Give your views on AHDB

[ajd132]

But (as ever a but so do not read on!) these organisations to an extent rely/are a conduit for the AHDB funds. One can argue the AHDB do not channel funds correctly. My thoughts so pretty irrelevant really - first, NIAB have members funds but these are trivial compared to the funds available to distributors and manufacturers. Second, CMI? do they actually do any trials? genuine question as I have no involvement - thought CMI reinterpreted others published trial data. Third, ADAS has to get funding from somewhere such as AHDB/manufacturers as has no money of its own and is not at all like the ADAS/NAAS of the 1970/80s when MAFF kept it well fed with money to undertake research whether farmers wanted it or not.

My view - AHDB is in effect a conduit for that part of the levy money fed into research. More of the money is spent elsewhere over which I will not comment. If AHDB levy is terminated (as I consider there could be a groundswell of support for) then how do you/we the industry propose to fund the organisations you quote? Membership fees?

Regards,

But we pay membership fees to them already...

 

[whiterabbit]

It all comes down to the fact that if ahdb were doing a value for money service we wouldn't be having this conversation and everybody would be only to happy to hand over our levy but they are not what started off looking like a good idea turns out to get top heavy with people taking huge salaries plus perks ahdb staff that have visited our farm earn serious money for not doing a lot and reading between the lines would find farming a window box a challenge

 

[An Gof]

It all comes down to the fact that if ahdb were doing a value for money service we wouldn't be having this conversation and everybody would be only to happy to hand over our levy but they are not what started off looking like a good idea turns out to get top heavy with people taking huge salaries plus perks ahdb staff that have visited our farm earn serious money for not doing a lot and reading between the lines would find farming a window box a challenge

But for my circumstances the cereals and oilseeds levy IS value for money.
A large amount of my grain is fed on farm meaning my total cereal and oilseed levy payment is <£600. I maintain I get good value for that.
I remain to be convinced about the value I derive from the beef levy I pay.

 

[Hindsight]

But we pay membership fees to them already...

You will do but if you follow my point those organisations also receive funding from AHDB levy money. I suspect most farmers unless on one of the advisory committees involved with research organisations have little idea of the cost of operating them. Your membership fee even combined with those of other farmer / agronomist members is only part of the funding requirement. A bit like very few people truly appreciate the true cost of NHS as it 'just is there'. Ask your NIABTAG man / CMI man how much funding they receive from AHDB and other sources - in addition to your membership fee. Be interested to hear. Hey ho.

 

[whiterabbit]

But for our circumstances we grow only veg we do our own trials in conjunction with seed and chemical companies and on two occasions in many years we called to ask advice from the ahdb only to be told to talk to our agronomist if i really need to ask for advice I find two farming friends in holland the place to go now the Dutch really know what day it is like I said before an gof you want ahdb advice you pay for it but please don't ask me to contribute

 

[bankrupt]

But for my circumstances the cereals and oilseeds levy IS value for money.
A large amount of my grain is fed on farm meaning my total cereal and oilseed levy payment is <£600. I maintain I get good value for that.
.

In all fairness, the AHDB should be obliged to charge their levy upon any intra-farm usage, and also upon all inter-farm sales, with immediate effect.

 

[whiterabbit]

That might be a nightmare to administer bankrupt

 

[bankrupt]

That might be a nightmare to administer

Then charge it per acre, not per ton.

If necessary, it could just be deducted from the FDM refund, a year or so in arrears.

 

[whiterabbit]

Better still scrap it altogether and then just leave us alone I am fast running out of blood

 

[whiterabbit]

Is there anybody out there who has a friend or relative who is a human rights lawyer I sure we must have a case. Forced against our will to hand money over

 

[An Gof]

But for our circumstances we grow only veg we do our own trials in conjunction with seed and chemical companies and on two occasions in many years we called to ask advice from the ahdb only to be told to talk to our agronomist if i really need to ask for advice I find two farming friends in holland the place to go now the Dutch really know what day it is like I said before an gof you want ahdb advice you pay for it but please don't ask me to contribute

Don’t worry you are not paying for my cereal advice. Levy funds are allocated to and ring fences to the sector from which they are collected.

 

[An Gof]

Is there anybody out there who has a friend or relative who is a human rights lawyer I sure we must have a case. Forced against our will to hand money over

When you find a lawyer to take the case on could you ask them to look at income tax, vat, council tax and inheritance tax as well plus a few others.

Levies are technically a parafiscal tax.

 

[whiterabbit]

I really pleased to know that an gof maybe now I can have another word with ahdb and ask them to bring the fence in even tighter , I have told them on numerous occasions to stop sending me endless glossy paper on tomatoes cucumbers bedding plants and every other growing thing we don't grow and little on what we do grow mind you when you're wasting somebody else's money it doesn't seem to hurt half as much

 

[whiterabbit]

Yes an gof but at least with income tax council tax and the like you do feel that you are paying towards schools nhs street lighting roads etc but with the ahdb it is nothing short of extortion

 

[whiterabbit]

With November the 9th almost upon us can I remind everyone to make sure their on line ahdb review has been completed it appears the ahdb have done an excellent job keeping in under the radar as a poor response will be deemed that we are happy for them to keep taking our money

 

[whiterabbit]

Maybe if we do not get the reguired result from this ahdb review can I remind levy payers that we can force a vote of no confidence if we get enough people to come forward . The number of levy payers that have contacted me expressing that they would like the ahdb at the very least to be voluntary or better still abolished has been astonishing

 

[whiterabbit]

Pleased that grass and grain like this, if there is any nfu staff that are on the farming forum may I say that it has been a pretty poor show from them regarding the ahdb review with a pathetic one line email on Monday which is about 9weeks too late still turkeys don't vote for Christmas I always thought nfu stood for national farmers union it appears no flipping use would be appropriate or something like that

 

[gone up the hill]

Pleased that grass and grain like this, if there is any nfu staff that are on the farming forum may I say that it has been a pretty poor show from them regarding the ahdb review with a pathetic one line email on Monday which is about 9weeks too late still turkeys don't vote for Christmas I always thought nfu stood for national farmers union it appears no flipping use would be appropriate or something like that

NFU deputy president aka @Guy Smith is a TFF member and posts on TFF @whiterabbit

 

[whiterabbit]

Thanks gone up the hill will try to get in touch with him, been contacted by some of the nfu but to be honest their excuses have been pretty lame to say the least, then again not seen any response on tff

 

[ollie989898]

If the AHDB or other organisations are so great then the levy should be voluntary, not mandatory or taken at source or affixed to sales or any of that malarky. People who want to use their services can subscribe and pay. There is no enough fat in the job nor any need for statutory bodies in the industry. There is no hospitality development board hoteliers are obliged to pay levies to. Scrap all this round the axle nonsense, this is not 1970 any longer.