Levy payers deserve better value says Eustice

More can be done to ensure levy payers get better value for money from the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, says farm minister George Eustice.

Funded by farmers, growers and others in the supply chain, the AHDB supports the work of six sector organisations covering about 75% of UK agricultural output.

Its purpose is to make agriculture and horticulture more competitive and sustainable through a mix of factual, evidence-based advice, information and activity.

See also: Kendall: we must grow British agriculture

The six AHDB sector bodies are BPEX (pigs), EBLEX (beef and lamb), the HDC (horticulture), DairyCo, the Potato Council and the HGCA (cereals and oilseeds).

However, Mr Eustice told Farmers Weekly it would be better to have a single entity working across all six sectors, rather than six sectors coming together as a loose federation.

He was speaking following a visit to the AHDB’s new HQ at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire. The building will bring all six sector bodies together under a single roof later this year.