GB Potatoes – Knowledge Exchange partners for British Potato 2025

GB Potatoes are proud to have been working with the organisers of the British Potato event 2025 as the Knowledge exchange partners. A major part of this role has been to develop an exciting programme of seminars that will offer something to the whole industry across the two days of the event. With some exciting speakers and industry relevant topics we are looking forward to seeing as many as possible of you at the seminars which will be held in the seminar room to the left of the entrance. Plenty of time is available at the end of each session for questions and answers as well as the potential for some lively debate around the topics.  Details of these interesting sessions can be seen below and more information on the event can be found at British Potato 25  where you can register for the event.

1. Managing the threat from a changing late blight landscape.

Wednesday 19^th November – 10:30 to 11:15

Chair.                  Prof. Ian Toth – The James Hutton Institute.

Speakers;           Dr. David Cooke – Senior Plant Pathologist at JHI.

                            Dan Milbourne – Plant Geneticist, Teagasc.

              Andy Cunningham – Potato Technical Manager, Syngenta UK.

EU46 was identified in GB for the first time in 2024. EU43 remains an ever-present threat, and we are looking at the likely loss of a key component of our armoury for tackling late blight and controlling resistance.  Having a system in place for monitoring outbreaks and mapping the movement of different genotypes has never been more important. David Cooke will talk through the historical findings as well as providing an update on the known situation from 2025. Dan Milbourne will talk about the IPMorama project and using our current chemistry to best effect in the face of the new challenges will be discussed by Andy Cunningham.

2. Securing the potatoes place on the plate

Wednesday 19^th November at 11:45 to 12:30

Chair.                   James Young – VP Agriculture, McCain Foods.

Speakers:           Prof. David Hughes (aka Dr Food) – Emeritus Professor of Food Marketing at Imperial College London.

               Cedric Porter – Editor of World Potato Markets.

The potato plays a significant role across the globe as the carb of choice for many consumers, whether it’s processed or fresh. The UK is well placed to provide a plentiful supply of potatoes, with its ideal climate, excellent soils and an industry packed full of skills and experience. But how does the UK fit into the world marketplace, and what can we learn from other countries about how the potato fits into other countries diets.

3. Future Changes to UK’s Supply of Seed Potatoes

Wednesday 19^th November 2:00 to 2:45

Chair.                  Richard Baker, Managing Director of HZPC UK Ltd.

Speakers:           Phil McCaul, Operations and Commercial Director, Greenvale.

                              Mike Wilson, Chair of the SPO and Aberdeenshire seed grower.

The GB seed industry produces some of the finest seed potatoes in the world.  This comes at a cost as good seed requires excellence in management to provide the ware grower with the best possible start for their crop. For many years we have relied on tried and trusted varieties, known by the consumer and liked by the grower and retailer.  In this session we hear from phil McCaul about the work that the packers are engaged in with the retailers to get new varieties accepted and we will also hear from Mike Wilson who will describe the journey of a new variety and the potential risks faced by the seed grower to bring a new variety to the market.

4. Transformative Reduced Input Potatoes

Thursday 20^th November 10:30 to 11:15

Chair.                   Simon Fox, Director & Founder of Emerald Research.

Speakers:           Dr. Katherine Steele, Reader in sustainable crop production, Bangor University.

                              TRIP Farmer. (tbc)

The Innovate UK Funded Transformative Reduced Input Potatoes (TRIP Project) completes its third and final season combining OptiYield, an integrated low input system, with a late blight resistant potato breeding programme. Following multiple replicated plot trials, commercial farm field trials have assessed these trial regimes for outcome and practicality.

5. Maris Piper Has Had its Day, or Has It?

Thursday November 20th 1:00 to 1:45

Chair.                  Alex Godfrey, Chair of GB Potatoes.

Speakers:           Katy Pook, Brand and Marketing Manager, Greenvale.

                            Gordon Stark, Director, Taygrow.

Has Maris Piper had its day? Piper is universally known by everybody and is popular with the consumer but is it time to look at moving on from this old variety? With other varieties becoming available that would be more sustainable, require less water and still have the functionality of Piper is it time to persuade growers, processor, retailers and consumers that it is time to move on? Katy Pook will make the case that Maris Piper has had its day, and Gordon Stark will argue to the contrary and an audience debate will be led by Alex Godfrey.