SUMMARY MINUTES OF THE FIFTY SEVENTH MEETING OF THE AGRICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE DEVELOPMENT BOARD HELD AT STONELEIGH PARK ON
TUESDAY 1 AUGUST 2017
PRESENT
Sophie Churchill (SC), Ian Crute (IC), Gwyn Jones (GJ), Peter Kendall (PK) (Chair), Will Lifford (WL), George Lyon (GL), Adam Quinney (AQ), Mike Sheldon (MS), Gary Taylor (GT), Paul Temple (PT)
IN ATTENDANCE: Ken Boyns (KB), Matt Catlin (MC) (Agenda Item 9), Rebecca Geraghty (RG), Tom Hind (TH), Jane King (JK), Richard Laverick (RL), Sue Walker (SW), Christine Watts (CW)
AGENDA ITEM 1 – APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
Apologies were received from Tim Mordan.
AGENDA ITEM 2 – DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST
GL declared that Hume Brophy was assisting Ceeva (a French pharmaceutical company) to get a dry cow therapy approved by the European Medicines Agency.
AGENDA ITEM 3 - MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING HELD ON 1 JUNE 2017
The minutes of the last meeting held on 1 June were accepted as a correct record and signed by the Chairman.
AGENDA ITEM 4 - MATTERS ARISING FROM THE BOARD MEETING HELD ON 1 JUNE 2017
AgriTech
RL had received some feedback from the Board on a paper which had been circulated relating to the AgriTech centres. RL informed the Board that AHDB had agreed to host a meeting of the AgriTech centre Chairs and Chief Executives and a date was being sought for this. In addition an industry engagement day will take place in September. It was noted that the Agrimetrics centre was looking at undertaking cattle forecasting, AQ hoped that the centre would engage with AHDB about this. It was agreed that a letter would be drafted for the Chairman to send to Greg Clark MP about the lessons learned from AgriTech and the pivotal role which AHDB could play in any future AgriTech changes. Action: A date was being sought to host a meeting of the Agritech Chairs and Chief Executives. In addition, a letter will be drafted for the Chairman to send to Greg Clark MP
AHDB Studentships
Information had been collated on AHDB Studentships and circulated to the Board for information.
CRD
RL provided the Board with an update on discussions that are being held with CRD about the use of the stores at Sutton Bridge.
Summary Board Minutes
The summary board minutes of the March AHDB Board meeting had been circulated to the Board, this would enable the Sector Chairs to share the notes in their respective meetings.
AHDB Post-Brexit
Tom Hind (TH) will come back to the November Board meeting with options and costings on AHDB post-Brexit to enable the Board to discuss further.
Investment Test
The guidelines for the Investment Test had been amended following feedback from the Board, members of the Senior Team and the internal performance management project group. The evaluation team is now meeting with individual teams of staff to discuss the changes to the Investment Test to implement the decisions taken by the AHDB Board.
Livestock Data
There had not been much progress since the paper presented at the last Board meeting. Consideration will be given to inviting Simon Hall of Defra to visit Stoneleigh to meet with a small number of the Board who have an interest in this area. Action: Simon Hall will be invited to meet a small number of the Board who have an interest in livestock traceability data
Corporate Reporting Template
Most directorates had summarised their contributions for the Corporate Report. This will be fully implemented for the September report. Action: The revised summary Corporate Report will be fully implemented in September
AHDB Communications Strategy
An update on the AHDB Communications Strategy will be provided to the Board at its September meeting. Action: An update on the AHDB Communications Strategy will be provided to the Board in September
AHDB pace of change
The Board was providing feedback on the pace of change.
AGENDA ITEM 5 – WORKING WITH GOVERNMENT
TH/RL updated the Board on recent discussions with Government.
AGENDA ITEM 6 – VOLATILITY FORUM
GJ and TH provided the Board with an update on the activity of the Volatility Forum and proposals for the future. The Forum had been established in 2016 prior to the Referendum on the EU Exit. The first phase had been completed and a decision needed to be made on next steps. GJ commented that the work of the Forum dovetailed with the Brexit activity that had been undertaken. After discussion, it was agreed that TH would develop some thoughts about engaging with individuals within the industry and academia and come back to the next Board on what this would look like. Action: Tom Hind will produce a revised paper on the next phase of the Volatility Forum. Work should dovetail on AHDB’s Brexit focus and engaging with other industry stakeholders
IC commented on a successful Nutrition Group meeting that Maureen Strong had hosted recently. The meeting had discussed a wide range of topics and attracted a diverse number of attendees. IC felt that the Board should be made aware of the nutrition strategy at a future meeting. Action: The nutrition strategy will be discussed at a future meeting of the Board
PK asked for his thanks to be conveyed to those involved in the Volatility Forum.
AGENDA ITEM 7 – AMR UPDATE AND RECOMMENDATION (AHDB 766)
RL introduced the paper which had been written by Mandy Nevel and Ray Keatinge. The paper provided background and an update on current activity within AHDB whilst asking questions about the future role of the organisation in this area.
The Board acknowledged that AHDB should take on a more prominent role around AMR.
It was agreed that the proposals below are mapped out to enable a more proactive role with AMR:
· Collating and curating national data on AM usage in pigs, cattle and sheep
· Increasing knowledge and awareness of AMR to a consistent level across all sectors
· Providing levy payers and the supply chain with the tools and information needed to apply best practice
· Embedding AMR in campaigns and KE messaging to levy payers on improving productivity, health and welfare
· Providing proactive levy payer interfaces with VMD, RUMA, Defra, FSA, Red Tractor, veterinary profession, researchers and other industry stakeholders on issues related to AMR
· Supporting RUMA in promoting industry ownership and progress on AM use to consumers and NGOs
Action: Actions outlined in the board paper should be developed by the AHDB AMR Group to deliver a more proactive role with AMR. Consideration should be given to revising the language to antibiotic resistance rather than antimicrobial resistance
AGENDA ITEM 8 – BOARD MEMBERS TAKING ON OVERSIGHT OF OUR CORE PRIORITIES
PK commented that the topic of board members having oversight of key planks of work had been discussed a lot over the past few months in an attempt to enable AHDB to work better in a more engaged way. TH commented that the intention was that the Board had a greater sense of ownership of the strategy and how this is executed. It was agreed that PK would speak to board members over the next couple of days to take this proposal forward. Action: PK will speak to board members about them taking on oversight of cross cutting corporate priorities
AGENDA ITEM 9 – UPDATE ON BRAND LOOK AND FEEL AND VALUES WORK
MC joined the meeting for this item. MC provided the Board with an update on the branding work that has been undertaken in readiness for the one AHDB website. It is proposed that the website is shared at the sector board conference in October. A decision needs to be taken about whether levy payers will need to register to access the website or not. Action: Consideration will be given on whether levy payers will need to register to access the new one AHDB website
Values had first been introduced into AHDB in 2011. JK commented that the new values (inspire, honest, excellence, passionate, collaborative) are a set of principles that colleagues can use in their everyday work as well as engaging with customers outside the organisation.
GJ felt that in order to build stakeholder trust it was important to get the messaging right with farmers, etc. Many farmers were still very traditional and a profile was required in all farming newspapers. PK commented that he felt that the communications were now much better than they were 2-3 years ago but it was important that feedback was relayed regularly.
The Board was given an update on the work that is being undertaken to become compliant in time for the GDPR regulations becoming law in May 2018. There was a need to lead from the top on how data is treated. Consideration will be given to providing GDPR training for all staff. Action: Consideration will be given to providing GDPR training for staff
AGENDA ITEM 10 – FIT FOR THE FUTURE – BREXIT WORK
Christine Watts (CW) provided the Board with an update on the communications activity around Brexit. Bolder communications had been implemented to provide information on the risks and opportunities. CW pointed out that there was increasingly more coverage in the trade press and a Brexit 360 webinar had been held recently which had attracted a lot of interest. An event had been held at Nottingham on 20 July to launch the new KE framework strategy. Two Horizon documents will be launched in the autumn:-
· Meat and dairy: Our prospects in the global marketplace (launch 13 September – UK Dairy Day)
· Modelling the impact of different Brexit scenarios (launch 11 October – Grain Market Outlook Conference)
The marketing/communications strategy will be presented to the Board at its next meeting in September.
CW informed the Board that a number of slide decks are available for Board members to use when on speaking platforms.
AGENDA ITEM 11 – SECTOR REPORTS
Beef and Lamb
AQ commented that the Beef & Lamb Board were very supportive of the Farmbench work.
WL mentioned the article that had appeared in The Times recently relating to the Halal consultation. It was agreed that a note would be sent to the Board providing more information on the consultation. Action: A summary for the Board on AHDB’s position regarding Halal meat will be produced
Cereals and Oilseeds
PT asked for the report to be taken as read. The Board was informed of a Groundswell event which had taken place recently which we should consider being more involved with.
Dairy
The report was taken as read with nothing further to report.
Horticulture
GT informed the Board that engagement with levy payers was continuing. A piece of work has commenced to demonstrate the expertise of the horticulture panel members.
The Horticulture Board had enquired about a review of what had been achieved by the Technical Directorate in the last year. The Board was informed that this will be completed as soon as possible. Action: The results of a review of achievements made by the Technical Directorate over the last year will be relayed to the AHDB Board and Horticulture Sector Board
PT enquired how vulnerable the industry was with water restrictions. TH agreed to look at this. Action: TH will review how vulnerable the industry was with water restrictions
Pork
MS informed the Board that Mick Sloyan will be retiring from AHDB in June 2018. A recruitment process to appoint Mick’s successor will start in September with a view to an appointment being made by next April to allow a handover to take place.
The pork KE team had been re-structured, some recruitment had taken place with a few roles having been difficult to fill.
Potatoes
SC asked for the report to be taken as read. The Potato Board meetings were being structured to align with the four strategic priorities and there was an appetite to work across the sectors. SC asked that a high degree of focus and attention was given by all managers to the accuracy of budgets and forecasts.
WL commented that including the dashboards in the sector reports was a good step forward.
AGENDA ITEM 12 – CORPORATE REPORT
JK asked for the report to be taken as read.
KB explained to the Board that owing to a delay in Ministerial sign off the Annual Report and Accounts will not be laid until September.
AGENDA ITEM 13 – RISK
Following the Leadership Team meeting on 31 July two risks will be reduced in TH’s area.
The Board was provided with an update on VAT.
HS2 has been added to the Risk Register. JK will be meeting with representatives of Jones La Salle to receive an update on 2 August.
RG agreed to look at revising risk 3 about co-ordinated talent management and staff development programme. Action: RG will review the risk relating to talent management and staff development programme
AGENDA ITEM 14 – CHAIRMAN’S REPORT
PK informed the Board that further meetings were planned to coordinate Agriculture’s potential bid for a sector deal as part of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) industrial strategy.
AGENDA ITEM 15 – CHIEF EXECUTIVE’S REPORT
There should be consideration with the Board about what AHDB’s role should be in relation to animal health and TB as this type of activity does fit with our role as the knowledge exchange house for the industry. Action: Consideration with the Board about what AHDB’s role should be in relation to animal health and TB
AGENDA ITEM 16 – FINANCE UPDATE
Management Accounts to end June 2017