Potato industry award nominations deadline extended

Potato Council has extended the deadline for nominations for this year’s Potato Industry Award until August 31.

The award is presented to an individual in recognition of his or her outstanding contribution to the GB potato industry.

It could be a grower, a processor or maybe you think the winner should be someone who has worked closely with you either on the farm, a buyer, supplier or a leader in the fields of marketing, innovation or research and development, says Potato Council head of communications, Sharon Hall. Nominations are really quick and easy to make.

Anyone wishing to make a nomination for the Potato Industry Award should send a nomination form to the award committee secretary by August 31, 2011.

The winner will receive his or her award at the BP2011 dinner on November 23 in Harrogate.

For your nomination form, please contact Margaret Skinner by emailing bpindustryaward@potato.org.uk or telephone 0131 472 4064 

• Potato Council is a division of Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB). The address is: Potato Council, Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board, Stoneleigh Park, Kenilworth, Warwickshire CV8 2TL. AHDB Switchboard: 0247 669 2051.
• The British Potato Industry Award Committee is made up of Jim Godfrey, OBE, Lincolnshire farmer, former chairman of the International Potato Center (CIP) in Peru, former chairman of SCRI and current council member of Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC); David Walker, OBE, independent member and former chairman of British Potato Council (BPC); Fraser Scott, head of farming operations for arable and potatoes for The Co-operative Farms and current board member of Potato Council Frank Pirie, Independent Member and Dr Stuart Wale, recently retired from SAC, Independent Member.
• Previous winners of the British Potato Industry award are Charles ‘Mac’ McCarthy (1997); Frank Pirie (1998); Prof John Hillman (1999); Rod Herbert (2000); the late Richard Watson-Jones (2001); Bob Meredith (2002); Richard Harris OBE (2003); Eric Allen (2004); Dr Harry Duncan (2005); Alan Owens, OBE (2006); David Walker, OBE (2007); Dr Stuart Wale (2008); Michael Higgins (2009); Dr John Bradshaw (2010).