Blog: Is AHDB really changing to benefit the levy payer?

Mixed arable and beef farmer, David Bell from East Fife, talks about how he’s championing levy payers’ interests in the Cereals & Oilseeds Sector Council and making sure AHDB is really shaping up to support growers.

We’ve all heard a lot about how AHDB is changing to put levy payers at the heart of everything they do, but how is that actually happening and is it really making a difference? Well, as your representative on the sector council, my challenge is to make sure it does.

I’m a mixed farmer up in Scotland, with cereals, beef suckler, potato and environmental enterprises and am always keen to explore the next opportunity, the latest idea – anything to keep my business growing.

I’ve been involved with AHDB for some years now, having been part of their research and knowledge exchange committees, the steering group for the monitor farm up here, and helping shape their Recommended Lists for barley and oats. I always like to get involved at a practical level and have hosted a range of on-farm trials, from applications to establishment techniques.

With so much experience to bring, it’s so important that as levy payers on the council we’re utilised as the voice of the industry. Last week, we met to go through your feedback following the Shape the Future vote and decide what work AHDB should deliver to add real value to your businesses. There are more discussions to have but we must focus on services that tackle every day on-farm challenges, as well as longer term issues those coming down the track. And we must demonstrate a return on investment for levy payers’ money.

At the moment, my specific area of oversight for the council is exports and there are real untapped opportunities here. I recently had the opportunity to be part of an outward trade mission to Morocco with AHDB’s exports team. I naively assumed I’d get to see some of the country but after spending every available hour in trade meetings with industry partners, I can assure you that none of these trips are a jolly!

We’re also exploring other new markets such as Mexico, North America, China and Japan, but I’m keen that we don’t lose sight of the opportunities at home, too. Market development abroad is not a sliver bullet and, as we can’t compete on a global scale, our domestic markets mustn’t be ignored.

What wheat varieties could we grow that need less nitrogen and which markets could we sell to here with them? Lower input costs are not only better for the environment but could give a better return.

Having seen so much of AHDB’s work, the one thing I’d say is about everyone here is what unifies us, is a common goal – the success of the industry. And because of that, we should all be pulling in the same direction.

I’ve also seen a lot of good come from AHDB’s work for cereals and oilseeds. In fact, I’d say that everyone I know who has touched AHDB in the Cereals & Oilseeds sector, and engaged with their brilliant Knowledge Exchange team, has been lifted by it in some way. Yes, there’s still a lot more work to be done, but my experience with AHDB has definitely made me a better farmer, and a better person.

Like many of you, I’m now focused on harvest, although we look like we’re ahead, which is great, but we're having to manage such dry conditions, too. I wish all of you the best with your harvests and look forward to sharing the outcomes of the sector council’s deliberations later this year.