Future farmers enjoy 2011 potato conference

KENNEWICK -  A group of 18 FFA students from Oregon's Cove High School represented agriculture's youth at this week's Washington-Oregon Potato Conference.

Three of the students, and their student teacher, Lauren Incht, talked to the Columbia Basin Herald as they enjoyed a baked potato lunch at the Three Rivers Convention Center.

Incht said they were brought to the conference after a student gave a speech about the all-potato diet the Washington State Potato Commission's Chris Voigt completed. 

"It's great PR for agriculture in the Pacific Northwest," Incht said. 

Students are working on speeches now in their Ag Issues class.

After the conference, they prepare impromptu speeches explaining what they learned, she said.

They all agreed the event was worth the 2.5 hour drive from their school, located 20 miles northeast of LaGrande, Ore.

Tygh Tennis, 15, said his favorite part of the event was Voigt's presentation.

"I actually learned a lot from that," Tennis said.

Cameron McCowan, 16, said he liked hearing the keynote speaker, Bob Treadway.

"He was very good, very clear," McCowan said.

He thought hearing Treadway's speech would help himself in speech class. 

McCowan also liked seeing Voigt.

"I thought it was cool seeing Chris in person," McCowan said. 

Taylor Boquist, 16, said he thought the event "pretty cool" because got to see all the equipment.

His favorite part of the event was the baked potato bar, he said. 

There is no official program for FFA students, but officials would be pleased to welcome other FFA groups from Oregon and Washington within the scope of the conference, said Karen Bonaudi, the Washington State Potato Commission's assistant executive director.

It's because the conference itself is so big and they haven't really looked for ways to expand it, she said. 

"We're always looking for ways to improve it for growers and the industry who are our primary audience," she explained.