Partnerships
Luffness Mains works with a variety of commercial partners reflecting the nature of a modern farming business working as part of an integrated supply chain with leading multiple retailers.
Greenvale AP
Our reputation for growing early potatoes and varieties for chipping in the 1980s led us into supply of pre-packing quality potatoes for supermarkets in the 1990s. For over a decade we have developed our potato business with the local Greenvale pack house in the Scottish Borders and now have a deeply integrated relationship in technical, production and marketing areas. Since the dedication of Greenvale's pack house to Tesco in 2004, we now focus our potato business exclusively on supply to Tesco through this strong relationship. We are growing eight varieties for Tesco representing nearly 8000 tonnes of potatoes.
SAC
RERAD are funding Knowledge Transfer activites for their funded research on potatoes, mainly at SCRI. This is on potato pathology (potato crop protection) and potato breeding. RERAD are keen that the findings and outcomes are fully transferred to end users. SAC has been appointed to carry out much of this Knowledge Transfer, and Luffness Mains has been appointed as a Partner Farm for potatoes on the programme. We have held two Grower Days in 2006 and 2007 to support this work.
The Royal Highland Education Trust
We are supporters of The Royal Highland Education Trust. RHET aims to create the opportunity for each child in Scotland to learn about the countryside and to ensure a wider understanding of the environmental, economic and social realities of the countryside in Scotland
In order to assist with the promotion of the great work of RHET we have dedicated part of this site to their work.
Land management with local farmers and landowners
An increasingly common feature of agricultural land use is the separation of ownership from farming activity. We have six types of land use arrangements in place which allow us to grow crops:
- Ownership
- Tenancy
- Stubble to stubble renting
- Contract farming
- Specialist cropping agreements
- Turf contract
An interesting feature of these is the absence of either SLDTs (Short Limited Duration Tenancies) or LDTs (Limited Duration Tenancies) created by the Agricultural Holdings Act (Scotland) 2003.
Our business has flourished through the increasing partnerships we have with local farmers and landowners in East Lothian, who have provided suitable land in rotation for cropping potatoes, normally once every five or six years. We have been able to leverage our relationship with our market to provide increased returns on land rented for potatoes; also to collaborate on labour and machinery where there is an opportunity to increase efficiency for both parties.
We are very keen to develop further long-term relationships with local farmers and landowners in both the Lothians and the Borders, for either rented land for potatoes or also tenancies or contracting agreements. The main proposition is the potential for increased returns to landowners and improved environmental management practice, based on our LEAF Marque credentials. Please contact Allan Stevenson or Robert Hardy.
