02/03/06 Washington State Potato Conf.

Farm and Ranch February 3, 2006 It's just a few days now until the 2006 Washington State Potato Conference and Trade Show in Moses Lake. Dale Lathim conference board chairman says overall the conference which runs February 7th through the 9th, looks very promising. Lathim: "There's some excellent speakers. We have a great number of exhibitors. I feel and hear more interest from growers as well as suppliers that are looking forward to this year's conference. So, I am expecting a great time." And it's not just what's on the agenda but also on the menu. The Potato Bar lunch on February 8th will be a first; a chance to taste and evaluate a new Russet-type potato variety developed by the Northwest Tri-State Variety Development Program. The unnamed variety is still undergoing field and post-harvest testing. The speakers Lathim referenced include a keynote address by futurist Lowell Catlett of New Mexico State University on "Tomorrow's Agriculture: Six Trends You Can't Afford to Miss." Also Jurgen Kroschel from the International Potato Center in Lima, Peru. Those presentations, along with production seminars, will be at the ATEC building at Big Bend Community College as will a seminar on the federally underwritten insurance plan, Adjusted Gross Revenue Lite. The AGR-Lite seminar will be February 8th starting at 8:30 am. The trade show and the Potato Bar will be at the Grant County Fairgrounds Ardell Pavilion. Just $5 for it all. That's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report. Brought to you in part by the Washington State Potato Commission. Nutrition today! Good health tomorrow! I'm Bob Hoff on the Northwest Ag Information Network.