Tangmere was also pleased to welcome LEAF’s new Director, Technical, Vicky Robinson, who arranged the programme for the visit, and will play a pivotal role in the delivery of the LEAF Marque certification and promoting knowledge exchange across the industry.
During the tour, the guests saw some of the practical applications of LEAF’s Integrated Farm Management (IFM) principles in the glasshouses and the investments made in climate smart solutions to conserve water and reduce energy use.
Tangmere Airfield Nurseries’ General Manager, Gerard Vonk, and Technical Crops Manager, Mark Knight, explained Tangmere’s Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach to protect the crop using insects, and how the system has evolved since the nursery started production in 1989. They also shared how the LEAF certification process has provided a framework to formalise and build on, the sustainable actions being made on site.
The visit which took place on ‘Earth Day 2022’, befitted the group discussions and sharing of experiences around the current challenges affecting the global food and farming industry. In particular, the benefit of circular agriculture – with more efficient use of resources and waste reduction, in shaping the future of sustainable farming.
LEAF, Director, Technical, Vicky Robinson said:
“It was fascinating to see your whole process from growing through to packing whilst hearing about the values and principles that underpin your approach. You could not have set a higher bar for me as a first-time visitor to a glasshouse operation and LEAF Demonstration Farm.”
(L-R) Mark Knight, Philip de Jong, Gerard Vonk, Vicky Robinson & Martijn Bergmans.
Thank you to Martijn Bergmans for a video of the visit:
