Potato conference kicks off today
Speakers present during last year's Washington-Oregon Potato Conference in Kennewick. The 2013 conference kicks off Monday.
KENNEWICK - The 2013 Washington-Oregon Potato Conference is officially underway today at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick.
The Three Rivers Convention Center is located at 7016 W. Grandridge Blvd.
Hundreds of potato industry members will learn about the possibilities and challenges that face the industry in the upcoming year during the three-day conference.
The conference also features a trade show.
About 1,700 attendees are expected over the course of the conference, according to the Washington State Potato Commission.
The first day of the conference kicks off with the Spanish language program. Speaker Jorge Lobos will offer two sessions covering aspects of fumigant application, including the new Environmental Protection Agency regulations.
The first session is from 8 a.m. to noon, and the second session is from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The conference's trade show begins today at noon. Some of this year's exhibitors include Northwest Farm Credit, Teton Seed Marketing and Skone Irrigation.
Booths will be open until 5 p.m. today.
The cultivar performance workshop will be held from 1:30 to 5 p.m. today. Attendees will get the chance to view clones and cultivars and hear from speakers from Washington State University, the United State Department of Agriculture and the University of Idaho.
Tuesday concludes with a trade show reception and Potato auction.
The conference's general session workshops begin Wednesday morning at 8. Updates from both the Oregon Potato Commission and the WSPC are scheduled to begin at 10:20 a.m.
Damian Mason, the event's keynote speaker, addresses attendees at 11 a.m.
The trade show will be open to attendees from 8 a.m. to noon on Wednesday.
The 2013 Ladies Program is scheduled from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Participants will meet at the convention center.
There will be a leadership recognition banquet at the Red Lion Columbia Center from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday.
The conference concludes on Thursday with more workshop sessions from 8 a.m. to noon. Trade show exhibitors will have their booths open from 8 a.m. to noon as well.