All Caithness varieties (cultivars) are raised by Conventional Breeding. The method involves the crossing of selected parents and the raising of a large number of seedlings.

Superior seedlings are selected and those that show outstanding qualities may ultimately become varieties.

The success of Conventional Breeding is based on the experience of the breeder in recognising the characteristics of superior selections early on in the programme.

Conventional Breeding does NOT involve in-vitro Genetic Manipulation, so called GM.