DIYWEEK.net

Following its support of the ban on ash imports in the wake of the Chalara fraxinea outbreak, the Horticultural Trades Association has met with Lord de Mauley at Defra to highlight industry concerns.
The ban on the import and movement of ash has effectively made this year's ash crop redundant, and UK growers are facing "potentially crippling financial losses" according to the association. Some nurseries have already incurred expensive costs in complying with destruction orders served on infected or at-risk trees.

Lord de Mauley acknowledged the difficulties that growers faced but "did not want to raise expectation of the prospect of compensation." He reiterated the government's long standing policy to commit the plant health budget to disease surveillance, control and research rather than compensation. Nonetheless, the HTA reported Lord de Mauley "undertook to consider the situation carefully in light of the impending results of a HTA survey that will more accurately reflect the true commercial ramifications for growers."

The HTA says it has been warning the Forestry Commission and Fera of the disease and requesting an import ban since 2009.

HTA Director General Carol Paris said: "We were grateful for the opportunity to raise our concerns with the Minister who clearly understood the financial implications of this particular disease. We realise that the government's historical stance is not to provide compensation to plant growers, but we believe the current situation represents exceptional circumstances especially since the industry recommended an import ban three years ago."

Director of Business Development Tim Briercliffe added: "We took the opportunity to draw attention to the EU budget mechanism that would appear to allow HMG to claim up to 50% of control costs and 25% of loss of earnings' compensation for growers.

"This would compare with the compensation provided to farmers in the wake of BSE and Foot and Mouth epidemics, and we hope that the Government will respond sympathetically to our growers' plight in the current circumstances. If not, we may need to resort to legal advice on how best to safeguard the industry's interests."