health reasons, has now returned to complete his project, Rob Lillywhite will be available to assist or complete the project as necessary. MM asked if a cut-off date for delivery of the report (from JS) could be agreed, perhaps before the beginning of the next academic year. The project is currently 1 year behind schedule. ACTION: speak to CL about suggested cut-off date. Fusarium project – GK stated that it might involve additional co-funding from the panel. MM and Martin Evans confirmed that this is a big investment. It could be a long-term project and it is important that it is fully funded all the way through; this project needs to keep going. Foam materials in bulb dips – ME stated the process is fine on larger bulbs but won’t work on small bulbs as the pressure build up ruptures the bulb bins. Bolette is going to investigate whether dimethoate is still available for daffodils. ACTION: Follow up with BPN and David Bund

GK

GK/BPN

AHDB skills and education: Tess Howe TH was invited to this meeting due to panel’s recent discussions about studentships. The question raised was if there was a way of supporting younger people just coming into the industry. TH gave a presentation about apprenticeships and careers and the merger with BrightCrop. The overall aim is to train the trainer to get the message across to young people at school. LEP/regional co-ordinators

20 April 2017 Minutes

will seek volunteers from industry to speak to students to highlight career opportunities. MM asked how do volunteers become known to regional coordinators? ACTION: circulate Katie’s details to panel. IGD (Institute of Grocery Distribution) still do undertake a programme of presentations to young people at schools, ACTION: TH to provide details to GK. Circulate to panel. Main issues – a lack of awareness of the actual training needs and lack of targeted training. TH described the complex landscape for training provision and the lack of an oversight. The AHDB long term objective is to develop a tool kit for people management, covering support, standards, training, skills needs, personal development, professional recognition, qualifications and career pathways. Apprenticeships are now being re-badged as Trailblazer Apprenticeships – they will last a minimum of 12 months, will lead to employment and a basic level of maths and English is required for their completion. AHDB set up a management group to make sure the standard is appropriate to Agriculture and Horticulture, submitting their response to BIS. The apprenticeship job role is now described in 2 pages – the two key ones for horticulture being a Crop Technician (soil or container based) and a Packhouse Line Leader. The Trailblazer Apprenticeship is envisaged as the eventual qualification, but it may contain other qualifications within it e.g. spray application. The assessment plan is continual, being a mix of observation, online testing and verbal. The pass rate would be 70%. The new apprenticeship is also open to current staff not just new staff members, with no age restriction. 20% of work time is spent in training. ME asked how to find new apprentices. TH stated there is no set way, speaking to the local college or training group may be the best way. TH emphasised there is a need from the employer to manage, coach and mentor the apprentice – ‘staff development is investment not cost’. ACTION copies of the presentation and the two standards to be circulated. MM also asked what the plan was to keep growers up to speed with progression. WB suggested perhaps a supplement in the AHDB Grower like Energy News every 6 months, to be discussed at the next Horticulture KE meeting. ACTION: New 6-monthly supplement to be discussed.

TH/GK

TH/GK

TH/GK

WB - done

3 Project proposals

- Poinsettia proposal MM asked for feedback from RW (the sole pot plant representative at the meeting). RW commented that there are issues with the adoption of the irrigation deficit methodology on their own nursery (it being set up for young plant production). RW commented that the chlormequat treatments suggested in the project are no longer legal and there needs to be work on alternative PGRs included. GK stated that the deficit irrigation work was following up on a Defra project from 04-09 and following use in commerce at Neame Lea Nursery. MM suggested that the variety trials need to be supportive of the overall theme of the project (growth control with limited PGRs) as growth control through genetic means was another long term alternative. After discussion and taking on board the feedback from BPOA, MM asked for a substantial revision adding better focus to the whole proposal along with more detail as necessary. The proposal can be considered if provided in time.

20 April 2017 Minutes

ACTION: seek feedback from two other pot plant growers (who were unavailable), before forwarding comments to Simon Pearson.

- CFC (cut flower centre) As the project contract is due for renewal this autumn, a full proposal should be provided. GW admitted that there has been difficulties defining the exact financial benefits of the project to industry. PC commented that the growers on the Management Group are trying to steer the project towards other areas not just product development. MM commented that some of the work listed in the summary could/will be funded via other projects – such as the fusarium project and RB209 referenced work. MM commented the importance of making sure the projects work together to avoid duplication of costs or output. Action GK to contact CL to see what extra work beyond that planned in the fusarium project would need to be funded to tackle the disease specifically in stocks. MM suggested a member of the CFC management group would be a useful addition to the RB209 working group to ensure this. ACTION: talk to CFC management group MM mentioned a further paper circulated by LM on hydroponic production which had only been sent to a proportion of people on Panel, MM requested the paper be photocopied during lunch for discussion in the closed session.

GK – done

GK/CL

GK

4 AHDB studentships for 2017 GK mentioned the four horticulturally themed studentship proposals which have been approved, the bio-inspired insect vision for robotic harvesting and Vegebot Learning projects were two which had interested the Panel.

5 Project updates GK highlighted two projects from the list (Paper 4): PO 011b ‘Monitoring outbreaks of impatiens downy mildew’. Only one instance of any disease outbreak had been noted and mention will be made in the AHDB Grower. BOF 77 – ‘Potential biocides in HWT’. The first report has been submitted and information from it will form the backbone of the two planned workshops in May.

6 Comms and KE update Mike Storey joined the meeting WB went through the new KE plan for the 2017/2018 financial. Within the paper the planned output for all the ornamentals sectors is provided, but the summary focussed on output for the BOF and PO sectors. Four factsheets are planned, two being AHDB/CFC formatted. A further two are either available (30/16 ‘Narcissus smoulder and white mould’) or in production (02/17 ‘Weed control in outdoor cut flower crops’). There was interest in the latter from the cut flower growers on the Panel so WB circulated the electronic version over lunch for comment. Both BPPC

20 April 2017 Minutes

‘drop-in’ events had been delivered and focus had now turned to the summer open evening event. The CFC open evening was planned for August, a spray application event tied into the AMBER project was planned for the autumn at Silsoe and WB asked if there was interest in the BPPC study tour to Canada in October having read out the list of potential cut flower growers who could be visited. PC, ME and GW all expressed interest. Finally invites for the two May narcissus workshops had been sent out to industry.

7 Thematic activity planning and strategy alignment MM introduced the background to paper 7. Work will be commissioned to fit into the broad activity themes outlined in the paper. GK commented that AHDB is in the process of reviewing the progress of all the projects it manages to highlight any potential delivery issues. Be more proactive how we commission work Better at planning Think more carefully about what we are doing GK asked the panel what the current problems are, what they want to do next (what their issues/priorities are – next section). She suggested revisiting these priorities on a regular basis.

8 Review of panel priorities GK asked the group for ideas to populate paper 8. AR suggested undertaking the task at the May Narcissus events to get specific bulb feedback. Action GK to speak to Grace Emeny about the possibility. MM suggested the need for EAMUs to continue and an indication of which chemical options are likely to disappear in the near future so that further work can be identified to address the issue. RW mentioned the need for PGRs and relevant methods of growth control. ME asked for independent advice on due process when making litigation claims. An independent advice would be useful. There was discussion about whether it was appropriate for AHDB to fulfil this role, or whether AHDB could signpost people to information. PC raised the issue of a lack of agronomy expertise on the ground and the Panel discussed the possibility of a central contact point within AHDB for technical issues. A call centre was mooted as a possible solution, however it is a resource hungry service to set up. The panel asked for the number/email address of the right contact person depending on the problem. GK pointed out that all horticulture team contacts are on the website, and as the ornamentals representative, she should be the first port of call at AHDB. AR raised the issue of promoting UK product after Brexit (in the expectation that AHDB would no longer have to conform to state aid rules) after which further discussion occurred about exporting and marketing. There are worries that supermarkets might drop the Red Tractor brand. AHDB contributes to the cost only. We need to make sure (when out of Europe) that it is not lost, forgotten.

GK/GE

20 April 2017 Minutes

Export is not a high priority for the panel. It is more about import displacement. A possible issue might be not having enough of surplus ornamentals for export (narcissus flowers only). The most important issue is how to grow a crop better and cheaper. ACTION: Panel to provide suggestions to GK within the next 7 days.

ALL

9 Any other business: All The open session was brought to a close at 12.45.

Distribution Panel AHDB Mr Michael Mann (Chair) Mr Graham Whitehead Dr Georgina Key Mr Mark Clark Mr Russ Woodcock Ms Cathryn Lambourne Mr Phil Collison Mr Wayne Brough Mr Mark Eves Invited Mrs Bolette P Neve Mr Andrew Gretton John Elphinstone Mr Mike Opperman Electronic copy to: Mr Andrew Richards Dr Jon Knight Miss Caroline Shove Mr Gary Taylor