Introduction to AHDB
The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has a pivotal role to help make the six commodity sectors we support more competitive and sustainable.
We undertake research and development (R&D) and farm-level knowledge transfer (KT) and knowledge exchange (KE) activity. We also provide essential market information to improve supply chain transparency, deliver marketing promotion activities to help stimulate demand and also work to maintain and develop export markets.
Covering about 75% of total agricultural output in the United Kingdom (UK), we support:
AHDB also ensures that proper account is taken of Government priorities for agriculture and the agri-food industry, where appropriate.
Our Purpose:
To make our industries more competitive and sustainable
Our Corporate Objectives:
- Deliver value for money for levy payers in everything we do
- Improve efficiency and productivity in the industry to help levy payers have thriving businesses
- Improve marketing in the industry to help profitability and customer awareness
- Improve services that the industry provides to the community
- Improve ways in which the industry contributes to sustainable development.
How we are funded:
The work of AHDB is funded by farmers, growers and others in the supply chain through statutory levies – not from central Government. The funds raised from each commodity sector are ring-fenced to ensure they are used only to the benefit of the sector from which they were raised.
AHDB Philosophy:
AHDB is one organisation and levy payers are at the heart of what it does. In implementing this philosophy the AHDB Board takes a sector-specific approach believing that by operating with divisions focused on each commodity sector, each with their own brand identity, and each with advisory sector boards made up of levy payers and other stakeholders, makes it best placed to identify the sector priorities and devise and recommend appropriate strategies to meet those priorities.
Corporate Plan:
Each year AHDB publishes a rolling three year Corporate Plan. It includes the strategies, activity plans, and targets proposed by our six sector boards and also the levy rates required to deliver these plans.
Structure:
In order to deliver the most effective services for our levy payers, AHDB is organised by six sector specific divisions that represent the commodity sectors covered by our statutory remit, supported by 3 corporate divisions who deliver finance, human resources, market intelligence and communication services. Each division is headed by a director who sits on the Senior Executive Team (SET), which is responsible for the implementation of the Corporate Plan. The SET is headed by the Chief Executive of AHDB (see diagram).
All staff are employed by AHDB with sector specific activity being delivered under the established divisional brands of BPEX, DairyCo, EBLEX, HDC, HGCA and Potato Council.
Each sector division has an advisory sector board comprised of levy payers and other stakeholders from the sector. Each sector board has delegated functions from the AHDB Board to develop the most appropriate strategies to meet the challenges of the sector; to ensure the relevant levy rate is recommended in order to provide adequate funding for the required work; to monitor strategy implementation; and to approve remedies where performance deviates from plan. The sector board members are appointed by AHDB.
The main AHDB Board consists of the six chairs of the sector boards and four independent directors (including the chairman). The main AHDB Board members are appointed by the Secretary of State for Defra acting with the approval of the National Assembly for Wales, the Scottish Ministers and the relevant Northern Ireland department.
A diagram showing both the main Board members and sector advisory board members is available here
Commercial Subsidiaries:
There is one commercial subsidiary trading within the AHDB group, the Meat & Livestock Commercial Services Ltd (MLCSL), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of AHDB. MLCS Ltd is a separate company limited by guarantee supplying services to the meat and livestock sectors. All its costs are fully accounted for within the company and it returns profits to AHDB to supplement levy funds.
Income:
Collectively, taking both the levy-funded and commercial operations plus grants, AHDB has an income in excess of £50 million and employs some 450 people (310 of these are levy-funded posts). More detailed income and budgetting information is contained in the back of the Corporate Plan.
Audit and Governance:
The AHDB levy income comes under Treasury rules for the governance of public money. The National Audit Office (NAO) is responsible for the external auditing of the AHDB accounts and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) acts as AHDB’s ‘sponsor’ Government department. The AHDB Accounting Officer is accountable to Defra Ministers and devolved administrations on the appropriate use of levy funds and corporate governance standards applicable to public bodies. A Management Statement and Financial Memorandum sets out the broad framework within which AHDB and Defra are required to operate in their relationship:
Procurement:
AHDB is firmly committed to openness, fairness and transparency in selecting all of its suppliers of goods and services. It must do this as a matter of law under the Public Contracts Regulations 2006, and this approach will also enable us to develop a ‘most economically advantageous’ supply system and maximise our use of levy funds.
To this end, the AHDB website includes a procurement area (see left-hand menu bar) that lists all current procurements and provides links to enable any potential supplier to establish whether it wants to participate and how to do so.
AHDB has Standard Terms and Conditions that apply to all its contracts (or agreements) for the purchase of Goods and Services. These may be updated at any time by publication on this website and contracts are made applying the version current at the time of contracting. Suppliers are responsible for keeping themselves aware of changes. The current version applies from 12 April 2010. Previous versions can be obtained on request to the Legal Adviser at legal@ahdb.org.uk
Openness:
The Board of AHDB embraces the principles of openness and is committed to publishing information on this website about its board meetings, its corporate plan and its annual performance. It has developed a Publications Scheme as part of its compliance with the Freedom of Information Act (2000) and this sign-posts people to a wide range of information published by AHDB and its sector organisations.