08/29/08 The Potato Variety Management Institute

Farm and Ranch August 29, 2008 In 2005 the Washington State Potato Commission and other Pacific Northwest potato commissions created a new non-profit corporation called the Potato Variety Management Institute, or PVMI. Jeanne Debons is the director of PVMI and says its role is to handle the licensing and royalty collection on Tri-State potato varieties. Debons: "All of the varieties that come out of the Tri-State program that are deemed as good and improvements on past varieties are protected by the universities they come from. Then they are assigned with a master license to PVMI. And PVMI promotes them and administrates them. I work with the growers to get licenses and collect royalties." Debons says so far no monies have been returned directly to the Tri-State breeding program as their have been costs to get PVMI organized and operating. However; Debons: "The business plan was such that money should be returned within five years. I believe that will happen sooner than the five years. Part of Debons job is to promote varieties and she does that by attending potato shows. She also provides feedback to breeders to help them develop new varieties. The Potato Variety Management Institute has a website with a lot information including contracts and agreements. It's at www.pvmi.org 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.