Anthony Bambridge honoured with the 2011 British Potato Industry Award

Anthony (Tony) Bambridge, co-founder of B &C Farming Ltd, has been awarded the 2011 British Potato Industry Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the sector.

Presenting the award at BP2011 at Harrogate (23 November), Potato Council chairman Allan Stevenson paid tribute to Mr Bambridge’s impressive career.

“I am delighted that Tony Bambridge has been recognized not only for being one of the industry’s leaders, but also the many hours he has put into the industry for the benefit of others as a leading light in grower representation,” said Mr Stevenson.

“He was a founder member of the British Potato Council (BPC), a body that brought together all the industry sectors (growers, traders and processors) to work for their mutual benefit. Furthermore, he has always been a keen supporter of Cambridge University Farm and its research team, who are key research providers to Potato Council. Tony has been a leader in translating research into practice and making best use of up-to-date information to build a strong business.”
 

Beginning his career in 1980 at Crane &Sons Farms Limited as a farm foreman, he became a Nuffield Scholar and studied production and marketing of potatoes and the influence of agricultural co-operatives. It was the inspiration of this scholarship that lead to the formation of a potato growing business, B &C Potatoes Limited, in partnership with David Crane who regrettably died in a tragic accident later. This business now manages over 3000 acres of arable farming including a significant seed and ware potato enterprise.

As a director and latter chairman of the grower marketing group Anglian Produce (AP), Mr Bambridge was heavily involved with the merger between Greenvale and AP that became Greenvale AP. His vision of a more coordinated supply chain, working for the joint benefit of all resulted in his becoming non-executive chairman of Greenvale AP in 2008.

He is also a Potato Council member and vice-chairman of Cambridge University Potato Growers’ Research Association.

Mr Stevenson continued: “In my view, what makes Tony such a worthy recipient of this award is his understanding of the entire potato industry supply chain and his huge efforts to make it more transparent and efficient. Tony is also a valuable member of my board and some of the Potato Council sub committees.”

With his award, Anthony (Tony) Bambridge joins the impressive line up of previous winners of the British Potato Industry award: Charles 'Mac' McCarthy (1997);Frank Pirie (1998);Prof John Hillman (1999);Rod Herbert (2000);the late Richard Watson-Jones (2001);Bob Meredith (2002);Richard Harris OBE (2003);Eric Allen (2004);Dr. Harry Duncan (2005);Alan Owens, OBE (2006);David Walker, OBE (2007);Dr. Stuart Wale (2008), Michael Higgins (2009) and Dr John Bradshaw (2010).

Nominations for the 2012 award will open in May next year.