The recent SAC Association of Potato Producers (SACAPP) online conference included proposals for a new voluntary grower-funded body for seed potato research.
Dr Philip Burgess, lead potato researcher and consultant at Scottish Potatoes, said, “I propose we should be forming an independent seed grower-led membership organisation that builds close links to existing knowledge-based organisations in Scotland.
“The idea is that the Seed Potato Innovation Association will be grower-led in terms of decision making. It will carry out applied research on a very practical on-farm basis. The organisation will own the information and data it produces and it will not be available to those who do not join.
“This will not be cheap because research is expensive, but it should cost significantly less than the AHDB levy. We think the association will be looked on favourably by grant funding bodies. “
It is proposed that funding will come mainly from growers but be based on a voluntary subscription model rather than a levy, with fees based on either an area or tonnage basis. Membership could also include associated supply chain businesses, as associate members, and Scottish Potatoes, the partnership of the James Hutton Institute, Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC), Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) and Scottish Agronomy, has offered to support the set-up costs of the organisation.