Top speakers and topical discussion at Fruit Focus 2015 forums

Fruit Focus’s reputation for delivering a hard hitting, topical forum programme will be reinforced this year as four key areas to help protect growers’ incomes are tackled by some of the best-known names in the business.

NFU deputy president Minette Batters starts proceedings by examining the need to raise consumption and reverse the decline in UK self sufficiency, and how the sector might go about this.

Gary Taylor, AHDB Horticulture chairman, will then examine the aligning of research funding to help secure growth in the fruit sector.

In the third session Beth Hart, Head of Technical - Fresh Foods at Sainsbury’s, will discuss the importance of raising the bar of quality to help UK produce secure its rightful place in the nation's shopping baskets.

The Fruit Forums are sponsored by the NFU and are held in the Fruit Forum marquee
The Fruit Forums are sponsored by the NFU and are held in the Fruit Forum marquee

In the final forum vineyard managers have an unmissable opportunity to learn more about frost protection with one of the world’s foremost experts, Steve Hammersmith.

The Fruit Forums are sponsored by the NFU and are held in the Fruit Forum marquee. The programme runs begins at 10.00 with each seminar following on the hour, with the last starting at 13.00. All visitors are welcome to attend and discuss these key topics with the experts.

NFU forums Chairman Chris Hartfield: Increasing consumption and reversing the decline in UK self sufficiency

The new government’s goals for British farming are ambitious, says Minette Batters, NFU deputy president – its manifesto talks of a plan to grow more, buy more and sell more British food at home and abroad.

Growers and the NFU share this ambition, she adds. “We have already argued strongly that we need such a plan, led by the industry, to improve the competitiveness of grower businesses and reverse long-term declines in the nation’s self-sufficiency.

“We recognise that as part of this we need to increase overall levels of consumption of fruit and vegetables, making it easier for people to get their five-a-day and in doing so help society and government meet agendas to improve the nation’s health.

“We understand the scale of these challenges, but we will outline why we need to start tackling these issues now and how we are eager to start working on this as soon as possible with ministers.”

Aligning research funding to help secure growth in the fruit sector

The bulk of public research funds for crop/plant science has always sat with the research councils at the basic end of the research spectrum, says Gary Taylor, AHDB Horticulture chairman.

“Starting with the Barnes Review in the 1980s, applied strategic research money has gone, leaving AHDB Horticulture's relatively small research budget (some £4m) as the only horticulture-specific game in town for applied horticultural research,” he adds.

The real question, says Mr Taylor, is how can the needs of industry be linked with the large amounts of money at the basic end of the research spectrum?

The Nurse Review may offer a potential game-changer, he adds. “Prof Nurse is being asked to assess whether 'the balance between investigator-led and strategically-focused funding [is] appropriate, and do the right mechanisms exist for making strategic choices?'.

“This could be translated to mean 'is the balance correct between researchers driving the research agenda and other strategic national needs driving the research agenda'.”

Mack/Sainsbury’s seminar: Raising the bar of quality

Quality is key when it comes to market share, not just in berries but also in the wider produce section. Beth Hart, Head of Technical - Fresh Foods at Sainsbury’s, will discuss the importance of raising the bar of quality to help ensure UK produce meets the demands of shoppers and secures its rightful place in the nation's shopping baskets.

Vines to Wines seminar: Frost protection: Managing cold air flows and cold air accumulation in the vineyard

The accumulation of cold air in areas with insufficient drainage, sometimes called frost pockets, results in temperature differentials within the vineyard, and is the cause of radiation frost damage, says Steve Hammersmith, CEO, Shur Farms Frost Protection.

“This seminar will explain dynamics of cold air accumulation, how frost develops and steps the grower can take immediately to lessen the likelihood and impact of a frost event using both passive and active frost protection measures,” he explains.

Growers will learn ways to optimise natural drainage and remove temperature differentials within the vineyard, resulting in a more naturally frost-free environment, says Mr Hammersmith.

Fruit Focus takes place at East Malling Research, Kent on Wednesday 22 July.