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All change at HGCA

On 1 April 2008, HGCA became a part of the new cross-sector Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). In July 2009, HGCA will relocate to Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, from our current London offices. Work has been ongoing to ensure that there is no disruption to service provision during the associated restructuring.

Following a Defra-led review of the various Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPB) in UK agriculture, AHDB became operational on April 1, 2008 when five former levy boards were dissolved. It is a Non-Departmental Public Body whose £50m annual programme of work is funded by statutory levies paid by farmers, growers and processors. Its role is to help improve the efficiency and competitiveness of six agriculture and horticulture sectors in parts of the UK representing about 75% of total UK agricultural output.

AHDB brings together six levy-funded sectors: Beef and Lamb (EBLEX), Pigs (BPEX), Dairy (DairyCo), Potatoes (Potato Council), Horticulture (HDC), as well as Cereals and Oilseeds (HGCA). Levies raised from each sector are ring-fenced to be used for the benefit of the sectors from which they were raised.

As a result of the creation of this new organisation, there will be changes in the way HGCA operates. The relocation from London unfortunately means staff losses, but recruitment activities are underway and a great deal of planning has been done to ensure continued service delivery. Although there will be changes to the internal structures and procedures, crop research and market information work should continue mostly unchanged.

The HGCA analysis team will become part of the wider AHDB Market Intelligence department. This means that there will still be a team of analysts dedicated to the cereals and oilseeds sector, but that they will operate with much closer ties to market information from the other sectors, paving the way for greater cross-sector analysis and more in-depth supply chain work.

HGCA's analysis team remains committed to our main objectives, which are: Helping stakeholders make informed marketing & production decisions; providing reliable, relevant, and timely cereal & oilseed market information; and tracking policy developments. Our publications will continue to be published on the website, via e-mail and in the case of the Market Report, by fax as well (see the Market Services Guide for more information).

Please note that telephone contact details for HGCA will be changing, and these will be made available as soon as they are operational.

The new postal address for HGCA is:
HGCA, Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board
Stoneleigh Park
Kenilworth, Warwickshire
CV8 2TL

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