Biomass technology, crop protection and legislation were among the topics of interest at British Ornamental Plant Producers (BOPP) AGM and Technical Seminar which took place on 25 September 2014 at Stoneleigh Park, Coventry.
The seminar, which was fully booked, brought together retailers, growers and suppliers to learn about and discuss the current issues affecting the industry and also provide an update on the strategy and activities of the BOPP Scheme.
Renewable energy continues to be a hot topic and is receiving increasing interest from the horticultural sector helped by the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) subsidies which are currently available. Biomass technology offers the potential for growers to address rising fuel prices and to reduce their environmental impact, although for many there are unanswered questions about the practicalities of its implementation.
Jon Swain from the Farm Energy Centre provided an overview of renewable energy options past and present highlighting the various factors to consider. Tony Budd, from EcoVision, an HTA CRoP partner, complemented this by talking about the technology options available from ground source heat pumps to biomass boilers.
This was followed by a grower panel session where Richard Harnett from Kernock Park Plants and Simon Earley from Earley Ornamentals shared their experiences of installing biomass technology onto their respective nurseries providing useful hints and tips along the way. At Kernock they installed a central biomass boiler in 2006 (replacing the 13 boilers they had 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 as this is critical to the efficiency of the boilers. Whilst wood pellets are more manageable they do 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 aspect 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 comments, “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.”
Many thanks to sponsors Bulrush, Ecovision, Fedden USP, HTA Insurance Services, HTA Utility Services, Phytolux and Sedex.
