Over the last two years the Oregon Potato Commission (OPC), with the urging of potato growers from around the state, have established two different potato position endowments to provide financial assistance to potato research in perpetuity through the Oregon State University (OSU) Foundation.
The first, named the Oregon Potato Research & Extension Endowed Professorship is a $500,000 minimum commitment that will provide base funding to the OSU Statewide Potato Program. The second, the Klamath Basin Potato Endowed Faculty Scholar, is a minimum pledge of $250,000 will also provide base funding in perpetuity, but will always be utilized in the Klamath Basin to enhance the existing potato program.
OPC members and other potato industry representatives recognized the decreases in Federal, State and County contributions to maintain research and extension programs over the last several years. OPC has more than tripled its contribution to OSU Potato Research since 2005, but more needed to be done. Endowments are ways to ensure research personnel are available and provide long-term security to highly qualified people. OSU is one of the top-tier institutes in potato research and variety development in the United States and the entire world. With OSU’s goal to recruit and retain world-class faculty, the security of endowed positions is needed to show long-term support.
The Provost Faculty Match is only applicable for funds established by a maximum of five entities or individuals. Funds need to be “committed” through a formal pledge of up to five years prior to spendable funds’ distribution. In situations such as a Commission, the Commission can act as a single “entity” so that multiple grower/industry gifts could be combined to meet this stipulation. OPC has made the formal pledge and is continuing to add donors to grow the fund.
Additional pledges can be made by contacting:
- Brian Charlton, KBREC Potato Specialist, at brian.a.charlton@oregonstate.edu
- Bill Brewer, OPC CEO at brewer@oregonspuds.com
To date, the following list of supporters have made a pledge toward the Klamath Potato Endowment: Klamath Potato Growers Association, Dan Chin (Wong Potato), Columbia Packaging, CAL ORE, Basin Fertilizer, Gold Dust (Walker Brothers), Baley Trotman, George Rajnus, Circle C, and Riverside Produce.
OSU, OPC and the Klamath Basin Potato Industry are very thankful for the long term approach these individuals and companies are taking to make a difference for the future generations to come.