Check Your Mail, Register for NPPGA Big Events!

With plans in place, NPPGA staff mailed out registration forms to all our growers and Potato Associates this past week for the Research Reporting Conference, the Annual Meeting, and the Chairman's/ Meritorious Service Award Banquet.  All three events wil3633Valentines Day (Feb.14) at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks.

If you are interested in attending and did not receive registration forms, please call NPPGA at (218) 773-3633 or email Diane Peycke at dpeycke@nppga.org.

The day will start with the Annual Research Reporting Conference. Registration is from 8:00 to 9:00 AM followed by a full day of research reports ending at 3:15. Lunch will be served courtesy of Bremer Bank.
 
NPPGA's annual business meeting will be held at 3:30 PM.  All growers are urged to attend, the meeting is also open to the public.

Next we will head to the Alerus Center Ballroom for the Chairman's/ Meritorious Service Award Banquet sponsored by AgCountry Farm Credit Services.  The evening will begin with a social at 5:30 followed by the banquet about 6:30. 

Current NPPGA Chairman Jeff Van Ray of Pingree, North Dakota will pass the gavel to incoming Chairman Carl Hoverson from Larimore, North Dakota.  The NPPGA Meritorious Service Award will be presented to NDSU Potato Breeder Susie Thompson.

The night will conclude with entertainment from nationally recognized talent Damian Mason. Mason has been a professional speaker, corporate event entertainer, and author since 1994. He's logged over 1,300 appearances, entertaining crowds in 49 states and 7 foreign countries.

Mason has played the part of Bill Clinton in 2 major motion pictures; "Contact" starring Jodie Foster, and "2001:A Space Travesty" where he shared 40 minutes of screen time alongside his co-star, Leslie Nielsen. He has also studied comedy writing and improvisation at the prestigious Second City Chicago.

Among his favorite comedy sources: news headlines, travel, business trends, relationships, everyday life, and his upbringing as the youngest of nine children. 

Damian's varied work experiences provide comedic fodder too.  He had his first job at age 8 on the Indiana dairy farm where he was raised.  He's also been a landscaper, bartender, Sears employee, factory worker, window washer, and radio personality.

Mason graduated from Purdue University with a degree in Agricultural Economics.  

 

Northern Plains Potato Growers 2012 Research Reporting Conference
Tuesday, February 14th, 2012
Alerus Center, Grand Forks, ND
Moderator: Dr. Asunta (Susie) Thompson

8 – 9   Registration and Donuts
 
9 – 9:30  Late blight update
Dr. Gary Secor, North Dakota State University

9:30 - 10 Potato Mop Top Virus
Dr. Neil Gudmestad, North Dakota State University

10 – 10:30 Reaction of powdery scab of potato to chlorpicrin soil fumigation
 Francisco Bittara, North Dakota State University

10:30 - 11 BREAK

11 – 11:30 The Effect of rate, timing (temperature) and injection depth of metam sodium on the development of Verticillium wilt 
Julie Pasche, North Dakota State University

11:30 - 12 NDSU Potato Breeding & Cultivar Development  –  2011 Summary
 Dr. Susie Thompson, North Dakota State University

12 – 12:30 Herbicide issues in 2011
Dr. Harlene Hatterman-Valenti, North Dakota State University

12:30 – 1:30 Lunch (Provided)

1:30 – 2 The potential for using remote sensing for detecting nitrogen and water stress in irrigated potato
Dr. Carl Rosen, University of Minnesota

2 – 2:30 New treatments for Colorado potato beetle and aphid control and their impact on virus transmission
Dr. Ian MacRae, University of Minnesota

2:30 – 3:00 UM Potato Breeding update
Dr. Christian Thill, University of Minnesota

 

International Crop Expo Slated for Feb. 15-16

The 11th Annual International Crop Expo will be February 15th and 16th at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks.  The Expo is one of the largest ag shows in the region, filling the entire main arena of the Alerus Center with over-flow exhibits in adjoining rooms and even some outside the building.  The floor exhibits will be open from 8 to 5 on Wednesday and 8 to 4 on Thursday. The show and parking are free!

Jay Lehr - AgCountry Farm Credit Services will be sponsoring Keynote Speaker Dr. Jay Lehr on Wednesday at 1:00 PM.  The topic will be "What Agriculture can Expect from Washington."  

There has never been a greater mystery as to what the next six year phase of farm support legislation may hold for American Agriculture. Learn about Ag Policy updates from Washington and what effects we can expect to see in agriculture. Dr. Lehr's work within the farming industry has given him a highly sought after crystal ball with which he predicts the future based on precise knowledge of the past as well as distinctive current trends.

Frayne Olson - The Thursday 1:00 PM speaker will be Dr. Frayne Olson with "Successful Land Rent Negotiation is More Than Being the Highest Bidder." 

This session will provide information on how producers can be more competitive in their land rental negotiations by improving the communications with their current and perspective landlords. This includes the use of resume's, portfolios and frequent communication to keep land owners informed and educated regarding the operations and visions for their particular tract of land. Some actual communications pieces will be showcased as examples.

Dr.Olson is the Crop Economist/Marketing Specialist with the NDSU Extension Service. He conducts educational programs and research in evaluating crop marketing strategies, crop outlook and prices, and the economics of crop contracting.  He also does joint work in risk management, agribusiness management and farm management.


2012 Potato Educational Meeting Schedule
Alerus Center, Grand Forks, ND

Wednesday Morning February 15th

9:00-9:30 - John Keeling, Executive Vice President and CEO, NPC; National Potato Council Update

9:30-10:00 - Ritchey Toevs, Co-Chair, USPB International Marketing Committee: "Potatoes are Back! It Didn't Just Happen!"   Followed by Tim O'Connor, President and CEO, USPB:  "Know Your Consumer: Important Potato Marketing Trends from Recent Research"  

10:00-10:30 - Maureen Storey, Alliance for Potato Research and Education Alliance Introduction and Update

10:30-10:40 - BREAK

10:40-11:10 - Jerry Wright, United Potato Growers UPGA Update

11:10-11:40 - David Parish, AIS Consulting Update on Chip and Fry Research with the US Potato Board

11:40-12:10 - Jeremiah Lien, North Dakota Department of Agriculture Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) Update

Thursday Morning February 16th

9:00-9:30 - Willem Schrage, Director Potato Program, ND State Seed Department; ND Certified Seed Report and Winter Test Results

9:30-10:00 - Mike Horken, Potato Unit Supervisor, MN Department of Agriculture MN Certified Seed Report and Winter Test Results

10:00-10:30 - Chad Hutchinson, Director of Research, TriEst Ag Group, Inc. Chloropicrin Soil Fumigation for Disease Control in Potatoes

10:30-10:40 - BREAK

10:40-11:10 - Dr. Russ Groves, Entomologist, University of Wisconsin; Understanding and management of Colorado potato beetles

11:10-11:40 - Dr. Neil Gudmestad, Plant Pathologist, North Dakota State University; More fungicide resistance in the early blight pathogen Alternariasolani

11:40-12:10 - Dr. Phil Nolte, Seed Potato Specialist, University of Idaho; PVY Management for seed growers

For more information including Bean and Small Grain programming, visit www.cropexpo.com