03/14/06 World Potato Congress coming to Idaho

The Sixth Annual World Potato Congress will be held in Idaho this summer. Project Manager Monte Cox says this event was first held in Canada in 1993 and this is its first US appearance. After the 1994 meeting in the United Kingdom they went to a three year rotation for the Congress. COX "There will be two and a half days of meetings and education programs at the Boise Centre on the Grove convention center in downtown Boise and then three days of a working demonstration farm show out near Wilder." Cox expects about one thousand potato industry representatives to attend the August 20-26th meetings in southwestern Idaho. He says he's getting daily inquiries about the Potato Congress. COX "Uruguay to Australia to South Africa to China, there will be delegations coming from all parts of the world." As part of an 80 acre harvesting field demonstration Shepody potatoes will be planted next week to coincide with a variety of crop protection systems and nutrient segments. They're planning a symposium on integrated pest management for potato tuber moth. The World Potato Congress is also looking for nominees who can be recognized at this summer's meeting for their contributions to the potato industry. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott