July/August 2019 - 29

Research investments are key to future success
Halfway through
NATIONAL
POTATO
COUNCIL
Kam Quarles
Chief Executive
Officer
2019, it is hard to
believe that a new
Farm Bill was signed
over six months
ago. It's also hard
to believe that the
end of fiscal year
2019 is quickly
arriving, and with
it, the beginning of
another agriculture
appropriations cycle.
Contained within
the mandatory (five-year) spending of the
Farm Bill and the discretionary (annual)
spending of the agriculture appropriations
bill are provisions that will impact our
industry for years.
Of all the priorities we push for,
investments in potato research are some of
the most durable and provide the highest
return on investment. The new Farm Bill
provided a 30% increase in funding for the
Specialty Crop Research Initiative. That
five-year program now totals $400 million
for the U.S. fruit and vegetable industry.
For us, the program dedicates substantial
funding for soil health, dickeya research,
research on potato virus Y, potato mop-top
virus and Tobacco rattle virus, to name a
few projects.
The House FY20 Agriculture Appropriations
bill provides $3.25 million for the National
Institute of Food and Agriculture's Potato
Breeding Special Research grants. These
grants have been utilized across the country
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 28
Whose fault is it that certain packer/
shippers in certain regions are allowed to
skip over this key component of supply
chain management? Shouldn't this
fundamental aspect of grower profitability
be part of their accountability?
Assume that a firm existed called
" Fresh Potato Supply Chain Management
Company " and that this firm were hired
to manage the supply side of the fresh
potato supply chain. Assume also that
this firm's compensation depended upon
grower prosperity.
Now, go out on a limb, here, and venture
a guess as to what their first act would be
in supply-chain management.
Spudman * July/August 2019
29
to conduct high-risk, high-reward research
into new potato varieties that can generate
value for producers and sustainable
benefits for the environment.
Additionally, the annual appropriations
bills provide resources for the Agricultural
Research Service. Those funds are
allocated by the agency to support USDA
ARS researchers in potato-producing states
around the country that focus on research
into challenges facing our industry.
While often matched with substantial
industry funding, these activities could
not occur without the partnership that the
federal government offers. The mandatory
and discretionary foundation of these
programs provides stability for long-term
research needs that strain the resources of
any single state or institution.
The National Potato Council is committed
to complementing the dedicated discipline
of researchers in the field with parallel
efforts in Washington, D.C. to ensure their
budgets are supported by our federal
partners. The benefits of success in
research will echo for years to come.
July/August 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of July/August 2019
