06/16/06 World Potato Congress preview

For three days in August internationally recognized leaders in the potato industry will be in Boise talking about the issues that affect them. The World Potato Congress comes to the US for the first time ever and it begins Monday August 21st with a golf tournament and a evening social in a downtown park. Spokesman Monte Cox says they have plenty to talk about August 22nd through the 24th. COX "We have two tracks, an industry track and a science track so you can kind of pick and chose what fits your needs or interests more. We'll have people from other countries talking about how they deal with things like that. There will be some new ideas that maybe folks from the states have never experienced." The agenda includes discussions about the potato industry in developing countries, environmental concerns, grower co-ops, nutrition, pest problems and new varieties. Before they move onto a farm show near Wilder there's a Wednesday night dinner in Boise for Congress participants. COX "Some industry awards that the World Potato Congress Incorporated hands out every year for folks from all different countries coming in to get presented with awards there." Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott