UK: HDC's Panel Elections

HDC’s Sector Panels have the responsibility of ensuring that all activities funded by HDC board are prioritised are relevant and have the support of growers and their crop associations. This is particularly important in horticulture with businesses of so many different sizes, producing so many different crops. HDC Panels are seeking enthusiastic growers, or their technical staff, to stand for election for terms beginning January 2015.

For HDC to deliver targeted and practical results to industry, your involvement is critical to help steer applied horticultural research. There are 23 vacancies across six sector panels. Click here to download and fill out your nomination form for electronic submission. For more information on becoming a Panel member and Panel nominations read on. The closing date for nominations is Monday 13 October 2014.

Panel elections

Panel members serve for a three-year term and agree to attend panel meetings three or four times a year. Panels assess new project proposals (research, knowledge transfer and communications) for their scientific merit, value for money and probability of success; and monitor progress of those already under way to check they are meeting their objectives. Panel members should also represent the breadth of industry views and ensure equal attention is given to the interests of all growers. Panels often also hear presentations from leading researchers on topics likely to become important to their sector in the future. Panel members are sometimes asked to act as industry representatives for individual projects within their particular field of interest. This ensures HDC manages an industry-relevant research programme – but it is also a great way to be among the first to learn about the latest research results.

Who is eligible to stand? To be eligible to stand for election a candidate must be, or be employed by, a current HDC levy payer (‘current levy payers’ for this purpose are defined as those businesses who are required to pay a levy based on their returns for 2013/14). Candidates may be nominated and seconded only by current levy payers. Panel members who have completed one three-year term may seek nomination for a second term but no member may serve more than two consecutive three-year terms. Those elected to the panel, or their employers, must remain levy payers throughout their term as an elected panel member (changes to job role and positions are acceptable provided levy status is maintained). Levy payers who have allocated 25% or more of their levy to a particular sector will be entitled to vote in any election for that sector.

For more information:
HDC
Helen Williams
+44 0247 647 8662
E-mail: [email protected]
www.hdc,org.uk