AHDB Webinar: Export opportunities for UK Lamb in the Middle East here
Reporting deadweight cattle prices: Guidance for Abattoirs here
AHDB Commitment to Levy Payers
You said:
AHDB will:
We want a greater say on how the levy is invested and better value for money
We will seek your views on a new strategy this autumn and communicate regularly on how your levy has been spent and the benefits
We want a vote on whether the levy should continue
We will hold a regular ballot on the future of the levy
Review how the levy is calculated and collected for horticulture and potato growers
We are working with growers and the supply chain to design a modern levy system
Structure AHDB around the key themes of market development and improving farm performance
We will focus on farm performance and market development at home and overseas, driven by independent evidence
We want a governance structure that is more representative and transparent
We are currently reviewing our board and committee set-up, with recommendations due by the end of the year
Our five commitments in detail
We will seek your views on a new strategy this autumn and communicate regularly on how your levy has been spent and the benefits
A draft strategy covering the next five years will be completed during autumn 2020 and shared with levy payers for feedback on the priorities. It will be finalised by the start of 2021. We will also put in place regular communications back to levy payers on how your levy is being spent and what it delivers for you.
We will hold a regular ballot on the future of the levy
Defra is working with the Scottish Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Assembly to design a ballot process to build into the legislation under which AHDB operates during 2021.
We are working with growers and the supply chain to design a modern levy system
We have grower working groups assisting us to examine the issues with the horticulture and potato levy systems and agree a modern alternative. This work will be completed during 2020 and go to UK Ministers for agreement and then to be built into the legislation under which we operate. If you have any thoughts, please contact:
• Rob Clayton, AHDB Potatoes Strategy Director, rob.clayton@ahdb.org.uk
• Ruth Ashfield, AHDB Horticulture Strategy Director, ruth.ashfield@ahdb.org.uk
We will focus on farm performance and market development at home and overseas, driven by independent evidence
We are simplifying the way we do things to focus on three key areas of farm performance and market development (marketing and export work) with evidence at the heart of everything we do.
We are currently reviewing our board and committee set-up, with recommendations due by the end of the year
We have set up a small team of Board Members tasked to put forward proposals to reform the AHDB board and committee set-up to ensure we are fit for purpose, accountable, inclusive, transparent, efficient, provide value for money and encourage levy payer engagement. The group aims to report to the board within the next four months.
Click here for the AHDB Press Release
AIMS Legal Advisor - Collingwood Legal
As an association AIMS have several supplier members covering a wide range of areas to help members with their businesses. These include the law firm Collingwood Legal who are a relationship-based law firm based in the North East of England, specialising in employment law.
Yesterday we received the attached updates which we feel are of interest to members.
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Employment Law Update
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Legal Facts and Figures – A quick reminder of all things pay related.
They also drew our attention to a blog posted 13th August by Associated Solicitor, Helen Scott, on “What Employers Can Do to Avoid Redundancies” - Click Here
To contact Collingwood Legal, please don’t forget to say that you are a member of AIMS
AIMS Contact: Paul McGowan
You can access Paul’s profile: http://www.collingwoodlegal.com/our-people
Phone: 0191 282 2880 / 07811 594 405
Email: paul.mcgowan@collingwoodlegal.com
Web: http://www.collingwoodlegal.com/
Twitter: @cwoodlegal
You may also like to sign up for their newsletter - Click Here
Student Placements with Members
Harper Adams University are looking to place students for between 44 and 52 weeks work experience as part of their degrees. The students are studying a wide range of subjects covering Agriculture, Business, Agribusiness, Agri-food, and Food.
My own past experience of working with the University and it’s students has been nothing but positive seeing two students I have worked with in the past going on to forge excellent careers within the meat industry.
If you are able to offer a student a work placement from September please contact:
Kathy Smith
Placement Officer for: Agriculture, Business, Agribusiness, Agri-food, Food, Countryside, Wildlife & Geography
Email: ksmith@harper-adams.ac.uk Tel: 01952 815409
Emma Pierce-Jenkins - Countryside, Wildlife & Geography - 01952 815343 - epierce-jenkins@harper-adams.ac.uk
Terry Pickthall - Agriculture - 01952 815481 - tpickthall@harper-adams.ac.uk
Andy Brooks - Agriculture - 01952 815529 - asbrooks@harper-adams.ac.uk
Alastair Boot - Business & Food - 01952 815419 - aboot@harper-adams.ac.uk
Abattoirs are the linchpin of the red meat supply chain.
However, the number of abattoirs continues to fall and they are increasingly specialised. Abattoirs that make no profit and which cannot reinvest in their plant, equipment and staff are vulnerable to closure. Small abattoirs are at greatest risk; with twelve small abattoirs closing in the past 18 months. Private kill services (whereby farmers reclaim the carcasses of their animals in order to retail their own meat) are usually only available at small abattoirs. Thus, the closure of small abattoirs threatens the retail of local, traceable meat through farm retail businesses.
Researchers at Newcastle University are looking for farmers who retail their own red meat to complete a short survey. The survey aims to understand the value added to farm businesses when using a private kill service. This survey asks about the value added to farm businesses when using a private kill service, compared to when selling livestock liveweight/deadweight, in order to provide important evidence of the value of small local abattoirs.
For more details please contact: Dr Rachel Peden
Livestock Information Programme
AIMS are one of several organisations that are part of the Traceability Design User Group (TDUG) within the Livestock Information Programme.
The key objective of the programme is to implement a robust...
The Squeezed Middle Report
Working with the Food and Drink Federation, AIMS and the National Association of Catering Butchers along with other trade associations representing businesses from across the UK food chain have published a paper that focuses on the reopening of hospitality. It sets out practical steps that should be taken to ensure businesses providing the manufacturing and supply of goods and services into the UK's hospitality and food service market – the 'Squeezed Middle' – are able to play their role in a post-virus recovery.
The report outlines 12 recommendations for Government around furloughing, local authority business rates, trade credit insurance and financial support.
The paper has been shared with Ministers, MPs and key policy officials. If you have any questions please contact tony.goodger26@gmail.com.
Click the green button to see the report.
AIMS welcomes formation of Suckler Beef Producers Association
The UK suckler beef herd is the second largest in Europe after France. Considered to be the flagship of the British beef industry, the natural system of beef production with cows and calves and their suckling calves reared on grass and herbal ley pastures, with minimal antibiotic use and positive carbon capture.
New opportunities are emerging where the benefits of this traditional beef production system could achieve stronger recognition with the consumer, retailer, food service, hospitality sector and Government Buying Standards.
ounder, Jilly Greed said, “We hope AIMS and your members would be interested in this new initiative to raise the profile of suckler beef to help us achieve product differentiation.”
“We are at an early stage, driving grassroots awareness as well as the support of influential organisations in the British beef supply chain.”
Click on the logo for further information
