Run with Confidence All Year Long

subjects, and even an inspirational talk by Steve Lerch, president of Story Arc Consulting, titled “Innovation Through Culture: Stories from a Decade at Google.” Steve is a dynamic speaker.

Subjects of Wednesday’s “Potato Talks” included potato fertility, farm succession planning, and pesticide use, as well as a “Meet the Potato Association of America” presentation. A “CEO Roundtable” live podcast recording concentrated on teamwork across the potato industry with panelists Alison Bodor, president/ chief executive officer (CEO) from the American Frozen Food Institute; Kam Quarles, CEO of the National Potato Council; and Blair Richardson, president/CEO of Potatoes USA, all of whom discussed present and future opportunities for potatoes.

Syngenta hosted a Kick-Off Reception on Wednesday featuring a Potato LEAF (Leadership, Education & Advancement Foundation) Auction continued from pg. 24 raising funds for leadership development in the U.S. potato industry.

Potato Expo is Back!. . .

Breakout Sessions

Breakout sessions on Thursday delved into regenerative agriculture in potato production; understanding and influencing modern consumers; weather trends; the 2023 Farm Bill; true potato seed; soil health; and the Mexican Market for fresh U.S. potatoes.

Other topics included spore trapping; post-harvest disease and the postharvest store regimen in Europe; sustainability and sustainable packaging; supply chain challenges; managing nematodes; pesticide maximum residue levels (MRL’s); protecting potatoes’ positive reputation; bacterial potato soft rot; and “Transforming Pivots into Potato Health Monitoring Machines.”

Lunches, happy hours, receptions, beer gardens and a closing party were sponsored by Lamb Weston, Bayer, Corteva, UPL-DECCO, and continued on pg. 28

Left: Potatoes USA President and CEO Blair Richardson welcomed participants to the association’s Winter Meeting, held Jan. 2-3 before the 2023 Potato Expo.

Right: Amanda Gevens, professor, chair and extension specialist, UW-Madison Department of Plant Pathology, answers a question from a visitor to the Wisconsin Certified Seed Potato booth during Potato Expo.

Colorado Potatoes, while Nufarm hosted a Tater Toss Tournament that brought a competitive spirit to the show hall.

Above: Cedric Porter, editor and owner of the respected World Potato Markets newsletter, gave presentations during the Potatoes USA Winter Meeting and the Potato Business Summit, the latter held Wednesday morning, January 4, at the Gaylord Rockies Resort.

As part of her presentation “Roots to Robots—Blending the Old and New in Potato Fertility,” Christi Falen, an agronomist with ICL Specialty Fertilizers, talked about understanding soil and root interactions.

Potato Expo is Back!. . . continued from pg. 26

The Wisconsin Seed Potato Improvement Association (WSPIA) & WPVGA Chip Committee held their annual reception at the

Gaylord Rockies Convention Center following Potato Expo, Wednesday evening, with refreshments, door prizes, crackers, cheese and shrimp appetizers, networking and friendly banter.

University of Wisconsin (UW)

Professor Emeritus Walt Stevenson once again did the honors of emceeing the event and announcing winners of coveted door prizes.

It was fantastic to experience Potato Expo as it is meant to be—a hub of activity surrounding industry innovations, research and technologies, new products, and modern methods and means of growing, marketing, and selling potatoes.

The trade show targeted directly toward potatoes presents an unequaled opportunity to build and maintain relationships and conduct business with industry professionals. As Jared Balcom president of the National Potato Council Board of Directors, concluded, “For 15 years, Potato Expo has been the signature event for all of us in the potato industry, but I have to say, this year we’ve topped all expectations.”

Thursday’s “This

Potato Expo 2024 will be held January 10-11 in Austin, Texas. More information is available by visiting www.potato-expo.com.