National Potato Council leaders will determine their organization's next direction during the summer meeting, June 26-28 in Walla Walla, Wash.
Council CEO John Keeling said the mid-year meeting allows growers to get together and make adjustments to policy issues the council is working on, and set budgets.
Keeling expects a lot of discussion on the progress of the farm bill and immigration.
"We'll be asking our folks to weigh in with their members of Congress in terms of pushing for a solution that has an agricultural component that will guarantee us a guest worker program that's workable," he said. Keeling is also looking for a chance for workers who might not be fully documented to continue to work in agriculture.
Major provisions important to potatoes and other specialty crop producers are essentially in both versions of the farm bill, including increased funding for research initiatives and pest and disease management.
SOURCE: Matthew Weaver, Capital Press
http://www.capitalpress.com/newsletter/mw-Potato-advance-061813