Europa 30/12/2015

Gran Bretaña: Potato winter events examine nutrition-based promotion

AHDB Potatoes’ Winter Forum programme enables GB potato growers to get a head start on the latest technical information for the season ahead. Held around the country throughout January and February, the 2016 Winter Forums will feature an exciting new

The Winter Forums will run in three regions: East (19 January, Peterborough), North (28 January, Edinburgh) and West (3 February, Harper Adams) with the programme repeated at each location.

We know that potatoes are ‘good for you’ but focusing that message effectively is essential to drive demand. Speaking alongside leading dietician and nutrition consultant Sian Porter, AHDB Potatoes’ Dr Mike Storey will talk about levy-funded research into potato nutrition. Co-presenting with Mike, Sian will show how understanding nutritional benefits helps to promote potatoes. This is a session no-one in the industry will want to miss.

As growers expect, Winter Forums cover perennial technical issues. Water management is examined by AHDB Potatoes’ Jenny Bashford, looking at water efficiency, how access to water is changing and being prepared for the future. NIAB-CUF will demonstrate how grower returns can be maximised through collaboration. Plus, a special Blight presentation looks at the season ahead and asks how AHDB Potatoes can optimise blight reporting for the future.

A networking lunch is provided (with nutritional potato snacks devised by Sian Porter) prior to afternoon sessions. Two workshops focus on outcomes from AHDB Potatoes first SPot Farm project, run throughout 2015, and cover lessons learnt from SPot’s soil and irrigation field trials, and look at seed rates, greening and precision farming. The third workshop is from Harper Adams’ Potato Cyst Nematode (PCN) expert Dr Matt Back, who will consider bio-fumigation and how to get the best results from this promising PCN treatment. Local agronomists in each region will give their assessment of the challenges that lie ahead for 2016.

Wherever you are in the country, don’t miss your Winter Forum.

Winter Forum

Date

Location

Timings

East

19 January 2016

Holiday Inn (Peterborough), Thorpe Wood, Peterborough, Cambs PE3 6SG

0930-1600hrs

North

28 January 2016

Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA), 1 Roddinglaw Road, Edinburgh EH12 9FJ