WSU ANNOUNCES ENDOWED CHAIR TO RESEARCH POTATO SOIL HEALTH

on Monday, 30 November 2020. Posted in Blog & News

Washington State University will soon initiate a search for a mid-level career scientist to fill the position of Distinguished Endowed Chair in Soil Health for Potato Cropping Systems at the Pullman, WA campus.  This position is backed by a $3 million-plus fund that was generated by potato growers, potato processors, and registrants.  Interest accrued from the endowment will provide research funds for scientists selected to fill the position in perpetuity. The Chair will direct research on soils in the Columbia Basin to better understand how soil microorganisms and physical properties impact potato quality and yield. The research will improve the efficiency and productivity of potato cropping systems that include rotation crops and cover crops. It is anticipated that the Endowed Chair’s research will contribute to the enhancement of potato yield, quality, sustainability, and profitability long into the future.  More information can be accessed here

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Encouraging school foodservice operators to use more poatoes

Encouraging school foodservice operators to use more poatoes

As America’s Favorite Vegetable, potatoes can help provide students with the nutrients and energy they need to do their best during the school day. That’s why it’s important to remind school foodservice operators that potatoes are not only delicious, but also cost-effective and a nutritious addition to the school menu. In partnership with the School Nutrition Association (SNA), two webinars featured potatoes.  The first webinar, “Maximize Your Menus and Minimize Labor Constraints with Potatoes”, showcased potatoes through on-trend, student-friendly menu innovations and solutions to ease labor strains. The second webinar, “Fun Summer Feeding with Potatoes”, showcased how putting potatoes at the center of the plate can enhance summer feeding programs in fresh and fun ways. Both webinars included a live cooking demonstration with Potatoes USA Culinary Director Chef RJ Harvey, RD and Award-Winning Author Dayle Hayes, MS, RD. The demonstrations were pre-recorded in the Potatoes USA Spud Lab and were a big hit with the participants. Webinars Key Takeaways: Nutritional benefits of potatoes at an affordable price How potatoes can limit food waste Ways potatoes can take over as the center of the plate How serving potatoes to children over the summer can be fun Upon webinar completion, attendees were able to earn continuing education credits. All recipes and resources utilized in the webinar are available on the SNA website for future download. Following are some quotes from the operators who were very engaged in the webinar chat. “My favorite Webinar I’ve seen so far this year. VERY helpful and insightful. Well Done!”  “Love Dayle and RJ as a team. Can they please start a cooking youtube series? ‘Dayle and RJ: Potatoes for All!’” “Great webinar, gained new ideas for using potatoes. Thank you!” SNA is recognized as the authority on school nutrition and utilizes weekly webinars to educate their 50,000+ members. For more information on K-12 School Foodservice marketing activities, email potatoesraisethebar@potatoesusa.com.

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