Because of the need to better educate the United States potato growers on the plan to form a research association and exchange research with Great Britain, Bud Middaugh, director of the National Potato Research and Education Foundation has delayed the first meeting set for May 13-15 in Denver.
A group known as the United States Potato Grower Research Association was schedule to begin a fee payment structure to set up research for niche marketing of precision sizes and varieties of potatoes.
The plan for the association came from a United States Potato Board trade trip too Great Britain last summer.
Many industry growers as well as leaders were unaware of the association and its development. It was only discussed in a Potato Foundation meeting during the annual National Potato Council meeting in Tucson, AZ, in January and never in a general session.
The Foundation has adopted a dues payment structure for growers to belong of 50 cents per acre until May 13-15 and 75 cents an acre after that.
Potato Growers of Idaho Executive Director Keith Esplin, unaware of the details of the association, questioned whether growers even knew about the association let alone understood it. He also said the timing was awkward because most were very busy planting.
A letter was to be mailed to all growers next week informing them of the May meeting and giving other details of the association.