This week, The English Apple Man attended the AGM's of Marden Fruit Show Society (MFSS) and British Apple and Pears (BAPL) held in unison at NIAB at East Malling.
An early morning start on Wednesday as I left home at 7.30am in good time for my arrival at NIAB at East Malling where the MFSS AGM was scheduled for 9am.
This arrangement was an obvious format (but not done before) as many attendees would naturally be supportive of each category.
The facility is superb, The Mumford Building an ideal venue.
The £11.3 million GreenTech Hub for Advanced Horticulture was officially opened by Tom Tugendhat MP at NIAB's East Malling site on Thursday 12 May 2022.
The GreenTech Innovation Hub building, was renamed the Mumford Building in July 2023. The building is dedicated to Professor John Mumford, long-time trustee and former Chair of the East Malling Trust, who sadly passed away in December 2022.
Click on: The Green Tech Hub
MFSS AGM
The 2024 AGM signalled an "End of an Era" with a number of long term members of the General Committee standing down and after an impressive 15 years as Chairman Sarah Calcutt who inspired the development of the fruit show, from a rather rustic event into a National Fruit Show equal in standing to those in continental Europe.
Sarah is now CEO , City Harvest.
Click on: The 90th Anniversary Fruit Show
Of course Sarah did not achieve all this on her own, and in that time many members of the General Committee played an integral and essential role in the process. Some have departed over the years, some are still part of the committee and some are standing down.....
Claire Seymour moves from Vice Chair to Chair of The Board of Trustees and Robert Mitchel (Chair of MFSS circa two decades ago) brings his years of fruit show and industry experience to the role of Vice Chair if The Board of Trustees.
Standing down!
Norma and Brian Tomsett were prominent in organising the Show Fruit Competition, they were at the heart of so much and it is sad that due to ill health they have had to stand down. We all wish them well for the future.
Norma and Brian were subject of one of my English Apple Man "People Profiles" in Brian and Norma Tomsett
Below: Andrew Tinsley - retiring Chair of Board of Trustees
Another key member of the committee and Chairman of the (MFSS) Board of Trustees - Andrew Tinsley is also standing down. Andrew's extensive fruit industry experience and many years committed to the MFSS and The National Fruit Show deserve our gratitude and recognition.
Colin Bird has been involved for many years and his expertise as an agronomist especially valuable at Judging time.
The English Apple Man has been part of the general committee for circa 20 years and was particularly involved in the after show events held annually up until a few years ago. Click on NFS After Show event at Wakehurst Place
Moving on!
We now have a new Chairman. Nigel Bardsley takes on the mandate in what can only be described as challenging times, with UK apple & pear growers facing difficult times with prices received from the Supermarkets generally below cost of production; No one has more experience of the National Fruit Show which has been part of the Bardsley family Physche' from his father and mother's time and he will be ably supported by Annette Bardsley as Vice Chair and President Catherine Paice now in her second year and bringing wide experience of farming matters.
Catherine Paice, MA (Cantab), is a freelance journalist and editor who started her career writing for and about theatre but for the past 25 years has specialised in agriculture and rural businesses, working for radio, print and on-line media. She is a former business editor of Farmers Weekly and spent many years contributing to BBC Radio 4 while working for a range of business publications covering food commodities.
Catherine is currently a director of Eden Publishing Ltd, with responsibility for an international publication offering daily online and fortnightly printed market news and business updates for dairy processors. She wrote 'Rural Britain' for the Foreign & Commonwealth Office as a showcase for the British countryside and has school governance experience.
The 2024 National Fruit Show will take place on Wednesday 6th November, and will be a 'one day show' reflecting the challenging times the apple and pear industry is experiencing.
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BAPL AGM - 17 April 2024
Below: Ali Capper and Ged Futter
Prior to: The British Apples and Pears (BAPL) AGM - Chair Ali Capper introduced 'Guest Speaker' Ged Futter who presented his 'take' on the challenges of suppliers trading with powerful retailers.
Ged spoke about the need for suppliers to consider saying 'no' to supermarkets, when terms do not support long term sustainability. He shared insights from his extensive experience working as a buyer for a major supermarket and this prompted many questions from the audience.
The English Apple Man has been following Ged's 'on line' publications outlining the realism required to meet the challenges of all supplier to the large retailers. It is not just apple and pear growers who are struggling, many sectors of UK farming are facing the same dilemma!
Ged as a former Supermarket buyer now offers training for suppliers in conjunction with colleagues at the retail mind
"As retailers, we delivered change programmes to create a better offer for our customers. We overcame obstacles in every day trading. We helped design, build and deliver the training for the buying teams. We now make all this work for suppliers"
Below: Ged Futter (Jed) Managing risk by saying NO
As the BAPL AGM is in the public domain, and includes Ged Futter's presentation, The English Apple Man will show some of the 'headline slides' delivering strong messages supporting Ged's insightful message!
Ged took questions during his presentation and responded to our apple industry will shrink dramatically if Supermarkets don't pay more. Ged responded with; "they won't - well then (my comment) only Government legislation guaranteeing fruit cannot be sold below cost price can stop the contraction of home grown produce... "they won't said Ged" - my prognosis then will see a cycle of UK growers either leaving the industry or grubbing orchards and planting cereals. Then at some stage in the future when they either cannot get enough imported apples, or more likely face a price hike from overseas suppliers, will no doubt seek an expansion of the (small) UK industry once more!
Below: Learning to say no, was illustrated very well when Egg Producers refused to supply at the price offered. It took some months, but eventually retailers agreed. Adverse weather in Spain and beyond and exacerbated by greenhouse growers in the UK not planting crops in winter due to the excessive rise in energy costs. A 'perfect storm' left empty shelves in Supermarkets
Below: Branded products; Pink Lady and Jazz in the apple world are under less price pressure. Ged emphasised our greatest brand image!
Click on: Ged Futter's Presentation in Full.
The BAPL AGM presentation by Ali Capper is extremely comprehensive and demonstrates the quality and quantity of work by the small BAPL team
Please click on: BAPL AGM - 17 April 2024 for full content.
Finally
The joint AGM's and Ged Futter's Presentation proved to be 'a morning well spent' - certainly Ged's 'dose of realism. regarding our hopes for Supermarket and Government support, will no doubt clear the mind when making any investment decisions by growers!
That is all for this week
Take care
The English Apple Man