British Potato Council
Encyclopedia
The Potato Council is a division of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board
which is a non-departmental public body
. Its mission is to develop and promote Britain's potato industry.
in 2008, where it operates as a specialist division focused on the potato industry.
It was set up by the Potato Industry Development Council Order 1997. It levied farmers under powers originally delegated from the Industrial Organisation and Development Act 1947
but now through powers granted to its parent organisation. It was also funded through the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department
(SEERAD) and the National Assembly for Wales Agriculture Department (NAWAD).
Due to the credit crunch, potatoes have become a much more favoured grocery item than normal, as family budgets have had to stretch that much more. The number of registered potato growers in the UK has dropped from around 60,000 in 1960 to 5,000 in 2008. The revenue to potato farmers in the UK each year in total is around £800 million.
Its publication is the Potato Weekly, which mainly lists current prices of potatoes per tonne. It visits agricultural show
s and extols the virtues and health benefits of potatoes, with a resident cook on hand.
Its main functions are:
by potato growers and seed merchants and receives no funding from the government. It is based in Stoneleigh Park
in Warwickshire
. There is a Scottish office in Newbridge
in Midlothian
and an experimental station (SBEU) in Sutton Bridge
in Lincolnshire
.
The Chairman of the AHDB's Potato advisory board is Allan Stevenson who has a potato farm at Luffness
in East Lothian
. The grower levy is around £40 per tonne and the purchaser levy is around £17 per tonne.
and the A17, and alongside the River Nene
. This is on the former RAF Sutton Bridge
close to the Norfolk
boundary. It is at the forefront (some university departments may do similar work on a smaller scale) of research into potatoes in the UK, and has been for many decades.
Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board
The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board is a levy board funded by farmers and growers. It plays a vital role in improving farm business efficiency and competitiveness in the areas of: pigs, beef and lamb production in England; milk, potatoes and horticulture in GB; cereals and oilseeds...
which is a non-departmental public body
Non-departmental public body
In the United Kingdom, a non-departmental public body —often referred to as a quango—is a classification applied by the Cabinet Office, Treasury, Scottish Government and Northern Ireland Executive to certain types of public bodies...
. Its mission is to develop and promote Britain's potato industry.
History
Set up to replace the Potato Marketing Board, the Potato Council was originally known as the Potato Industry Development Council, and then the British Potato Council until April 2008, it was merged with other similar levy-funded organisations to form the Agriculture and Horticulture Development BoardAgriculture and Horticulture Development Board
The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board is a levy board funded by farmers and growers. It plays a vital role in improving farm business efficiency and competitiveness in the areas of: pigs, beef and lamb production in England; milk, potatoes and horticulture in GB; cereals and oilseeds...
in 2008, where it operates as a specialist division focused on the potato industry.
It was set up by the Potato Industry Development Council Order 1997. It levied farmers under powers originally delegated from the Industrial Organisation and Development Act 1947
Industrial Organisation and Development Act 1947
The Industrial Organisation and Development Act 1947 enabled the creation of industrial development Boards with powers to raise levies from specific industrial sectors in the United Kingdom for co-ordinated action, particularly in research, marketing and industrial re-organisation...
but now through powers granted to its parent organisation. It was also funded through the Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department
Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department
The Scottish Executive Environment and Rural Affairs Department was a civil service department of the Scottish Executive. SEERAD was responsible for the following areas in Scotland: agriculture, rural development, food, the environment and fisheries...
(SEERAD) and the National Assembly for Wales Agriculture Department (NAWAD).
Due to the credit crunch, potatoes have become a much more favoured grocery item than normal, as family budgets have had to stretch that much more. The number of registered potato growers in the UK has dropped from around 60,000 in 1960 to 5,000 in 2008. The revenue to potato farmers in the UK each year in total is around £800 million.
Function
The Potato Council works to help improve the competitiveness and sustainability of potato growers. It also promotes the health benefits of potatoes to the general public, showing how potatoes are low in both fat and calories and packed full of vitamins and minerals. The industry invests significant amounts of effort in teaching children about healthy eating and showing how potatoes are grown. Many of the industry's farmers work hard to re-connect children to their food, by spending time working with children in schools and on their farms, showing how they plant, grow and harvest their crops.Its publication is the Potato Weekly, which mainly lists current prices of potatoes per tonne. It visits agricultural show
Agricultural show
An agricultural show is a public event showcasing the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest comprise a livestock show , a trade fair, competitions, and entertainment...
s and extols the virtues and health benefits of potatoes, with a resident cook on hand.
Its main functions are:
- To promote potatoes to customers at home and abroad
- To encourage and commission research into improving the efficiency of potato production and their sale
- To offer advice for other parts of government or other farming organisations
- to provide statistical information on the UK potato industry
Structure
The Potato Council raises all of its money from a compulsory levy paid to AHDBAgriculture and Horticulture Development Board
The Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board is a levy board funded by farmers and growers. It plays a vital role in improving farm business efficiency and competitiveness in the areas of: pigs, beef and lamb production in England; milk, potatoes and horticulture in GB; cereals and oilseeds...
by potato growers and seed merchants and receives no funding from the government. It is based in Stoneleigh Park
Stoneleigh Park
Stoneleigh Events is located south west of the village of Stoneleigh, Warwickshire, in the West Midlands of England.The site covers about , of which is maintained...
in Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
. There is a Scottish office in Newbridge
Newbridge, Edinburgh
Newbridge is a suburb of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is south of Kirkliston. Newbridge had a total population of 1,013 at the 2001 Census.-Local amenities:...
in Midlothian
Midlothian
Midlothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy area. It borders the Scottish Borders, East Lothian and the City of Edinburgh council areas....
and an experimental station (SBEU) in Sutton Bridge
Sutton Bridge
Sutton Bridge is a village and civil parish in southeastern Lincolnshire, England on the west bank of the River Nene in the district of South Holland.-Geography:...
in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
.
The Chairman of the AHDB's Potato advisory board is Allan Stevenson who has a potato farm at Luffness
Luffness
Luffness is a hamlet in East Lothian, Scotland. It lies between the towns of Gullane and Aberlady and is approximately 20 miles east of Edinburgh....
in East Lothian
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
. The grower levy is around £40 per tonne and the purchaser levy is around £17 per tonne.
Agricultural experimental station
The experimental station is situated between the Sutton Bridge Power StationSutton Bridge Power Station
Sutton Bridge Power Station is a 790 MW gas-fired power station in Sutton Bridge in the south-east of Lincolnshire in South Holland, England. It is on Centenary Way to the River Nene.-History:...
and the A17, and alongside the River Nene
River Nene
The River Nene is a river in the east of England that rises from three sources in the county of Northamptonshire. The tidal river forms the border between Cambridgeshire and Norfolk for about . It is the tenth longest river in the United Kingdom, and is navigable for from Northampton to The...
. This is on the former RAF Sutton Bridge
RAF Sutton Bridge
RAF Sutton Bridge is a former RAF airfield found next to the village of Sutton Bridge in the south-east of Lincolnshire. The airfield was to the south of the current A17, and east of the River Nene, next to Walpole in Norfolk.-History:...
close to the Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
boundary. It is at the forefront (some university departments may do similar work on a smaller scale) of research into potatoes in the UK, and has been for many decades.
Campaigns
The potato council runs a number of marketing campaigns throughout the year, among these are:- National Chip Week, a campaign to expand coverage and knowledge of chipsFrench friesFrench fries , chips, fries, or French-fried potatoes are strips of deep-fried potato. North Americans tend to refer to any pieces of deep-fried potatoes as fries or French fries, while in the United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland and New Zealand, long, thinly cut slices of deep-fried potatoes are...
and chip shops. This is held in the third week of February, 21 - 27 February 2011 (next campaign). - Love Potatoes is another, to encourage people to eat more of the potato, due to the healthy and nutritional attributes of the potato.
External links
- Potato Council website
- Education website
- British Potato Variety Database
- Blightwatch
- Potatoes for Schools
- National Chip Week - Official Site
- Aphid Monitoring
- Potato Review Industry Journal
- Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board website
News items
Video clips
- Potato Council YouTube channel
- We Love Potatoes YouTube channel
- Interview in July 2007 with Gregg WallaceGregg WallaceGregg Allan Wallace is an English writer, media personality and former greengrocer, costermonger and farmer. He is probably best known for co-presenting MasterChef, Celebrity MasterChef and MasterChef: The Professionals on BBC Two and BBC One along with John Torode, where he is referred to as an...
(presenter on MasterChef) - Demonstration by Gregg Wallace of Patatas bravasPatatas bravasPatatas bravas is a dish native to the cuisine of Spain, often served as a tapa in bars. It typically consists of white potatoes that have been cut into about 2 centimeter irregular shapes and then fried in oil and served warm with a spicy tomato sauce...