The British Tomato Growers' Association

Tomato Growers Triumph at the Grower of the Year Awards 2010 - 16/03/2010

British tomato growers left the Grower of the Year Awards 2010 event in London last month with a trio of trophies, winning every category for which they were nominated. Following no less than five winners from the tomato sector in the 2009 event, this is a remarkable achievement for a relatively small part of the horticultural industry.

Organised by the horticultural trade magazine Horticulture Week and Grower and sponsored by the National Farmers Union, Horticultural Trades Association and Asda, these glittering events see entries from all parts of the UK horticultural industry.

Lifting the trophies for tomatoes were:

	Young Grower of the Year Paul Simmonds from Cornerways Nursery, Norfolk.		Salad Grower of the Year Flavourfresh Salads from Lancashire.
Lifetime Achievement Award Gerry Hayman, British Tomato Growers’ Association.

TGA Chairman, Nigel Bartle, says "Following the success of the tomato industry at the 2009 awards, our aim was to keep the momentum going and we certainly did that. It was also poignant to have winners at either end of the industry spectrum, from Young Grower of the Year to Lifetime Achievement Award. Bartle believes that the recognition of Gerry Hayman's involvement and influence in the industry is long overdue. He points out however, that this is not an invitation for him to retire from the world of tomatoes, "there is still much to be done and the TGA will continue to work hard to build upon its successes". He also added his congratulations to the other winners, the team at Flavourfresh Salads and, as a former winner of the Young Grower of the Year Award himself, to Paul Simmonds.

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