Biomass technology, crop protection and legislation were among the primary topics at British Ornamental Plant Producers  AGM and Technical Seminar at Stoneleigh Park, Coventry, last week.

The fully booked seminar brought together retailers, growers and suppliers to learn about current issues affecting the industry and provide an update on the strategy and activities of the BOPP Scheme.

Renewable energy continues to be a hot topic, with increasing horticultural sector interest stimulated by the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) subsidies currently available. Biomass technology gives growers the potential to address rising fuel prices and reduce their environmental impact, although its pratical implementation still leaves unanswered questions for many.

Jon Swain from the Farm Energy Centre outlined renewable energy options; Tony Budd, from EcoVision, an HTA CRoP partner, talked about the technology available from ground source heat pumps to biomass boilers.

In a grower panel session, Richard Harnett from Kernock Park Plants and Simon Earley from Earley Ornamentals shared their experiences of installing biomass technology. At Kernock, a central biomass boiler installed in 2006 replaced 13 boilers across their site). He emphasised the need for a backup boiler and also a dedicated member of staff – essentially “a Fred Dibnah type with IT skills”!

Simon stressed the importance of researching the right fuel, which is critical for boiler efficiency. Wood pellets are more manageable but come at a higher price than wood chip. “The heat that you get out depends on the quality of material you put in,” he said. Kernock manage this by buying in and storing their wood a year in advance so they can control their fuel source.

Delegates also heard about ethical trading in the supply chain, updates on legislation impacting on the sector and the latest HDC news about crop protection and R&D. All had a common theme about the need to work collaboratively in order to make progress.

Two interactive workshop sessions from Paula Edgington and Anna Cook looked at developing and implementing a quality management system and supplier management providing plenty of opportunity for discussion and debate.

BOPP Scheme Manager Anna Cook said: “The theme of the seminar was ‘Setting New Standards’ and all of our speakers have picked up on a common theme; working collaboratively. We hope we have assisted the attendees to understand that new requirements, whether they be legal, ethical, environmental or certification driven can be met by working together and seeking support from the right sources.”

The seminar sponsors were Bulrush, Ecovision, Fedden USP, HTA Insurance Services, HTA Utility Services, Phytolux and Sedex.