Growing for gold

Potatoes must be attractive to look at and good to eat. Freshness, taste, appearance, and value for money are key criteria by which customers/retailer set the standard. However growers have the additional responsibility of adopting production practices which are sustainable and protect and enhance biodiversity.

Compliance with this responsibility is externally audited on behalf of the retailer via a number of quality assurance schemes. Potato crops at Greenmount were audited for compliance under the Assured Produce and Tesco Nature’s Choice Schemes.

The objective of these schemes is to identify and adopt sustainable growing systems by implementing technologies in energy conservation, waste management and adopting the principle of recycling wherever it is practically possible and environmentally beneficial to do so.

The potato enterprise at Greenmount Campus met 100 percent compliance in both audits receiving a Gold Award for Nature’s Choice – only one of two growers in Northern Ireland to achieve this standard. Students studying the CROPS Enterprise Management Option, are closely involved with all aspects of marketing and production of the college’s potato crop. As part of a student learning project, they followed the potatoes along the potato supply chain and were able to see at first hand, the quality standards they will have to meet as potential potato producers.

Team work and regular communication with all involved in the production system from field selection, variety choice, plant protection, harvesting, storage and marketing is essential in supplying high quality potatoes to meet these standards.

Stephen Bell (Crop Technologist) with the potato team, Michael Graham (Farm Manager), Oliver McWilliams (Assistant Farm Manager), Norman Shirley (Lecturer) and Iain Cahoon (Farm Staff).