Following on from last week's Journal featuring The Marden Fruit Show Society AGM, this week we feature British Apples and Pears AGM
The English Apple Man Comments: We (the apple and pear industry) have endured an increasingly challenging period over the last 2-3 years, but Ali Capper and her team at BAPL have honed an already progressive vehicle into a comprehensive organisation supporting our British Apple and Pear Industry.
Below: Ali Capper, executive chair of BAPL, & Guest speaker Robbie Moore, MP.
BAPL was delighted to share the day with friends and colleagues from the National Fruit Show. The National Fruit Show held its AGM first, followed by a guest speaker and then BAPL ran its AGM. Many attendees joined for all three sessions.
The guest speaker was Defra shadow minister, Robbie Moore. Robbie spoke about the concerns he shares with growers.
Specifically, he talked about the Land Use Framework Consultation, IHT and changes to compulsory purchase powers. Robbie stressed his belief that food security should be at the heart of Defra. In addition to sharing his thoughts, Robbie also answered questions from growers at the AGM. He stayed all morning and listened to concerns, also making practical suggestions to help.
Robert Peter Moore is a British Conservative Party politician, who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Keighley and Ilkley, formerly Keighley, in West Yorkshire since the 2019 general election. He has been Shadow Minister for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs since July 2024.
In the BAPL AGM, Ali Capper provided an update on the extensive activities in the last financial year (August 2023 to July 2024). This included:
The output of a strategic review into the future activity of BAPL, including the strongly positive feedback from members about current activities. R&D highlights. The extensive retail and government advocacy work. An update on export activities
An overview of the crop and sales to date (September 2024 to February 2025). Social media reach performance up 147% on 2023. Website visitors up 48% on 2023. Huge success with the OrchardWatch social media posts sharing a fascinating look inside our growers' orchards
The great start of season promotional work from several retailers to get behind British at this crucial time.
The plans for 2025, which include working with retailers to ensure we see new season apples on TV and celebrated in store and online
Ali Capper - BAPL AGM
1. Welcome and apologies
2. Approve minutes of AGM held on 17th April 2024
3. Matters arising
4. Receive and approve accounts for Aug 2023 to July 2024
5. Appoint auditors: Forrester Boyd
6. Appoint directors: Carmella Meyer, James Simpson, Mark Gaskain, Reuben Collingwood
7. Executive chair's report
8. Promotional campaign report
9. AOB
Below: Executive chair's report
R&D Levies (£1.90/T) were collected quarterly at point of sale within the financial year
* Any surplus resulting from the R&D operation will be documented separately to general operations and marketing for full transparency.
* Reserve fund required for:
* Multi-year research approach
* Residue and efficacy trials
* Emergency applications
* Longer term R&D
* R&D is operating on a calendar year basis
2024/25 budget for BAPL activity
General operations £15.50/ha.
Communications & Representation from 2024/25 £0.90/tonne
Research & Development £1.90/tonne
BAPL major finance decisions made over the last few years reflect the challenge growers were under, so resulted in a reduced marketing budget and drawing from BAPL reserves.
* 2021 crop year (Y/E July 2022)
o Last crop year of promotional levy collection
* 2022 crop year (Y/E July 2023)
o Reduced marketing budget plus reserves for promotional levy
* 2023 crop year (Y/E July 2024)
o Reduced marketing budget plus reserves
* 2024 crop year (Y/E July 2025)
o Reduced marketing budget plus reserves
* 2025 crop year (Y/E July 2026)
o Small communications and representation levy is being collected at £0.90 per tonne,
no strategic decision to use reserve
Year Ending 31.07.24: General operations and marketing income
Transfer from reserves = £102,066
Hectarage income = £75,697
Bank interest received = £5,781
Total income = £183,54
Strategic Review 2025
In line with good governance, BAPL conducted a strategic review in late 2024 and early 2025.
This included:
* Researching other grower-led crop associations around the world
* Surveying BAPL members about:
* Their business challenges
* What BAPL could do to help
* Feedback on current BAPL performance
* Their visions for the future
* Undertaking a PESTLE analysis to understand our operating environment
* Running a full-day strategy workshop with the BAPL board
This document summarises the output of this strategic review
Grower survey highlights
Biggest challenges
* Labour - mentioned by 98% of respondents
* Audit burden - mentioned by 54% of respondents
Top ambitions
* Increase profitability and reduce costs - mentioned by 80%
* Improve yield and efficiency - mentioned by 73
How BAPL can best support growers (top ranked priorities)
1. Representing the industry with retailers
2. Advocacy on policy (e.g., seasonal workers) and audits
3. Providing industry data
4. Research & development (pests, diseases, technology)
5. Facilitating access to grants and financial resources
6. Promoting apples and pears to consumers
7. Handling crises and issues on behalf of grower
What can we learn from other crop associations?
Key findings
* Budgets higher
* Some had match-funding from government.
* The most active crop associations were:
* Sharing lots of data about their industry
* Running more industry events (knowledge-sharing, workshops, conferences, etc)
* Offering careers and training support
* Communicating frequently with growers, consumers and key stakeholder
Organisations researched:
* Apple & Pear Australia Ltd
* New Zealand Apples & Pears Ltd
* US Apple
* France National Association Apples & Pears
* South Africa Apples & Pears
* Fruits from Chile
* World Apples & Pear Association
What does this mean for BAPL ?
* Our purpose and ambition remain the same...
To enable you to profitably and sustainably grow more British apples and pears, so that 60% of
all apples sold in UK supermarkets can be British
* Our strategy to achieve our ambition is focused on future proofing, and that means building demand and removing barriers to growth
* We have a strong social licence, which means we have a powerful voice.
* We represent 95% of UK dessert and cooking apple and pear production
* We have a grower-led board that keeps its boots in the orchard and its eyes on the long-term future of the industry
The English Apple Man Comments
As mentioned before, British apple & pear growers have faced many challenges and as grower numbers have reduced from more than a 1,000 50 years ago, to probably less than 100 today, with the two largest growers producing half of all home produced apples sold in British Supermarkets today. You only have to look at the 'minimal funds' available to BAPL to support our growers in R&D and marketing spheres compared to the funds available to other crop associations.
In the past some frustrated growers have said; "why don't you advertise on TV? - well you need £3,000,000 to get started! But social media has opened a 'whole new ball game' & BAPL has taken full advantage of this medium
To access the full AGM & Executive Report
Click on: BAPL - AGM - Executive Report
That is all for this week
Take care
The English Apple Man