The Commercial Horticulture Plan 2020 describes how, by building on positive interactions with people and the environment, commercial growers in Wales can play a critical role in delivering the Welsh Government priorities for sustainable development.
In response to this, Tyfu Cymru has brought together a cluster of key businesses from the sector. This provides a forum to discuss the challenges and opportunities facing the horticulture industry in Wales; and to identify what might be done collectively and with Welsh Government support for sustainable food and farming.
Common issues include import and export, labour and skills, peat free growing, and single use plastic, aswell as opportunities to measure and communicate how the industry contributes to the economy and environment of Wales.
Capturing the true value of the industry in Wales is a recurring theme and an area where there is consensus to act. Doing this brings dual benefits:
1. By demonstrating how the industry is contributing to Welsh Government strategic goals for future generations, sustainable farming and a low carbon economy; and
2. By responding to the now significant and growing consumer demand for sustainable produce from responsible growers.
This has given an opportunity to create a practical framework that can be used by horticulture businesses in Wales to plan, take-action and benchmark their progress towards sustainability objectives. Developing this in participation with commercial growers helps to ensure that the sustainability framework is practical, robust and fit for purpose.
A critical part of this work so far has been to agree a set of shared sustainability priorities and then for each business to develop their own sustainability action plans.
This provides a route forward specifically for commercial growers in Wales to progress towards these shared priorities, whilst collectively supporting the sector to demonstrate how they are taking a balanced approach towards sustainability.
For more information, please follow the Sustainability Framework link below
To express an interest in joining the group please follow the How To Join link at the top of the page.