USPB Mini-Fast Track Moves Varieties into Seed Production

USPB Mini-Fast Track Moves Varieties into Seed Production

Bringing new seed varieties into production in the potato industry is a time-consuming and rather expensive process. However, a new process called Mini-Fast Track which bridges the gap between very small scale trials and the Fast Track Seed Program is providing the ability to test in a commercial setting about two times as many varieties for an 1/8 of the cost of a regular Fast Track trial.United States Potato Board Chip Program Manager David Parish explains what this means
Parish: “So for a small investment, relative to what we are currently doing — we’ve more than doubled the size of the program. That is what is exciting because variety development is all about the numbers. You have to look at a bunch of material and a lot of varieties to find the ones that are the diamonds in the rough — so to speak. In order to do that you have to have the seed and you have to test them commercial. And the mini-fast track allows us to do that.”
Parish says that this is just another benefit having all the industry’s players around one table at one time — looking for ways to make the industry as a whole better.
Parish: “These kinds of innovations like Mini-Fast Track and Fast Track — the program in itself is just an excellent example of people saying that we’re going to make the industry better, we are going to collaborate and then compete in a better industry.”

 

Previous ReportImmigration Reform Needed This Year
Next ReportConversation With State Conservationist