Potato Review

www.potatoreview.com POTATO REVIEW JANUARY 2022 27 NEWS M ORE than 80 members and partners of the Pre Basic Growers Association celebrated the association’s 50th anniversary at a gala dinner in the Kingsmills Hotel in Inverness (recently). The association was founded in 1971 by a small number of early generation, high grade seed producers to encourage the highest standards of seed production. It continues to do this through technical meetings, farm visits and through occasional study visits to other seed producing countries. In recent years visits have been made to France, Denmark, the Netherlands, Israel and Prince Edward Island in Canada. The association, formerly the Virus Tested Stem Cutting Growers Association, was probably the first group in the UK potato industry to bring together all sectors of the industry, seed growers, ware growers, processors and retailers, as well as the leading agronomists and scientists of the day, at its ground breaking annual conferences in Aviemore in the early 1970s. The association’s 40 plus members produce the early generations of high- grade seed potatoes from thousands of disease-free mini tubers that feed into Scottish seed producers celebrate in style the UK’s £4 billion potato industry. In 2021 1,281 pre basic seed crops were grown on 852 hectares in Scotland. Following a drinks reception, John Marshall gave a presentation on the early days of virus-tested seed production on his father’s farm in Perthshire, with photographs of many of the leading scientists and growers of the day. In the next issue of Potato Review, we will be running a special feature on this topic, and sharing some of the photographic memories. Association secretary, Bill Rennie, reflected on his early days at SASA and introduced some humour by recalling some of the highlights of overseas visits. Jim Cruickshank OBE paid tribute to the Association’s founding members and proposed toasts to absent friends and to the future success of the organisation. Each year the association presents its Dr James Hardie Memorial Award, established in memory of Jim Hardie of SASA, who encouraged the formation of the Association, to an individual who has made significant contributions to early generation seed production. At the dinner, this year’s award was presented to Eric Anderson of Scottish Agronomy. A raffle, held in support of the Association Chairman, James Thorburn, presents the Dr Hardie Award to Eric Anderson of Scottish Agronomy. Association member John Marshall presents the cheque for £805 to the Perth and Kinross committee of the Royal Highland Education Trust. John Marshall gave a presentation on the early days of virus-tested seed production on his father’s farm in Perthshire, with photographs. Royal Highland Education Trust, raised £805 and a cheque for this amount was later presented to the committee of the Perth and Kinross branch of the trust by John Marshall. See our March issue for a look at the history of virus-testing with John Marshall.