[dugless]

There is a thread on this already running

[Aunt Sally]

I've merged them

[Aunt Sally]

I don't blame anyone for blight outbreaks as its been a shocking year for everyone. Extreme wet weather is the cause of all the problems.

Thanks Iain,  Please tell the potato council that for us

[bainsk8]

I disagree that allotment owners are to blame, why the need to blame anyway? And why allotment owners?

I fully understand what Blight is, (Phytophthora infestans) and how it is thought to spread, both zoospores, (water-borne) and sporangia, (air-borne).

So who do I blame for my supermarket bought loaf of bread that is made in the cleanest of environments, pumped with additives to keep it fresh, yet still develops mould after two days of opening it. No matter if I re-wrap air tight, I might also add. Who do I blame? People with small bread makers I suppose?

What a load of trosh!

[Aunt Sally]

 

[dugless]

I disagree that allotment owners are to blame, why the need to blame anyway? And why allotment owners?

I fully understand what Blight is, (Phytophthora infestans) and how it is thought to spread, both zoospores, (water-borne) and sporangia, (air-borne).

So who do I blame for my supermarket bought loaf of bread that is made in the cleanest of environments, pumped with additives to keep it fresh, yet still develops mould after two days of opening it. No matter if I re-wrap air tight, I might also add. Who do I blame? People with small bread makers I suppose?

What a load of trosh!

The reason is we are in a someone  is to blame society (but not me), with the hope of compensation             

[Bing]

I believe that there are potatos grew in wild, those foxes might have planted them, so lets blame foxes!

[Trillium]

I'll bet those newspaper accusers never stopped to think that a great whack of blight spores settle on ground like ravines, ditches, hedgerows, etc just waiting to spread.

[mumofstig]

The newspapers didn't make the idea up 

On the early morning BBC radio 2 news - they were reporting that farmers were blaming allotmenteers for spreading blight.
 

Potato Council chairman Allan Stevenson added: “People should be encouraged to grow their own vegetables to learn about the origins of their food, but the blight risk is real, and it would be preferable if people bought healthy, well-produced potatoes from their retailer, rather than grow their own.”

Laughable really when we've been looking at the blight maps all summer 

[HHH]

The newspapers didn't make the idea up  

On the early morning BBC radio 2 news - they were reporting that farmers were blaming allotmenteers for spreading blight.
 

Potato Council chairman Allan Stevenson added: “People should be encouraged to grow their own vegetables to learn about the origins of their food, but the blight risk is real, and it would be preferable if people bought healthy, well-produced potatoes from their retailer, rather than grow their own.”

Indeed they did not. The Grocer of 13 October carried the originating story fed by the Potato Council PR officer:

"However, small plots were responsible for a “disproportionate amount of overall blight pressure” in warm, wet seasons such as 2012, claimed Potato Council corporate affairs manager Maria Ball."http://www.thegrocer.co.uk/fmcg/fresh/fruit-and-veg/allotment-amateurs-are-making-potato-blight-worse/233373.article

The mainstream media just lifted it from there, without, as far as I know, checking the facts or investigating and presenting other views. Those views have been very well expressed in this forum.



edit to clarify quotes

[Trillium]

If the Potato Council is so quick to blame, where is their unequivocal proof?

[Mrs Bee]

The newspapers didn't make the idea up 

On the early morning BBC radio 2 news - they were reporting that farmers were blaming allotmenteers for spreading blight.
 

Potato Council chairman Allan Stevenson added: “People should be encouraged to grow their own vegetables to learn about the origins of their food, but the blight risk is real, and it would be preferable if people bought healthy, well-produced potatoes from their retailer, rather than grow their own.”

Laughable really when we've been looking at the blight maps all summer 

Erm, healthy, well produced potatoes. Well looking at all the news about the potato growers having a disasterous crop this year, I am glad we grew our own, 'cos we have 6 sacks of healthy, beautiful tasting taters to last us through to next year. And we kept looking out for blight, ready to take action if needed.

And we didn't need to spray with chemicals either.

[DD.]

I'd count your blessings, Mrs Ball, there are not many sharing your shoes.  It may not be the same next time around.

[bainsk8]

One question, who do they blame for the Irish potato famine?

Sadly that out break of blight claimed lives as a result, not profits!

[Mrs Bee]

I'd count your blessings, Mrs Ball, there are not many sharing your shoes.  It may not be the same next time around.

Oh indeed we have been counting them. We were expecting nothing this year because of the weather but have been very lucky. We have had other disasters but lucky with the taters.