The 54th annual Idaho Potato Conference and Eastern Idaho Ag Expo presented by the University of Idaho and Spectra Productions will be live and in person in 2022. Set your calendars to attend the 2022 Idaho Potato Conference Jan. 18-20 in Pocatello, Idaho. The Idaho Potato Conference is the ideal opportunity to engage with colleagues and discuss issues related to the potato industry. Attend your choice of educational presentations and workshops from three concurrent sessions over the one-and-a-half-day conference and take some time to visit the adjoining trade show that features over 70 booths and displays highlighting agricultural products and services.
Highlights for this year’s educational conference include:
- Several seminars and workshops on the impact of the 2021 season, including effect of the weather on soil fertility, heat impact on potatoes, soil health, storage losses, and irrigation efficiency.
- Invited speaker Carrie Wohleb from Washington State University will present on the impacts of wildfire smoke on potatoes—a recently perennial summer occurrence that prompts many questions on how it may be affecting the crop.
- Multiple pest protection presentations and workshops, including tank-mixing considerations, rotational crops and herbicide carryover issues, pollinators and potatoes, pesticide resistance of Colorado potato beetle, Fusarium dry rot aggressiveness, managing Rhizoctonia, diagnosing crop injury, pesticide resistance management, rotation and potato cyst nematode control, and comprehensive disease and weed management workshops.
- Economists will present a workshop on the profitability implications of fertilizer cost increases in addition to a discussion on the seasonality of retail rejections. The latter discussion will dovetail with a one-hour workshop on the impact of bruise on quality.
- A one-hour session with multiple speakers on alternatives to fumigation. This session will be followed by a one-hour session on all things pink—pinkeye (periderm disorder syndrome) and pink rot.
- A workshop dedicated to “Everything you wanted to know about potato viruses but were afraid to ask.” Come with any and all questions to ask a panel of experts on the topic of tuber necrotic diseases: PVY, tobacco rattle virus, and potato mop-top virus.
- Are you growing Clearwater Russet or considering growing it and still have questions? Attend an hourlong workshop for research tips on growing and storing this cultivar.
- Seed-specific topics are threaded throughout the conference; a specific presentation comparing cut versus whole seed will be included.
- Current outlooks on water, labor and sustainability will bring us up to date on major topics for the potato industry.
- Special guests from the National Potato Council and Potatoes USA will provide industry updates. We look forward to a presentation by the new president and CEO of the Idaho Potato Commission, Jamey Higham.
- A special two-hour pest management simulation game will be offered on both Wednesday and Thursday. This is a great way to test your management skills and observe consequences of your management decisions, plus gain pesticide credits. This will be limited to 20 people for each session, so come early and sign up.
- Seminars and workshops in Spanish will be held both days and include a wide variety of topics from beneficial insect identification to farm safety discussions.
- Select presentations will be recorded and available at the conference website after the conference. Registration for the conference will be required to gain access to the recorded presentations.
- Attendees can earn CCA (CEU) and pesticide recertification credits at seminars and workshops throughout the conference.
We are looking forward to seeing everyone at the Idaho Potato Conference in this January. Additional details regarding the agenda, topics and registration can be found at www.uidaho.edu/cals/potatoes.