HC Deb 02 February 2000 vol 343 cc640-1W
Dr. Naysmith

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what grants have been offered under the Agriculture Development Scheme. [108570]

Mr. Nick Brown

I am pleased that offers of some £2 million in marketing grants have been made under the Agriculture Development Scheme. Around 35 per cent. of the money will benefit the pig sector directly and some of the other projects directed at the livestock sector will also help pig producers. Overall, we are assisting a wide range of sectors and regions. The following organisations have been offered grant aid.

Sector Lead organisation Project
Nursery stock Horticultural Trades Association A project to extend the HTA nursery certification scheme to include the inspection and supply of local provenance
Nursery stock Horticultural Trades Association A project to develop a greater understanding of the supply chain within the nurserystock sector
Onions British Onion Producers Organisation Sector analysis of the onion market
Potatoes Hereward Growers Collaborative marketing initiative
Soft fruit Advanced Marketing Services Ltd. Soft fruit development for category management
Soft fruit The Berryworld Producers' Organisation Ltd. Development of an integrated traceability system for the soft fruit industry
Tomatoes Tomato Growers Association Investigation into the development of an integrated quality management system for the British tomato industry
Top fruit Fruition Group Ltd. Rationalisation: the basis of a full category player
Horticulture general Checkmate International Benchmarking services for the EUREP GAP framework
Horticulture general Institute of Grocery Distribution Benchmarking the industry
Combinable crops Samuel Rose Ltd. Promoting vertical integration through farmer collaboration in agricultural supply chains
Combinable crops United Grain Producers "The Marlborough Group" (working together to improve farm incomes)
Farmers' markets National Association of Farmers Markets Together to market
Direct selling Farm Retail Association Red and green box scheme feasibility study
Viticulture The Magpie Consultancy Formation of a collaborative marketing company owned by producers and devoted to the marketing development of the wines and vineyards of England
Trout Longford Estate Co-ordinated approach to trout marketing
General Plunkett Foundation Increasing competitiveness in the farmer controlled business sector through the use of best practice benchmarking
General Lantra Increasing the competitiveness of the land based sector