The UK's Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies MS, met on Monday, 8 December 2025, with representatives of the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing environmental horticulture across Wales.
The HTA delegation included Jennifer Pheasey, Director of Policy & Public Affairs, Katie Neenan, Senior Public Affairs Executive and HTA member Katie Eckley from the Old Railway Line Garden Centre.
© Horticultural Trades Association
This momentum was sparked by a vibrant event in the Senedd, where the HTA held a summer showcase of plants and seeds, with over 20 Members and staff engaging in discussions to hear about the concerns of HTA members in Wales. Then Mark Isherwood MS raised an oral question to the Deputy First Minister, drawing attention to the HTA's 'Environmental Horticulture Growth Strategy: A Vision for Wales' and his visit to HTA members, the Klondyke Group's Daleside Garden Centre.
In his question, Mark Isherwood highlighted the sector's £1.8bn contribution to Wales' GDP and the 37,000 jobs supported across the supply chain, as well as the social, environmental, and health benefits environmental horticulture delivers. He asked how the Welsh Government will work with industry to ensure the skills system meets future needs, reflecting discussions with the HTA on workforce development, peat-free transitions, water resilience, and wider growth opportunities.
In response, the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary recognised horticulture as a vital and growing part of the Welsh economy. They committed to working with ministerial colleagues, including the Skills Minister, to support the development of a future-ready workforce.
The meeting provided an opportunity to build on this positive engagement. The HTA emphasised the need for cross-government working, stable policy to support business confidence, and partnership approaches to skills, sustainability, and long-term resilience, which are all central themes of the HTA's emerging manifesto for Wales.
Jennifer Pheasey, HTA Director of Policy & Public Affairs, said: "We really welcomed the chance to meet the Deputy First Minister today and to have Katie Eckley from the Old Railway Line Garden Centre bring a business voice to the discussion. It was encouraging to see clear recognition of the role environmental horticulture already plays in Wales and to discuss the potential for our sector to do even more. With support from the Senedd and closer industry collaboration, our HTA members can continue to drive green growth for Wales, support local economies, strengthen their communities, and ensure the country benefits from the health and well-being that gardening and green spaces offer. Today's discussion was constructive and forward-looking, and we look forward to building on that momentum."
Katie Eckley, Operations Director, The Old Railway Line, said: "It was a great opportunity to meet the Deputy First Minister and his officials. As an environmental horticulture business, being able to bring to life the challenges and opportunities of being an SME and running a garden centre to policymakers is important. Today's meeting builds on visits I've hosted at the Old Railway Line Garden Centre and working with the HTA team on the Plants in Senedd event. We are raising the profile and understanding of our valuable sector, and I'm looking forward to continuing to build our profile further."
For more information:
Horticultural Trades Association
[email protected]
www.hta.org.uk
