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Recruiting Farmings Front Line Defenders – An SAC Course for “Rogues” to Earn Summer Cash

SAC News Release Ref. No: 11N53
Published: 06 May 2011

Potato crop (opens in new window)

With the summer break fast approaching and a shortage of worthwhile jobs to fit an SAC course offers students, or any others who prefer to work outside, an opportunity to earn some cash, get a tan and play a vital role in protecting an important Scottish industry. There is a shortage of qualified Tattie Roguers, in effect the sharp-eyed disease- police of the summer’s high quality seed potato crops.

Scotland produces 80 per cent of the UK’s seed potatoes, worth £80-£100 million a year. From them are grown the potatoes we all eat, so it helps underpin UK potato production with an annual  estimated retail value of £4 billion. Scotland’s worldwide reputation for quality seed is based on its disease free status and purity, which is where the roguers come in. Their pre-inspection field work in 2010 meant that of the just under 11,900 hectares of seed potatoes planted, 96% passed.

Roguing is an outside job, in fantastic countryside stretching down the east coast from the Black Isle to the Borders. They work in teams of four to eight, following the season and covering a lot of ground. After training they can spot the wrong variety and a case of blackleg or virus mosaic at a hundred paces. A seasons rouging, from June to August can earn them £2,500 to £3,500. It is a skill they can use for years, with short refresher courses.
 
SAC’ s annual Potato Roguers course on Disease and Variety Recognition lasts for one week at SACs’ Aberdeen Campus on Craibstone Estate close to the airport. This year it is planned to run from Wednesday 15th June to Tuesday 21st June although the actual start and finish dates can change depending on the growth stage of the crop.

The course costs £282.00 (including VAT) but all or part of the cost may be met by Individual Learning Account funding, subject to eligibility. Students sit a final test based on 30 plants where they have to identify the variety if it is healthy or the disease it is showing. Successful candidates receive certificate.

There has been a course run at Craibstone since 1966, training over 1300 students of differing ages and backgrounds. Over those 45 years the course has been attended by two or, in some cases, more generations of the same family and welcomed many brothers and sisters, keen to better the scores of their siblings It is a job where you can make lifelong friendships, there have even been marriages which began in the tattie drills!

For those who have been roguers in the past and want to become involved again there is a one day refresher course on the  23rd June 2011, this is dependent on sufficient numbers and the growth stage of the crop. The cost for the one day refresher course is £72.00 (including VAT).

For further information contact Sandra Chalmers on 01224 711080, sandra.chalmers@sac.co.uk or James Muirhead on 01224 711232, james.muirhead@sac.co.uk.

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News Release Contacts

SAC Contact

Mrs Sandra Chalmers
Secretary
SAC (Scottish Agricultural College) Work Ferguson Building, SAC, Craibstone Estate, Bucksburn,
Aberdeen
AB21 9YA
TelWork 01224 711080

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News Release Issued By

Mr Ken Rundle
Senior Communications Officer
SAC (Scottish Agricultural College) Work SAC, King's Buildings, West Mains Road,
Edinburgh
EH9 3JG
TelWork 0131 535 4196

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