UK: Trade associations call on government to pause plant health fee hike

The Horticultural Trades Association (HTA), alongside the British Potato Trade Association (BPTA) and the Fresh Produce Consortium (FPC), is urgently calling for action as the consultation on the proposed increase in plant health fees closes on Friday, March 21.

The three organizations have jointly written to Baroness Hayman of Ullock, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) with responsibility for biosecurity and borders, and Huw Irranca-Davies MS, the Welsh Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, urging the government to halt the ill-timed fee hikes.

The letter expresses concern over the consultation's timing, methodology, and potential impact on businesses across the horticultural, agricultural, and fresh produce sectors. It calls for a fundamental review of plant health fees and border processes before introducing any increases.

The joint letter calls for a pause on fee increases until a full review of plant health fees and processes at the border is conducted, recognition of economic pressures from the Autumn Budget's tax and labour cost increases, as well as the significant financial burden caused by the Border Target Operating Model (BTOM), greater transparency in cost calculations, as the data provided in the consultation lacks clarity and does not allow industry stakeholders to assess efficiency or fairness, and improvements to APHA service levels, as businesses are already facing substantial costs from BTOM and Border Control Posts (BCPs) without corresponding improvements in service quality.

Fran Barnes, Chief Executive of the HTA, commented: "The current inspection regime is still creating problems for our members in terms of service levels and transparency of costs. To then be faced with an increase in fees for an inconsistent service where we appear to be paying more for less is unacceptable.

"Furthermore, this proposed increase could not come at a worse time. The financial strain from tax and labor cost increases, coupled with the ongoing challenges of border operations, is already making it harder for businesses to stay competitive. Now, we face a further cost burden that risks harming UK horticulture, fresh produce, and seed potato businesses. Alongside the BPTA and FPC, we are calling on the government to pause this consultation and engage with industry on a fair and sustainable way forward.

"With the consultation deadline approaching, we are calling on businesses across our industries to make their voices heard too—to feed into us and respond directly. The government needs to listen to the industry and rethink these fee proposals before it is too late."

The joint letter to ministers highlights that the shared industry already achieves 99.9% compliance at the border, yet the outdated approach does not reflect a modern and responsible industry. The organizations are urging Defra to explore a least-cost approach that ensures strong biosecurity while minimizing unnecessary financial burdens on businesses. The HTA, BPTA, and FPC will continue working together to ensure senior-level government engagement on this critical issue.

Following the recent HTA member webinar, the association is reminding members to continue feeding in evidence to the HTA Policy team on how the proposed plant health fee increases will impact their businesses and submit individual responses to the consultation to demonstrate the scale of industry concern and individual business impacts.