More than 10,000 farmers to take part in AHDB levy consultation

This month, the organisation will be asking farmers and growers to shape its work and priorities
This month, the organisation will be asking farmers and growers to shape its work and priorities

More than 10,000 farmers and growers have registered to take part in a consultation on how they want their AHDB levy to be invested.

This month, the organisation will be asking levy payers to shape its work and priorities, with views gathered to help guide what AHDB delivers over the next five years.

During the four-week voting window, farmers and growers in the Beef and Lamb, Cereals and Oilseeds, Dairy and Pork sectors will be sent an email, taking them to the website to have their say, or a postal pack with the voting questions.

It follows the results of recent ballots in the Horticulture and Potato sectors to end the statutory levy.

Farmers and growers in both sectors said they did not believe their levy was delivering tangible benefits or value.

In response, AHDB said it had made a number of changes to 'better serve levy payers', including how their voice is heard, such as 5-yearly votes and increased transparency.

A total of 10,842 levy payers have registered to take part in voting on the proposals, AHDB confirmed.

The organisation's chief executive, Tim Rycroft said: “I am delighted that, for the first time in our history, more than 10,000 levy payers will have the chance to tell us directly how they want their levy invested.

“We have engaged through countless events, webinars and discussion groups and have used multiple communications and media channels to support this campaign.

“Consulting levy payers - and putting their voice at the heart of what we do - was one of the promises about changing AHDB that we made a year ago. Now we are delivering."

The four-week voting window opens from 11 April to 9 May. Initial results will be presented to levy payers once the voting process has been completed.

Sector Council meetings will take place in June and July to discuss how they should be implemented in each sector.