Kam Quarles, CEO, National Potato CouncilSteven James, Senior Director – FLNA Potatoes, PepsiCoSteve Gangwish, CEO, CSS Farms
Event Location: Expo Stage
Potato production is rapidly evolving as new technologies transform every stage of the process—from field management and storage systems to grading lines and consumer delivery. Join us for an interactive discussion on how growers can leverage technology to stay competitive as we examine current technology applications and explore future innovations that can improve efficiency, quality, […]
Christina Herrick, Produce Editor, The Packer
In today’s agricultural landscape, farmers face a dual challenge: adapting to increasingly complex state regulations while maintaining the public trust that underpins their ability to operate. This session explores the concept of “social license to operate”—the informal but essential approval granted by communities, consumers, and stakeholders—and how it intersects with formal regulatory frameworks. Drawing on […]
Farmers face a familiar challenge: it’s never just one thing holding back the crop. Nutrient stress, environmental stress, and pathogens stack up long before symptoms appear. Traditional diagnostics only show damage after it’s happened—when yield and dollars are already lost. By combining soil DNA, plant RNA, and AI, growers gain a complete above- and below-ground […]
Sponsored by PhycoTerra Bring your best spuds to team up and test your Fry-Q in a trivia showdown hosted by Ryan Budds.
Potatoes can hide costly defects at any stage of the value chain. This session shows how hyperspectral Chemical Imaging Technology (CIT® Gen3) paired with high-resolution RGB cameras and real-time AI separates what the eye can’t see—sugar ends, glassiness, hidden defects and foreign materials—at line speed. We’ll also cover how inline metrics and automated machine control […]
Biologicals are products derived from living organisms (or their components) used to enhance plant growth, health, and protection. This is the next area of eco-friendly yield increases for potato production, particularly in the areas of bio-controls and bio-stimulants. Those in the agricultural sector have long recognized there is something to biologicals, though broad, consistent production […]
Moderator: RJ Harvey, RDN, CEC, Culinary Director, Potatoes USA Panelists: Daniel Camp, Director of Culinary, Fuzzy’s Taco Shop Brian Campbell, Corporate Chef, Culinary Innovation, Pizza Hut Lauren Cannaday, Senior Culinary Manager, Chilis Alexander Sadowsky, Director of Culinary and Beverage, Ojos Locos and Reach Hospitality Fry Demo: Aurora Hollenbeck, MS, CCMS, Executive Sous Chef, Potatoes USA
This panel highlights the voices of women who are redefining what leadership looks like in the potato industry. Their insights and experiences demonstrate how resilience and innovation are fueling growth. Moderator: Melinda Waldrop, Managing Editor, Spudman Magazine Panelists: Laurie Widdowson, Sr. Director of Global Markets & External Marketing, CSS Farms, LLC Addie Waxman, Ph.D., Manager […]