BDA AGM #44

Garvald Factory, Edinburgh

Chair (Bernard Jarman): First AGM in Scotland. Thanks Jimmy and Pauline. Thanks for secretarial duties to Cecil, Jessica, Sebastian and Charlie – and to the Star and Furrow team. Streamlining and assessing the BDAAs responsibilities. Jutta Patterson has taken on the role of Membership secretary and redirecting mail from Stourbridge. Phone calls to Charlie Wannop’s special line in Scotland. Postal and phone number still say Clent. Charlie wanner has become ‘Outreach Facilitator’ as a trial position. Feedback please. All books from the excellent Botton Bookshop. Paul van Midden running the preparations mail-order service. 70 demeter symbol holders at the moment – farmers and growers, abbatoirs, professors and retail outlets. Increasing paperwork! New inspectors being trained. Scheme is growing and being re-evaluated constantly. Demeter Guid for interfere support. Much thanks to Pat Thompson for her work with SnF.

Council received 7 nominations and all were accepted. Thanks to Ann Parsons and Cecil Reilly, Sue Bradley and Tony Mathews.

Treasurer: A treasurers account now open and instead of bank charges we now get interest which may go to over £30o0 per year! Simplified accounting means expenses down from £1026 to £200 this year. £8000 from Howe Green Trust (re parasites facilitated by `richard Smith) and a MAFF grant of £6738 for organic Aid Scheme have come in. Change in accounting at Demeter has also helped. Next year the council should have clearer budgets for the different mandated groups. Covenants again could bring another £2-3000 per year.

Discussion fluoridation of water. SnF team welcomed all input please.

Aims of the association: lively discussion. Farm was at the heart – a hub for outreach. More produce available. A full time secretary needed to keep information moving. Balance between top-down (budgets and structure) and bottom-up (participation.) Members need to feel more involved. Council feels remote from the membership.

Lecture by Aonghus Gordon

Recognition for Jimmy and Pauline’s work. More support here?