More certainty is needed for horticultural businesses to plan for tree and hedging production, MP told
9 August 2024
This week, Heathwood Nurseries in Whitchurch, Shropshire, hosted their local Member of Parliament, Helen Morgan, alongside supplier Forestart and the Horticultural Trades Association. They provided a comprehensive tour of the Nursery and production site, showcasing their dedication and passion for their work.
Irene Gwillam and son Wayne, whose family set up the business more than 40 years ago, showed their guests the site's inner workings, including their industrial automated seed-to-cell machinery, which helps produce up to tens of thousands of young trees and hedging plants daily.
Heathwood produces British trees and plants from British seed, and their supplier, Helen Richardson from Forestart (based nearby), also attended the meeting alongside the HTA’s Public Affairs and Policy Manager David Lydiat, who arranged for Helen Morgan MP to attend.
Several items were discussed throughout the morning, including the current risk for horticulture businesses due to the lack of certainty about project demand and regulations, such as tree planting targets for major public projects. This hinders the ability to produce the trees required in advance.
Border Trade challenges and supply to and from Europe were raised, as was the need for the government to focus on the next generation of horticultural workers, with skills and apprenticeship reform being required. The additional requirements of fertilisers, storage challenges, and higher costs whilst using peat-free growing media were also showcased to the local MP.
Irene Gwillam of Heathwood Nurseries commented:
“As a long-standing family business employing local people, it is great in these challenging times to have a visit from our local MP, who is interested in our industry and is a brilliant ambassador of local issues. It is really encouraging for us, and we look forward to Helen Morgan taking the issues we raised further.”
Helen Richardson of Forestart said:
“The opportunity to raise supply and labour issues related to Brexit was much appreciated. Helen Morgan is an MP who understands rural issues and immediately comprehended the impact these sorts of difficulties create for our industry as a whole. I know that the HTA are aware of the challenges that we face and are working hard on our behalf, but having the understanding of our local MP will no doubt be an added benefit.”
Helen Morgan MP reflected on the visit:
“North Shropshire is home to many fantastic family-run agricultural businesses, and it was great to see one of them up close at Heathwood Nurseries. Thanks also to supplier Forestart and the Horticultural Trades Association for taking the time to show me around and answer questions.
“There are clearly issues across the horticultural industry with trading arrangements, training and recruitment, and a lack of certainty over the scale of Government ambition on planting. I’ll be taking these issues up with new Ministers in DEFRA as soon as I can and stressing the importance of the sector to areas like North Shropshire.”
David Lydiat of the HTA explained the purpose of the visit:
“We were very pleased to bring two of our prominent members who grow UK-produced trees and flora together with their parliamentary representatives to show the challenges they are facing. We had a robust and encouraging discussion with Helen Morgan MP, and we look forward to working with her in the best interests of the environmental horticulture industry in the future.”