UK horticulture is one step closer to forming a national forum for the entire sector, following a widespread vote of support from more than 30 representatives of the industry's main organisations and interests.

Sir Colin Spedding introduced the proposal to a meeting in London last week, and said the initiative will create a 'national voice for horticulture'.

He said: 'The key to the forum will be its independence. The public does not see the views of insiders as credible. The forum will create the opportunity for a debate on important issues of concern to the industry into which the views of those from within and outside the industry could be fed.' The meeting agreed to form an organising committee, charged with assembling necessary resources, appointing a three-member unit to run the forum and securing a sponsor to hold and distribute funds. It will also hold a watching brief on the performance of the forum, with power to determine its future and the composition of the governing unit.

The organising committee will comprise representatives of the Horticultural Development Council, Horticultural Trades Association, Royal Horticultural Society, Institute of Horticulture, the National Farmers Union, The University of Reading, Horticulture Research International, and the East Malling Trust for Horticultural Research. Future membership of the committee will not rise above 10 members.

Professor Chris Payne of The University of Reading said that it was important that the forum should look at the 'big picture'. He added: 'We need the debate on important issues to be informed by the forum, with the vision to look beyond the narrow confines of the industry and see the broader implications of horticulture.' David Gwyther, director general of the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) said his organisation is fully behind the proposal, as is Andrew Colquhoun, director general of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), Peter Siddall, chairman of Horticulture Research International, and Jeff Moorby, president of the Institute of Horticulture.

After the meeting Spedding said: 'There seems to be a great deal of support for a unit that can organise continuous consultation, interpret the views put forward, and then articulate them to government, stakeholders and the wider public.

The proposal for the new forum arises from the report of the review of horticultural research & development, chaired by Spedding and commissioned by the department of the environment, food and rural affairs. Alongside its recommendations for methods of improving the effectiveness of R&D, the review group's report, A Vision for Horticulture concluded: 'At a strategic level, there is a need for a forum to produce a vision for horticulture, which will guide and inform the industry, its stakeholders and government... Using a wide network of stakeholders, it would be able to conduct periodic reviews of particular issues or commodity areas.' Another meeting is planned for the near future.

At next week's NFU horticulture summit on May 27, vice-president Michael Paske will present a blueprint document that details a strategy for the sector to work with the NFU on lobbying and promotion. He has stressed the importance of full co-operation between differing interests if such an initiative is to succeed.

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