CLA East: Bedfordshire & Cambridgeshire Summer Visit and AGM 2026

This visit will take you behind the scenes for an exclusive tour of Savoursmiths, producers of decadent, hand-cooked English potato crisps. You will also visit nearby KWS, a long-established plant breeding business developing high-yield, high-quality seed varieties for farmers across the globe.

The potatoes used in Savoursmiths’ luxury crisps are grown at Russell Smith Farms, where the Smith family has been farming potatoes since 1938. The farm places a strong emphasis on traceability, sustainability and accredited farming practices, and you will gain insight into how responsible land management underpins the entire operation.

The visit includes a tour of the on-site packhouse, following the journey of premium ingredients from field to finished product. You will see first-hand the slicing, cooking and packing processes that transform British-grown potatoes into a premium snack. This visit offers an inspiring example of what can be achieved when farming and food production work hand in hand.

The second part of your day will take you to KWS, one of the world’s leading independent plant breeding companies. Using leading-edge plant breeding methods, KWS seeks to continuously improve yield for farmers and plants’ resistance to diseases, pests and abiotic stress.

Visit by kind permission of the Smith family and KWS UK Ltd

ITINERARY:
9.30am   Arrival
10.00am  Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire AGM, update from CLA Vice President Eliza Ecclestone and welcome from our hosts
11.00am Tour of Savoursmiths and KWS UK Ltd 
1.00pm Two course lunch with wine 
2.30pm Depart

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
PPE will be provided and should be worn during the visit. This is a walking tour involving steps.

This event is supported by:

Carter Jonas
KWS UK Ltd
Tees Law