As often as not, big trade events, no matter the industry, turn out to be little more than pep rallies reassuring folks that their respective businesses are in the right sector, one that’s going to take care of them long into the future. And, as often as not, those sentiments are true. Yet the events often ring hollow, leaving participants wondering what value, outside of important networking opportunities, a particular event held for their respective businesses.
Potato Expo 2015, which took place at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando, Fla., Jan. 7-9, was not such an event. While there was plenty of rah-rah to go around, the Expo had the feel of a locker room at halftime more than that of a pep rally. Deserving parties received their props, and optimism was as prevalent as ever. But the most important dialogues took place as issues were acknowledged, game plans were assessed, and strategies were tweaked.
On Wednesday, Jan. 7, United Potato Growers of America got things started with a bang as it hosted the Potato Business Summit. In the potato industry’s locker room, United is that assistant coach who can anticipate exactly what halftime adjustments his opponent will make and counter with some funky matchup zone defense that, if the players execute it well, will be the key to victory. So it was at the Summit: Specialists from several different parts of the industry—finance, exports markets, retail and process, to name a few—presented the cold, hard facts about where the industry stands in different parts of the marketplace, then provided guidance as to how to navigate the rocks and roadblocks of the near future. “Growers cannot grow in a vacuum,” United CEO Jerry Wright said in concluding the Summit. “You can’t just assume anything. Just because you did it last year, doesn’t mean you should this year.”
The Expo trade show floor was, as always a place for companies and associations to showcase some of the newest and most exciting innovations in the potato industry. From optical sorters to new irrigation techniques, just about anything one can imagine was there to be seen. A representative from the Republic of Fiji’s Trade Commission was even present, offering American growers the opportunity to farm on the Fijian Islands with big tax breaks. Combined with the fantastic opportunities to catch up with old friends and network with new ones, the trade show exhibitors made the trade show floor the place to be throughout the Expo.
Matthew Tripodi, government and trade relations manager of Euromonitor International, addressed Expo attendees during the opening session, stressing the open avenues available to the American potato industry overseas. Tripodi emphasized the importance of the Asia Pacific region, noting that the world’s fastest-growing population “nees[s] food; they need water; they need potatoes!
“Most of the growth will be in urban markets that are already trade partners with the U.S.”
Fox News anchor Chris Wallace addressed Expo attendees about the future of American politics during his Thursday keynote speech, particularly the uncertainty surrounding the relationship between President Obama, a Democrat, and the freshly minted Republican Congress. Once the initial jockeying and trumpeting of the first couple months of 2015 have run their course, Wallace said, it seems likely the President and Congress will find ways to compromise on several key issues. Wallace mentioned three of these issues in particular: tax reform, immigration reform, and fast-track trade negotiating authority for the President.
While Wallace, never one to sugarcoat the facts, conceded that there will continue to be discord in our nation’s capital, he remained optimistic about the government’s ability to get things done in the coming months and years. “The point is,” Wallace concluded, “while there will continue to be sharp divisions in the political theater—and a divide between a Democratic president and a Republican Congress—both sides now have more incentive than ever to show they can actually govern.”
Agricultural futurist Jim Carroll brought down the house with his closing session speech highlighting agricultural trends Friday morning. His infectious energy about the future of the industry made it difficult not to be excited about the sector in which we live and work. “We live in a world in which people have big, bold ideas, a world of incessant obsolescence,” Carroll said. “Sometimes when you’re so involved in the industry, you don’t realize just how sweeping these changes can be. But this next generation thrives on ideas; they thrive on innovation—and we all need to be on that boat.”
Indeed, the future of agriculture, and particularly the potato industry, is a bright one. Sure, there are going to be plenty of potholes and bumps in the road. But, if Potato Expo 2015 taught us anything, it’s that a solid game plan not only makes those obstacles navigable; it gets you the win in the end.