By Cameron Rudolph
Dr. Kelly Turner considers what Michigan State University research means to the state’s potato growers and consumers, the message is simple.
When Dr. Kelly Turner considers what Michigan State University research means to the state’s potato growers and consumers, the message is simple.
“MSU research is not a luxury. It’s a necessity,” said Turner, executive director of the Michigan Potato Industry Commission (MPIC). “Continued public investment in research ensures that Michigan agriculture can solve the problems of tomorrow, today.”
Like those of other crops, Michigan potato growers face a number of threats, from diseases and insects to competition from other states. Turner’s role with MPIC is to position the industry to thrive now and into the future through fostering grower collaboration, building research partnerships and promoting the industry’s efforts publicly to ensure economic prosperity.
For decades, MSU scientists have worked alongside potato growers to address their most pressing challenges. Potato breeding, disease, insect and weed control, and input recommendations have been vital to the industry.
With backing from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, MSU AgBioResearch and MSU Extension administer programs such as Project GREEEN, which is geared toward solving immediate problems, and the Agricultural Resiliency Program, an effort focused on long-term issues related to water and extreme weather.
These programs, in addition to other industry, state and federal funding, are an important asset for growers as they seek to keep their operations profitable.
“Without this support, growers would face more risk, have fewer tools and see a reduced ability to compete in the market not just at the state level, but we’re talking at a global level,” Turner said. “It would stifle innovation, threaten economic stability of rural communities, and likely undermine our ability to adapt to climate, market and regulatory pressures. Continued funding is a commitment to the future of Michigan agriculture and to the families, businesses and communities that it sustains.”
Dr. Karl Ritchie, agronomist at Walther Farms who refers to himself as “the science guy” of the operation, said potato growers rely on independent research from MSU to help make informed farming decisions. Walther Farms is a third-generation family farm that began in 1946. Today, it’s headquartered in Three Rivers, Michigan, but operations now span eight states.
Along with producing fresh potatoes, Michigan is the No. 1 producer of U.S. chipping potatoes. Farms such as the Walther’s provide chipping potatoes to processors, and the end result is some of the most popular snacks across the state and beyond.
Better Made Snack Foods is a Detroit staple, stocking the shelves of regional stores with its potato chips since 1930. Phil Gusmano, vice president of purchasing at Better Made, said MSU research is a major component of ensuring there are ample potatoes for processing year-round.
Below is a Q&A with Ritchie and Gusmano, detailing their experiences with MSU research.
What makes MSU research unique?
- Ritchie: There is a lot more collaboration in this state than what I’ve seen in others. The access to MSU specialists is extremely unique. All of the researchers and Extension specialists I’ve worked with have been to the farm and walked the fields with us, and that’s really meaningful.
- Gusmano: MPIC helps coordinate communication among all of the players involved. That’s what’s unique in Michigan, and I haven’t seen another industry that takes into consideration all aspects from conception to finished product in such a way. MSU helps to foster that with the attention to understanding how important agriculture is in the state, giving researchers the tools they need. What makes MSU special is the people doing the research and the collective knowledge they have, and the ability to perform under the ever-changing circumstances.
Source : msu.edu