Catalogue description Records created or inherited by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) is an umbrella organisation which markets and researches the UK agricultural industry. It is an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), which is funded by the agriculture and horticulture industries through statutory levies paid by farmers and growers.

The AHDB was established in 2008 under the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act 2006 and the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board Order 2008. It became operational on 1 April 2008 and replaced five previous non-departmental public bodies which were similarly levy-funded:

• British Potato Council;
• Meat and Livestock Commission;
• Milk Development Council;
• Horticulture Development Council;
• Home Grown Cereals Authority.

The role of the AHDB is to help improve the efficiency and competitiveness in six sectors: pigmeat; beef and lamb; commercial horticulture; milk; potatoes; and cereals and oilseeds. Sector specific activity is delivered under the established divisional sector brands of BPEX, DairyCo, EBLEX, HDC, HGCA and Potato Council:

• Pig meat in England - BPEX division (the British Pig Executive);
• Beef and lamb in England - EBLEX division (the English Beef and Lamb Executive);
• Commercial horticulture in Great Britain - HDC division (the Horticultural Development Company);
• Milk in Great Britain - DairyCo division;
• Potatoes in Great Britain - Potato Council division;
• Cereals and oilseeds in the UK - HGCA division (the Home Grown Cereals Authority).

The AHDB is based in Warwickshire.