The British Crop Production Council (BCPC) has announced the appointment of Professor Graham Jellis to its board of management.

Jellis is currently director of research and development at HGCA, managing research projects on cereals and oilseeds, including the recommended lists, and producing independent information based on this research.

Due to retire from HGCA in July 2009, Jellis intends to remain active within the industry. In January 2010, following the retirement of Dr Ben Miflin, he will become chairman of Crop Evaluation Ltd, which manages the HGCA Recommended Lists.

Dr Colin Ruscoe, chairman of BCPC, said: “Having Graham accept an appointment to the BCPC board of management is most welcome. His experience at HGCA will be of particular value and benefit to BCPC in providing informed opinion on current issues in crop and food production, as well as helping expand its range of publications and symposia.”

Morrisons is launching a Farming Programme focused on research to help improve the efficiency and sustainability of British farming, in partnership with agricultural colleges and the National Farmers’ Union (NFU).

The programme will feature three key research categories – driving efficiency, supply chain dialogue and investment in applied farm research – it hopes will improve its operations on a producer level.

Driving efficiency research will look at helping farmers to access best practice, for example through the launch of the Morrisons Farm Supply website. Supply chain dialogue research will look to encourage communication across the fresh produce industry and the investment in farm research, through Morrisons Farmer Groups, will look at working in partnership with leading agricultural colleges to improve research projects.

Morrisons is also planning to open two research farms. The first of these is a joint venture to establish a 700-acre farm on the Dumfries House Estate in East Ayrshire. Morrisons Farm at Dumfries House will work in a new partnership with the Scottish Agricultural College, with the support of NFU Scotland, to become one of the leading centres of excellence for applied farming research. The company is seeking to establish a similar venture in south-east England.

Marc Bolland, Morrisons chief executive, said: “Through our new Farming Programme we are investing in taking a leading role in applied farm research and making a contribution to helping the long-term sustainability of British farming.”

NFU president Peter Kendall, said: “We welcome Morrisons’ new farming programme, and we are very keen to support and, where possible, partner this important initiative.

“The three key elements of this programme are critical issues for our industry. Therefore we see this as a significant commitment by Morrisons to the future of the industry and to the future supply of quality British food and we look forward to discussing and developing this further.”

Jim McLaren, president of NFU Scotland, said: “It is a real example to follow and by Morrisons investing in this way – not least by becoming farmers themselves – the understanding with the farming industry can be developed further. It is these kinds of initiatives that will help forge a sustainable future for our sector.”

The Forums at Fruit Focus 2009 will tackle the downturn in consumer spend, carbon footprinting of Britain’s orchards and adding biopesticides to extend the active ingredient range available to fruit growers.

The forums are sponsored by the NFU and Syngenta Bioline and form part of the UK’s flagship fruit and vine event, which will be held at East Malling Research, Kent, on July 22.

Countering downward consumer spend

Kicking off the forum programme will be Professor David Hughes, emeritus professor of food marketing at Imperial College and a non-executive director of Berry Gardens. He says: “Shopping behaviour has changed with the recession – there is less shopping in premium stores, less eating out, more buying of promotional items and an increased use of discounters in shoppers’ buying mix. There is also an increase in consumers planning and cooking meals at home.”

The spend climate has impacted fresh produce growers in two major ways, he suggests – first, the enormous cost of promotion, which is borne by the producer, not the retailer. Second, the trade down has affected premium offerings, for example organic and premium ranges. However, consumers are buying special treats for consumption at home, which does create a value-added opportunity, particularly for fruit producers.

“Are we saying that this is the end of the organic and premium sectors?” asks Hughes. “Not at all; these times will pass, but what the recession has highlighted is that the fresh produce sector is not good at understanding who buys what produce and why, and we need to do what it takes to put that right.”

Hughes is going to use his forum slot at Fruit Focus to warn that given the market value it would be wholly remiss of fresh produce sector not to take control of its own marketing.

Biopesticides offer another source of actives

Dr Roma Gwynn of UK-based Rationale Biopesticide Strategists will use the forums to debate the future role of biopesticides in extending the range of active ingredients available to fruit growers through biopesticides. She argues that this range of actives could help with the food chain’s quest for a zero-residue future.

Gwynn’s work has been focused on identifying biopesticides which would suit the UK growing market by looking at what active ingredients are available in the UK, the US and Europe and getting appropriate options approved for use in the UK.

Carbon footprinting in orchards

Dr William Wolmer, managing director of Blackmoor Estate in Hampshire, will be discussing the carbon footprint of English orchards by variety and growing system based on work he conducted using South East England Development Agency funding.

“The research has also allowed for the investigation and testing techniques by which top-fruit growers and packers can reduce their energy usage and carbon emissions,” he says.

Prior to taking on the 2,500 acre Blackmoor Estate business in 2005, Wolmer spent 10 years working in rural development in Africa as a research fellow.

Horticulture under the Conservatives

Lord (John) Taylor of Holbeach will speak about how horticulture might fare under the Conservatives. He is the Shadow Minister for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in the Lords and is still active in his family bulb-growing and farming business.

Vines to Wines

Alongside the Fruit Forums, viticulturalists representing the dynamic and expanding UK wine industry will converge on Kent for Vines to Wines at Fruit Focus, the technical exhibition dedicated to the UK’s domestic wine industry.

In a forum programme sponsored by English Wine Producers, Sam Linter from Bookers Vineyard, Camilla Bridewell from Vigo Ltd and Julia Trustram Eve from English Wine Producers will explore the domestic wine market, setting up a winery and growing the perfect grape.

The forum content is well timed as the year-on-year growth in vine planting continues, according to figures recently announced by DEFRA on UK wine production and vineyards. The figures, collected after the 2008 harvest, show 1,106 hectares now under vine in the UK, the highest ever recorded, giving a growth of more than 45 per cent in the last four years. Vineyards are also showing a year-on-year increase in number since 2002, with 416 vineyards planted across 3,000 acres and a total of 116 varieties recorded.

For more information go to www.fruitfocus.co.uk

An increasing number of growers and farmers believe the credit crunch is hitting their business according to a National Farmers, Union (NFU) survey.

The banking study produced by the NFU found one in four members say they are at significant risk and likely to be affected by the economic climate. These figures compare to one in six farmers in December 2008.

However, the NFU also found that the UK’s four major banks are still supporting the industry through lending and are taking on the same proportion of new business, although other smaller banks are lending less.

The NFU survey found that 36 per cent of the farmers and growers it questioned had approached a lender for a business overdraft facility, with 78 per cent accepting the overdraft that was offered. Overall, the results show many producers underestimated how significant credit problems would be to their business in 2008 and that the terms and conditions as well as interest rates are becoming more onerous in 2009.

Meanwhile, a typical farmer can expect to pay less than five per cent interest on new overdrafts and loans, while one in seven are paying over eight per cent. One in three producers think that the terms and conditions of their loan or overdraft are very poor, although the majority appear to be satisfied with the terms offered.

Cereal farmers and owner-occupiers appear to be the only ones whose perceptions of risk have been unaffected. The number of farmers outside these categories reporting credit as a high risk has doubled.

NFU economist James Edwards compiled the results from the survey. He said: “The banking sector is still taking a relatively favourable line in terms of the availability of lending to farmers, although it is clear that there has been a shift in both the rates and terms offered to farmers and growers. With major capital costs looming to meet new environmental… rules, there is every risk that credit could be a major issue for many producers.

“It is important for our work that we provide an accurate and informed picture about the state of agricultural lending during the credit crunch. The NFU will continue to keep a watchful eye on the credit conditions and seek to ensure that lending continues through the year.”

The NFU’s survey was carried out between May 12 and June 12 2009. Some 179 farmers completed the survey questionnaire online.