The NFU Board for Horticulture and Potatoes is working to protect growers’ interests and create opportunities for their businesses.
The NFU is passionate in its support of British growers. The fruits, vegetables, plants and flowers they produce underpin the health and well-being of the nation, and the businesses they run support the rural economy. This is why the NFU Board for Horticulture and Potatoes is constantly active on behalf of the industry, lobbying government and opinion formers at all levels to ensure we have an environment in which growers’ businesses can continue to thrive and deliver these benefits.
British growers produce hundreds of commercial horticultural crops.
While members of the Board represent the interests of their particular crop sectors, their main focus is on ‘cross-sector’ issues, like labour
or crop protection, which apply to all industry sectors.
The horticulture team also leads on Bee Health issues for the NFU.
Meet the NFU Board for Horticulture and Potatoes
Sarah Dawson (Chairman)
Field vegetable specialist and grower in Lincolnshire
Sarah is the Technical & Business Development Manager for F Pettitt & Son, growing over 500 acres of brassicas, some cereals and rotational legumes in Lincolnshire. Sarah and brother Richard are the fourth generation on their family farm. The business produces high quality produce for the retail sector under a number of assurance schemes, via a range of intermediaries.
Sarah is Chairman of the NFU Holland (Lincs) County Board and a member of the Lincolnshire Agriculture & Horticulture Forum, the Horticultural Development Company (HDC) Board, the Assured Produce (AP) Board, the AP Technical Advisory Committee, and the Defra Fruit and Vegetables Task Force.
Sarah is an experienced food industry and horticultural food chain specialist, having worked in a diverse range of senior technical and business development roles. Sarah has technical experience working in many countries associated with fresh and frozen produce. Passionate about British Horticulture, Sarah thrives on helping the growing industry develop commercially and sustainably in a constantly changing and ever challenging market-place.
Board responsibilities include
· assurance
· research and development
· plant health, including spokesman for sector crop protection issues
Tim Papworth (Vice-chairman for potatoes)
Potato, pea and dwarf beans grower in northeast Norfolk. Chairman of the NFU Potato Forum. Member of the Potato Council Board.
Board responsibilities include
· soil
· water
Allan Stevenson (Interim vice-chairman for potatoes)
Potato grower in Essex
Board responsibilities include
· potato issues
· interim chairman of the NFU Potato Forum
Tim Edwards
Hardy nursery stock grower and supplier to the landscaping industry, based near Wolverhampton, West Midlands
Board responsibilities include
· hardy ornamental nursery stock pest, disease and crop protection issues
· UK representative on European Nurserymen's Association
Chris Hewett
Organic brassica, potato and soft fruit grower from Cheshire. Member of the NFU Organics Issues Group
Board responsibilities include
· organic production
· training
Richard Hirst
Vining pea, potato and salad grower in Norfolk. Member of the HDC Board
Board responsibilities include
· pesticides (policy)
· water
Robert Pascall
Soft fruit and tree fruit grower in Kent
Board responsibilities include
· AWB, and Robert is a horticultural employer representative on the NFU AWB Negotiation Team
· employment
Tom Salmon
Aubergine, cucumber, pepper, tomato and other protected edible crops grower based in East Yorkshire
Board responsibilities include
· skills & training
Walter Simon
Potato grower in Pembrokeshire
Walter farms 130 acres of potatoes in Pembrokeshire, Wales, including earlies, maincrop and seed potatoes. Walter is former council member of the British Potato Council and, along with Tim Papworth, represents the potato sector on the NFU board.
Board responsibilities include
· GM
· tenancy issues
Anthony Snell
Soft fruit grower in Herefordshire. Chairman of NFU West Midlands regional Board for Horticulture & Potatoes
Board responsibilities include
· SAWS
· polytunnels
Stephen Watkins
Field vegetable grower based in Worcestershire
Board responsibilities include
· pesticides (technical)
· public procurement
No comments have been made.