ROBERT Burns never wrote about their ‘honest, sonsie’ faces, but without their presence no haggis supper is complete.

And now devotees of the bard settling down to their traditional anniversary meal tonight have been urged to save their leftover potatoes for another day.

The humble potato, which make up one part of the Burnsian triumvirate of ‘Haggis, neeps and tatties’, is a staple accompaniment to many Scottish dishes and remains popular across the land despite concerted pressure from foreign delicacies such as pasta and rice on the nation's tastebuds.

But with millions sold each week, Scots end up throwing away as many as 500,000 a day and campaigners are saying the waste must stop.   

In a topical attempt to see fewer potatoes heading back to the earth from whence they came – this time as landfill fodder -  Poet Cat Hepburn has joined forces with Zero Waste Scotland’s ‘Love Food Hate Waste’ campaign to address the issue with her very own verse.

The writer has penned a contemporary ‘Ode to the Tattie’ to galvanise Scots to make a change so they ‘dinnae waste a morsel.

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Ms Hepburn said:“Rabbie Burns is the ultimate Scots poet and it’s really exciting to share this new piece of work – a quirky and modern ‘Ode to the Tattie’ – ahead of Burns Night.

“We’re all familiar with the ‘Address to the Haggis’ and I’d love to think that people all over Scotland will take a moment to address their tattie waste at the same time, thinking twice about throwing away such a staple Scottish food.”

With Burns Night revellers numbering in their thousands, the aftermath of the famous supper in the Ayrshire bard’s honour sees potato waste increase, all of which could have been frozen or eaten as leftovers in soups or salads, say campaigners.

Sprouting potatoes and discolouration often lead Scots to think their spuds are not edible, but the anti-waste group say that this can be avoided by storing potatoes in a cool dark place and removing sprouts and marks before cooking.

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Ylva Haglund, Food Waste Campaigns Manager, Zero Waste Scotland, said: “Food waste in Scotland is an issue day in, day out, adding up to to 1.35 million tonnes annually – with a serious impact on our pockets and the environment.

“But it doesn’t have to be that way. Collaborating with Cat has enabled us to interpret this challenging issue in a contemporary way, at an event where lots of us will be particularly enjoying our food. I will certainly be addressing my tattie waste, as well as the haggis, this Burns Night.”

Sarah Dagg, a young farmer from Kelso, whose farm – Crailing Tofts – produces 20,000 tonnes of potatoes each year.

She said it was “disheartening” so much of her produce was discarded as waste.  

Ms Dagg added: “It was great having Cat visit our farm to show her all the different processes required to produce a crop of spuds. I love how Cat’s ‘Ode to the Tattie’ celebrates potatoes’ versatility – chips, mash, baked, boiled and roasted; the list is endless.”

The Scottish Government has set targets to cut food waste during the next decade. 

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Roseanna Cunningham, Cabinet Secretary for the Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform said: “Half a million potatoes wasted every day in Scotland is a staggering figure. That’s why the Scottish Government has set an ambitious target to cut food waste by 33 per cent by 2025.

“I hope people will take action after hearing Cat’s brilliant ‘Ode to the Tattie’ and do their bit to address potato waste on Burns Night and all year round.”