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United Potato Growers of America is a somewhat different kind of national potato organization; UPGA deals directly with the business of producing potatoes. UPGA does this by providing key market data to potato producers, enabling them to consistently secure a fair return on their immense investment. In that role UPGA understands that there are more aspects of the potato production business that lead to on-farm profitability than most producers customarily access. That is why UPGA annually puts on the Potato Business Summit.
UPGA supports the potato production business through a grower-direct feed of potato market supply data produced by its large and constantly updating database. This market data enables aligned potato producers to prosper year after year, something that was previously a nearly impossible task. In addition to such direct market data, UPGA also keeps many indirect aspects of the potato production business in front of potato producers.
To achieve this, UPGA conceived the annual Potato Business Summit as a lead-in to Potato Expo. During a power-packed morning, growers are brought abreast of economic aspects ancillary to potato production but critical to it. At the Potato Business Summit, growers learn about agricultural economic trends along with global commodity updates in other farm commodities. They are brought up to speed with fresh potato market trends as well as advancements in frozen/process and dehydration markets, both foreign and domestic. Even the latest in field technology is not overlooked.
The 2022 Potato Business Summit was held Jan. 5 on the first day of Potato Expo in Anaheim, California, and online. The event was sponsored by United Potato Growers of America, Potato Marketing Association of North America, and United Potato Growers of Canada. Additional sponsors included Vive Crop Protection, AMVAC, John Deere and J.R. Simplot Co. Over 160 people attended in person in Anaheim, and 140 watched online, for a total attendance of over 300.
Speakers included Stephen Nicholson of Rabobank, who presented a global economic update; Cedric Porter of World Potato Markets, who gave a European potato market update; Liam Glennon, who is on the World Potato Congress (WPC) organizing committee and provided an update on WPC Ireland 2022; John Toaspern from Potatoes USA, who provided an overview of the retail and frozen potato market; and Adrian Saenz of John Deere, who spoke on farming technology. UPGA’s own Mark Klompien concluded the Summit with a fresh potato market outlook.
Videos of the presentations are available at www.potatobusinesssummit.com. UPGA thanks all of its presenters and sponsors, and would also like to thank all attendees and viewers. We hope to see everyone again at next year’s Summit, which will be held in conjunction with Potato Expo on Jan. 4, 2023, in Aurora, Colorado.