UK horticulture growers vote to abolish levy for AHDB
ByNancy Nicolson
61% of growers voted against the continuation of a levy.
UK horticulture producers have voted to abolish the statutory Agriculture and Horticulture Board (AHDB) levy.
The turnout of eligible voters was 69%, with 61% voting against the continuation of the levy, and 39% supporting the status quo.
The result has been passed to UK ministers and the devolved administrations to decide what happens next.
AHDB chairman Nicholas Saphir said: “The voting information reported by UK Engage shows different sentiment across different crop sectors and size of business. It is really a very complex picture.”
UK Farming Minister Victoria Prentis said: “We will now take these results and scrutinise them closely before making a decision on the future of the horticulture levy in due course.”
The ballot outturn report by UK Engage, the independent company which ran the ballot, is online here.
