How the Sugar Industry Programme can help you

First published29 July 2025

Sugar industry programme participants stood outside of parliament

Sugar industry programme participants on a recent visit to London to tour the Palace of Westminster

The Sugar Industry Programme aims to build your knowledge of the wider domestic sugar supply chain and equip you with the skills to advocate for the industry. Hear directly from previous participants about what to expect and why you should apply.

The SIP (Sugar Industry Programme) includes a series of events, spread across 1 – 2 days between October 2025 and March 2026, with opportunities for you to develop your knowledge, learn new professional skills and build your networks.

Find out how to apply

Network and share ideas

“Whether you’ve just started working with sugar beet or grown up with it, the programme offers so much to take your understanding to a deeper level.”

SIP participant Alex Clabon

Alex farms alongside his parents at H G Bliss Farms Ltd on the Norfolk/Cambridgeshire border and participated in the programme in 2023/24.

He said: “The SIP is something I would highly recommended to anybody currently within the sector wanting to learn more about the sugar industry” 

“It provides an invaluable opportunity to go into detail and learn about the inner workings and processes all the way from seed to processing. Whether you’ve just started working with sugar beet or grown up with it, the programme offers so much to take your understanding to a deeper level.

“The programme truly does cover all aspects from seed priming and coating, to learning about the invaluable work from the BBRO to the processing at one of the British Sugar factories. Alongside this it also shows the behind the scenes work of NFU Sugar and the NFU Sugar Board, as well as having the opportunity to further yourself personally and professionally by taking part in media training and connecting with those across multiple sectors at NFU Conference.

“One of my highlights had to be travelling to Westminster to help showcase the homegrown sugar industry to MPs and stress the importance of a thriving sugar industry. Another was travelling to the Strube seed house and research centre in Sollingen, Germany. It was really eye opening to see the work that goes into the breeding process for new varieties, as well as how sugar beet is viewed on the continent and the differing challenges that they face.”

Strube-seed-house-and-research-centre-in-Sollingen

Strube seed house and research centre trip

Alex added: “The SIP really does offer a huge benefit in terms of making connections with others throughout the different areas of the industry. The SIP is open to those across the sugar industry which provides a fantastic opportunity to make connections for life, network and share ideas from different corners of the industry.”

‘A unique opportunity’

Katrina Pearson works as an Inbound Operations Manager at British Sugar’s Wissington factory, and took part in the 2023/24 SIP.

She said: “I’d highly recommend joining the Sugar Industry programme to anyone considering it, because it offers great opportunities for growth and learning within the wider sugar beet industry.

“Some of the highlights for me were the trip to Westminster, attending the NFU conference, and visiting Strube in Germany. These experiences were not only educational but also fascinating, as they highlighted the many different avenues taken to ultimately produce sugar.

“Through the SIP programme, I have significantly expanded my network, connecting with individuals from a wide range of roles across the beet industry. This has allowed me to form strong, collaborative working relationships.

“The programme’s inclusive nature –  welcoming participants from all areas within the beet industry –  offers a unique opportunity to engage with professionals I might not have otherwise encountered.”


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