Philip Burgess Joins Potato Council

The communications and knowledge transfer team at Potato Council has a new team leader, Dr Philip Burgess, who brings technical, scientific and commercial expertise gained from a career dedicated to potatoes.

“We have a very strong, cohesive and committed potato team and with Philip taking the communications role, I know levy-payers will be comfortable that the Potato Council will continue to provide its valuable support across the entire industry,” said Potato Council director Rob Clayton.

Philip studied Agricultural Botany at the University College Wales, prior to taking his thesis on the spread of potato blackleg during his PhD at QueensUniversity, Belfast.

“I’m excited about getting the results of the Potato Council’s world class scientific programme out onto farms,” said Philip.

“There are huge technical challenges facing potato growers and I’m looking forward to the opportunity to lead the programme to ensure that all growers are fully equipped to face these challenges armed with the best science driven advice.”

Philip’s extensive career commenced as an Advisory Plant Pathologist at the North of Scotland College of Agriculture, (now Scotland’s RuralCollege – SRUC) where he advised on crop pathology and rapidly became a specialist in potato diseases, agronomy and storage.

He later took commercial roles; firstly as an agronomist with Beesons/MBM Produce, before joining Co-operative Farms; variety development; training of farm managers; agronomic advice; and ensuring the best agronomic and storage practices were being implemented.