Over the last year, the NFU Horticulture and Potatoes board has continued to respond to the challenge of Brexit – ensuring access to labour is a top priority for the NFU and an essential requirement fully understood by politicians. Their efforts, and those of our members, secured a seasonal worker pilot scheme for 2019 and 2020 – the only industry to have achieved this outcome. The board also launched the Plants & Flowers pledge, secured a commitment for continued funding for Producer Organisations, backed the new and exciting Veg Power campaign, secured business rate changes for nursery growers, and much, much more.
With Brexit still up in the air, and continued challenges in the fresh produce supply chain, now is a great opportunity to influence the future of the Horticulture and Potatoes sector!
The NFU Horticulture & Potatoes Board meets 6 times a year and consists of 12 appointed members, including an elected chairman (plus up to three additional co-options). The board has a rolling process of annual appointments, to ensure that every two years there is not the prospect of all 12 board members having to seek re-appointment and this enables some continuity of member representation. Board members serve a two-year term of office and can then stand for re-appointment. In 2019 there are six board positions to fill.
Interested?
For more information on the nomination and appointment process, please read our briefing document and the election form. The deadline for applications Friday 22nd February 2019.
Please note, the first meeting that new members are expected to attend is Tuesday 26th March and NFU HQ, Stoneleigh, Warwickshire.
For more information on the work of the NFU Horticulture and Potatoes board, please read through the sector pages on NFU Online where you will see reports on labour issues, pesticides, retailer relationships, ornamentals sector issues, and more...