First ever Washington-Oregon Potato Conference a success

Farm and Ranch February 19, 2010 The first ever joint Washington-Oregon Potato Conference is now history and by all accounts it was a success. Karen Bonaudi, who is on the Conference board and also the Assistant Executive Director of the Washington State Potato Commission, details the feedback on the event.

Bonaudi: “Everyone we talked to and everyone who talked to us was really, really pleased with it. We got nothing but positive feedback from the participants, the growers that were there. The exhibitors that were in the trade show. The sponsors were happy with the new signs. So everything was really a go.”

Attendance was up over last year’s conference.

Bonaudi: “We also had 97-thousand dollars in donations and in-kind contributions. That was up as well so we were really pleased with that.”

Bonaudi says participation in the Spanish program was also up significantly.

Next year Washington and Oregon will be joining up again.

Bonaudi: “The agreement was to go together for three years. So this is the first of three years that we will be holding a joint conference for sure.”

And there is a hold on the conference site, the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick, so the 2011 Washington-Oregon Potato Conference and Trade Show will again be held the last week in January next year.

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.

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