GA Young & Sons is a family farming partnership, based at Kalangadoo, in the SE of South Australia, growing approx 250 ha of potatoes each year to supply the McCain french fry plant at Penola.

As part of our risk management, we use "certified seed" sourced mainly from Victoria. Approximately 10 years ago when we had the opportunity to source land that had never grown potatoes before, we were frustrated in that we were inoculating our new land with various soil borne diseases carried on our seed.

Thus when Technico began selling their early generation seed, produced on clean ground, we were keen to use it, especially on the new ground.

The French fry industry is characterised by one of low unit returns, which necessitate high volumes. For this reason we needed to encourage Technico along similar lines and thus started to grow seed for them 5 years ago.

In doing so, we have been able to expand our business as well as help improve the quality and cost competitiveness of our seed supply.

Forrest Young
GA Young & Sons
Kalangadoo SA 5278