Surplus funds, held by AHDB since the statutory levy for horticulture ended in April 2022, are to be used to secure the future of important work on plant protection product approvals for growers.

In its previous work, AHDB Horticulture had operated a pesticides application service, helping to secure Extension of Authorisation for Minor Use (EAMU) and Emergency Application (EA) approvals for certain chemical products.

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This could be achieved where economically damaging levels of a pest, weed or disease were occurring in a crop, but where no product authorisation was in place.

There was concern that, with the demise of AHDB Horticulture, this work would end.

But it has now been announced that, subject to Defra approval, around £1m of residual funds will be transferred from AHDB to Horticulture Crop Protection (HCP), a new company set up specifically to maintain this service.

Permissions

EAMU and EA permissions can only be given by the chemical regulations division of the Health and Safety Executive if use of the product is “minor” in nature, is in the public interest, and it meets criteria on safety.

The authorisation in 2020 for minor use of Velum Prime, Bayer’s liquid nematicide, on parsnips was an important example, because the loss of oxamyl at the end of that year had left growers with no nematicides. Velum only had approvals in place for use on potatoes and carrots.

The transfer of funds to HCP will allow this type of work to continue as the new organisation develops. Going forward, HCP’s funding will come from a new voluntary subscription model.

Potato plans

Meanwhile, in the potato sector, proposals have been submitted to the AHDB Board for small grants to allow some important research work to continue in the absence of AHDB Potatoes taking the lead on this. This follows the 2021 vote by 66% of potato growers to scrap the levy.

But these grants rely on the sale of AHDB’s Sutton Bridge crop storage research facility and the collection of outstanding debt from potato businesses for the 2021 growing season.