Peterborough firm unites fresh food industry to reduce food cost and protect environment
While many of us worry about rising food costs, Peterborough-based MDS, specialists in training for the fresh food industry, brought together the cream of the crop from Britain’s growing and supply world with future leaders, to discuss how innovation can help bring food costs down, protect the environment and maintain security of our food supply at their national conference this week.
Speakers included Richard Bonn, co-founder of Aethr Associates, specialists in sustainability; Joel Johnson, Business Development, BASF Agricultural Solutions, BASF; Sam Franklin Technical Director, AM Fresh and James Green, Group Director of Agriculture of salad growing and marketing specialists, G’s Fresh.
Trainees and conference-goers heard how innovation in the industry is reducing water and chemical use, supporting growers to adapt to climate change, maintaining food quality and reducing waste.
The conference included the annual MDS awards celebrating the best and brightest future leaders, including the Doug Henderson Award for exceptional performance, won by trainee Harvey Riches and the Peter Shepherd Award for dedication to development and learning, won by Corteva Agriscience whose marketing teams are 75% staffed by MDS alumni and trainees.
Chief Executive Officer of MDS, Sapphira Waterson highlighted the value of the annual event: “It’s important to bring together leaders and future leaders of the fresh food industry to learn from one another and to protect the future of food security. The fresh food industry has real everyday impact on the pockets and the health of ordinary people everywhere”