Last month we read in this space as Phil Nolte bid adieu to his post as technical editor and organizer of the University of Idaho column for the Potato Grower. This vacancy is far greater, as Dr. Phil Nolte also retires from the University of Idaho as our seed potato specialist.
You may know Phil personally or have gotten to know him through his columns. Regardless, Phil’s impact on the industry has been extensive—his superior knowledge of plant pathology and the overall potato production cycle, his mediation and detective skills, his unwavering commitment to the betterment of the potato industry, and his phenomenal way of communicating via presentations, one-on-one, and in writing. Thank you, Phil; you will be greatly missed, but please enjoy retirement. You deserve it.
The University of Idaho column will feature many new—and older—faces who are part of the Idaho potato team and eager to relay the most up-to-date information to the industry. Stay tuned for articles from Louise-Marie Dandurand, Pam Hutchinson, Alex Karasev, Joe Kuhl, Xi Liang, Amy Hui-Mei Lin, Chris McIntosh, Jeff Miller, Howard Neibling, Amber Moore, Nora Olsen, Martha Raidl, Arash Rashed, Jeff Stark, Mike Thornton, Yi Wang, Erik Wenninger, Phill Wharton, Fangming Xiao and many others. These people are located throughout the state—Moscow, Parma, Boise, Twin Falls/Kimberly, Rupert, Aberdeen and Idaho Falls.
The Idaho potato team is also involved in many ongoing activities to further develop the potato education, extension and research programs in Idaho. Under the designation of the Potato Program of Distinction, you will see the team focusing on greater undergraduate and graduate student education and experiences in potato science, expanding access to our potato science course via online videos, and updating our website for easy access of information. For example, we are encouraging a more comprehensive and integrated educational program for University of Idaho graduate students by offering a one-week field trip which took place this April. Tour stops included the Idaho Potato Commission, grower operations, processors, fresh pack operations, a biotechnology company, Idaho Crop Improvement, a private research company, an equipment manufacturer, and the various University of Idaho R&E centers. We are grateful for funding provided by contributors to the Idaho Potato Industry Program Endowment and the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, which allowed us to expand our graduate student educational program. The goal is to encourage the education of agricultural sciences for undergraduate and graduate students and highlight the career opportunities that exist in the potato industry.
Another vital person to our potato team is retiring this year: Paul Patterson, extension economist. The industry has greatly valued Paul’s expertise on cost of production and economic wisdom to help us in the worst and the best of times. Thanks, Paul, for your years of dedication and happy fishing!
We say goodbye and best wishes to our retiring colleagues and friends and welcome many new colleagues to the Idaho potato team.