Grampian Growers MD new chairman of SAOS

Grampian Growers’ managing director Mark Clark has been named the new chairman of SAOS, Scotland’s farm cooperative organisation, taking on a key leadership role at a time which he described as ‘very challenging’ for the industry.

“The challenges for agriculture continue to increase, and farm profitability is under more and more pressure,” said Mr Clark, who is joined by new vice-chairman John Hutcheson, a director of Tay Forth Machinery Ring.

Voicing his confidence in the structure and strength of SAOS, the new chairman said he firmly believes that greater co-operation is one of the ‘few answers to many of the problems we face’.

In his role with Grampian Growers, Mr Clark has helped develop and expand the company’s range of seed potato varieties, as well as daffodil bulbs and flowers, while also exploring many new and different export markets.

Mr Hutcheson, who has been a Tay Forth member since the ring was established in 1989, is also a director of GrainCo Scotland.

“Rural businesses need to communicate and collaborate more with each other,” he said. “I think there is further potential for rings to work with each other in order to lower input costs and extend the range of services available.

“I’d also like to see more producercontrolled marketing groups for primary produce, with the aim of creating greater price leverage in the marketplace and for there to also be quality assurance branding that targets a variety of specific customer requirements.”

Mark Clark