Staff Spotlight Gavin Prentice

SENIOR POTATO CONSULTANT

Specialist expertise

• Potato supply chains and customer intelligence

• Agronomy, trial work and knowledge transfer

• Potato disease identification and certification

Tell us about your career journey

My journey with SAC Consulting started when I was a college student, studying at SRUC. Ultimately, going on to achieve a BSc degree in Sustainable Environmental Management. Who knew would be back working as a consultant fifteen years later! Across my time in industry, I worked for two major seed potato breeders and suppliers. Previous experience includes quality control, technical advice, procurement and contracts. I was responsible for allocation and dispatch of thousands of tonnes of seed to UK and export markets. I have achieved BASIS qualification in field vegetables, acquiring knowledge around plant protection products whilst joining the professional register. also became a qualified drone pilot in the A2 Open category to embrace new technology assisting growing crop assessments. In addition, I’ve gained valuable field experience, disease identification and diagnostic skills, along with knowledge of seed certification and multiplication, visiting countries around Europe to learn more about potato agronomy.

Why did you come to work at SAC Consulting?

SAC Consulting is known for its expertise and independent advice which is well respected across the country. During my time in the trade, the potatoes team were the one stop shop to find the answers to any potato related questions, constantly approachable and helpful. So, to have the chance to join their young, enthusiastic and exciting team, working on dynamic projects really appealed to me. Also, having been a poacher turned gamekeeper, it’s rewarding helping our growers and clients.

If you could do anyone else’s job, who would it be and why?

As I’m interested in benchmarking, the consultants delivering Farm Business Management Services interests me. Consultants work with clients to offer financial analysis solutions tailored to individual business needs and farming type. Helping farmers to plan for the future with confidence in projects such as whole farm budgeting; annually appraising budgets against actual income and expenditure, helping businesses stay on track to meet financial targets.

What work (in your current role) are you most proud of and why?

Planning, organising and chairing the 26th annual SAC Association of Potato Producers (SACAPP) Conference. The theme this year was ‘safeguarding the future of the potato industry’ and it covered three main sub-topics; applied research projects, production improvements and plant protection innovation. We had international speakers from across the industry contributing to an unmissable event.

If you had one wish to better the industry, what would you wish for?

My one wish would be for more collaboration within the potato industry. Production is fiercely competitive, compounded by market pressures and long supply chains, this leads to uncertainty from one year to the next. Additionally, rising costs of production, land rents, changing disease pressure and reducing chemistry could all be tackled more effectively by joined-up thinking between different areas of industry and academia.

Get in touch: gavin.prentice@sac.co.uk