A farming group has urged levy board the AHDB to improve accountability by holding more open meetings and act more transparent on its board appointments.
The comments come as Defra announces a review into the operation and performance of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB).
AHDB derives the bulk of its income from a statutory levy generated from the farming community, which delivers around £60 million per annum and is spent across six sector boards.
The government review is a joint 10-week exercise covering England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The request for views will close on 9 November.
The Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) has now weighed in on the issue, saying "hard-working farmers" need to be "reassured" that the £60 million per year is money well spent.
While the organisation is not calling for the abolition of AHDB, it said more could be done to improve accountability, such as holding more open meetings of its full and sector boards, and provide greater transparency on board appointments.
A regular poll of levy payers to determine whether the board should continue in its current form, become voluntary or cease to exist altogether is also needed, the TFA highlighted.
TFA Chief Executive, George Dunn said: “The key criteria which must be central to this review is how we measure the value that AHDB delivers to the industry as a whole.
“As we move into the post Brexit era, which will present both opportunities and challenges for the UK agricultural industry, it is vital that every penny of the budget at the disposal of AHDB is used to drive the sustainability, resilience and profitability of UK agriculture and horticulture.”
The review will look at the AHDB’s purpose and priorities, its strengths and where improvements need to be made.
To submit views please complete the online survey by 9 November. Defra will also be running a number of workshops in the coming weeks.
