Horticulture

Horticulture

Introduction

Defra has policy responsibility for work on horticultural production and marketing, potatoes and hops. Along with other UK Agriculture Departments, Defra administers schemes for growers, including:

• CAP Reform - Single Payment Scheme
• Fresh Fruit and Vegetables - Producer Organisation (Fresh Fruit and Vegetables) Aid Scheme

Defra’s policy responsibilities extend to the following EU regimes:

• fresh and processed fruit and vegetables,
• flowers and plants,
• hops,
• olive oil and table olives,
• tobacco,
• and bananas.

Part of this responsibility entails attending Management Committees. These are meetings attended by Member States whose responsibility it is to give an opinion on proposals made by the Commission for the management of these regimes. Further information on Management Committees can be found on the Europa website.

EU marketing standards

From 1 April 2006, the Horticultural Marketing Inspectorate, which enforces EU marketing standards for fresh fruit and vegetables, became part of the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). Details of Standards can now be accessed from the RPA Internet site.

Bee health & honey

Information is available on Defra’s work in relation to bee health and honey production.

Other related matters

The following horticultural bodies are sponsored by Defra -

Horticultural Research & Development is also co-ordinated.

Levy Boards Review

• Statutory Review of the Horticultural Development Council
• The Government and Devolved Administrations are currently conducting an independent, cross-cutting review of the five main GB and UK statutory agriculture and horticulture levy bodies.

Mushrooms

Report by ADAS on possible alternatives to the use of poultry manure for the production of mushroom compost, with particular reference to the use of waste materials - 'Meeting on mushroom substrates' (70 KB) - December 2005 has been published. See also Process Guidance Note 6/30 (Jan 06) (716 KB) on mushroom substrate manufacture.