A group of seed potato growers are looking for industry feedback about the newly formed Seed Potato Organisation (SPO).
The SPO is currently in the process of being set up by a group of growers, with technical back-up, to support and develop the seed potato sector.
They are now looking to the annual Potatoes in Practice event, being held at Balruddery Farm near Dundee on 11 August, for feedback.
Explaining the decision, Jonnie Martin, a grower from the Black Isle, said the AHDB model had been 'rejected by growers'.
"Having identified its failings, we now need to create an organisation specifically run by growers to benefit growers.”
The group behind SPO have been busy listening to growers’ views on what SPO should be, and what it should do, this summer.
Recent meetings in the north and south of Scotland, and responses to its survey have reaffirmed the group’s commitment to setting up a body that represents seed potato growers.
The feedback so far is that a body is needed to provide seed potato representation to governments, support market development, and fund research services.
Aberdeenshire grower Colin Massie, who sits on the SPO steering committee said: “If seed growers don’t pull together to advance their own interests, then who else will?”
The committee has also gathered views on fees and are using this information to draft a budget and programme to meet growers’ priorities.
Membership of SPO will not just be for British seed growers, as potato supply chain groups can also support the sector by becoming Associate Members, and ware growers can get involved.
At Potatoes in Practice, the SPO steering committee are wanting to listen to the wider industry and meet any seed potato growers who have yet to share their views on the group.
Rodney Harrison, a grower from Kincardineshire, said: “We need to listen to people. If we do our own thing and don’t get growers and the wider industry on board, we’re on a hiding to nothing.”
