The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) has secured the support of its industry stakeholders to increase the levy in all four sectors it supports.

The sectors are pork, beef and lamb in England, dairy in Great Britain and cereals and oilseeds in the United Kingdom. 

This comes ahead of the application to ministers in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the devolved administrations for approval.

The levy changes are as follows:

  • Beef cattle (excluding calves): Producer – £4.05 to £5.06/head of cattle; Slaughterer/exporter – £1.35 to £1.69/head;
  • Calves: Producer – £0.08 to £0.10/head; Slaughterer/exporter – £0.08 to £0.10/head;
  • Lamb: Producer – £0.60 to £0.75/head; Slaughterer/exporter – £0.20 to £0.25/head;
  • Cereals: Cereal grower – 46.00p/t to 58p/t; Cereal buyer – 3.80p/t to 4.80p/t; 
    Cereal processor (human/industrial) – 9.50p/t to 12p/t; Cereal processor (feed) – 4.60p/t to 5.80p/t;
  • Oilseeds: 75p/t to 94p/t;
  • Dairy: Dairy farmer – 0.06p/litre to 0.08p/l;
  • Pork: Pig producer – £0.85 to £1.02; Pig processor – £0.20 to £0.24.

Divisional director for engagement, Will Jackson, said: “Today (Friday, December 15), we have recommended to ministers to approve levy increases in the four sectors we serve.

“We are delighted to be doing this with the support of so many industry stakeholders who recognise the value that AHDB demonstrates through the levy and want us to do more.

“The levy rate has not increased for over 20 years in some sectors and our spending power has greatly deteriorated over that time due to inflation and the loss of our VAT status.”

Jackson said that if a levy increase is approved, AHDB can continue to deliver the “valuable things” that levy payers believe are important and increase activities where levy payers have asked for more.

AHDB has been sharing its plans to increase the levy since October through its ‘Funding your Future’ campaign.

“Discussions with industry and levy payers have taken place widely and culminated in a livestream event where levy payers could ask their questions about the levy increase,” AHDB said.

“The proposals, which were published by the sector councils in October, have now been put to government ministers and devolved administrations for them to make a decision, expected in the first quarter of 2024.”

AHDB BEEF CEREALS DAIRY LAMB OILSEEDS PORK