News on Industry Associations from United Kingdom

The British Potato Industry Event 2025 is back this November, uniting professionals from across the potato supply chain for two action-packed days of networking, innovation, and industry insights.

GB Potatoes has announced that Alex Godfrey will be taking over the reins as Chairman after being elected at the Annual General meeting on the 12th December. Alex takes over from Mark Taylor who has been the Chair ever since the launch of the organisation in 2022.

John Sedgwick, the UK Potato Supply Manager at Lamb Weston, has been officially named the new Board Chair of the UK Potato Processors’ Association (PPA).

Former Chief Executive of NFU Scotland, Scott Walker, has been appointed as the new part-time CEO for GB Potatoes.

The Working Group for GB Potatoes has striven to bring the industry together to explore and develop what the industry needs following the levy payer ballots in Potatoes and Horticulture.

Tim, currently Chief Operating Officer of the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), will take up his position at the Stoneleigh-based levy board on 31 August 2021, replacing Jane King. During the intervening period, the interim AHDB CEO will be Ken Boyns, AHDB Chief Finance, and Operations Officer.

AHDB Potatoes has announced the appointment of a new chair and the addition of five new members to its board, replacing five members.

Time is rapidly running out to make sure potato stores in the United Kingdom comply with new rules on using chlorpropham (CIPC), which require the sprout suppressant to be applied using “active recirculation” at new lower rates.

After three years in office, Fiona Fell has announced she will stand down as an AHDB Board Member and Chair of the AHDB Potato Sector Board at the end of her term in office.

AHDB Potatoes' first provisional estimate of total production in Great Britain for the 2016 crop year is 5.22 million tonnes, down 5% from 2015. Average yields for GB are estimated at just under 45 tonnes/ha, down 8% on last year.

AHDB Potatoes has pledged to work closely with the seed potato sector and Scottish Government to ensure that the industry maintains a low level of the bacterial disease blackleg.

Jim Cruickshank OBE, one of the most well respected seed producers in the UK, is this year’s winner of the British Potato Industry Award, organised by AHDB Potatoes.

AHDB Potatoes has produced provisional estimates of planted areas by variety for Great Britain for 2016.

AHDB Potatoes’ Next Generation educational programme continued to explore GB’s diverse potato industry with a processing-focussed, whole supply chain day at McCain GB Foods Ltd Headquarters in Scarborough recently.

Ian Wright CBE, Director General at the Food and Drink Federation, the voice of the UK's largest manufacturing sector - food and drink, responds to the vote to leave in the UK's EU Referendum.

The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board’s Chief Executive, Jane King, comments on the Brexit vote earlier today.

“Harnessing the power of leading bloggers and vloggers, as well as Twitter, Facebook and YouTube channels will enable us [AHDB Potatoes] to reach more consumers and engage with them on a more regular and impactful basis. As research shows, this is clearly the way forward.”

In the United Kingdom, AHDB Potatoes has announced that it is searching for the first farmer host for its new Scottish Strategic Potato (SPot) Farm.