Tim, who farms 240 hectares of potatoes, also grows crops on 400 hectares of his farm.
He said: “I’m delighted to have been elected as the chair of the Potato Forum and I look forward to working with the rest of the Forum on key issues facing the sector.
“Like other sectors, potato growers are facing significantly rising costs and it’s essential we continue to work within the NFU and with government to ensure these are recognised in government and across the supply chain.”
"Potato growers are facing significantly rising costs and it’s essential we continue to work within the NFU and with government to ensure these are recognised in government and across the supply chain."
Tim Rooke, NFU Potato Policy Group chair
Edward Backhouse elected vice chair
Edward Backhouse, a Yorkshire potato and arable grower, has been elected as vice chair.
He mainly grows 80 hectares of main crop potatoes to sell through a number of merchants to fish and chip shops, and grows on a combination of owned land, permanent rented, contract farmed and single crop rented land.
Following his election Edward commented: “Having already been on the Potato Policy Group for four years, I have really enjoyed the opportunity to represent the potato sector and the chipping trade in particular, and so I’m delighted to have been appointed as vice chair.
“With so many challenges and opportunities facing potato growers I am looking forward to helping steer the direction of the group for a sustainable and resilient future for growers.”
The role of the NFU Potato Policy Group
The PPG (Potato Policy Group) works alongside the national board for Horticulture and Potatoes and has a critical role in shaping NFU policies that impact on potato growers.
Whether it is crop protection or business resilience, or shocks to the supply chain and cost inflation, the PPG helps identify the issues affecting members and creates a plan of action to address them.
The PPG also has the opportunity to input into national policy through the board for Horticulture and Potatoes, with the PPG chair sitting on the national board as vice chair.
The group meets three times a year and has regular email/video call contact throughout the year, addressing key policy priority areas and reacting to sector issues rapidly.
The first meeting of the year will be held at Stoneleigh on 18 February, with further dates for the year to be confirmed after that.
