b'Training Tomorrows Leadersby Kam Quarles, NPC Executive Vice President and CEOFor more than seven decades, the grow- er-leaders,BenSklarczyk,ofer-led,grower-supportedNational Johannesburg,MichiganandBlakePotato Council has thrived due to the Matthews,ofBurley,Idaho;bothPILIhard work and participation of leaders graduates.throughouttheU.S.potatosupplychain. To honor and enhance that lega- This years PILI, a nine-day immersioncy in representing the policy interests of exploring multiple facets of the potatothe U.S. potato industry, NPC remains industry,startedinDetroit,Michigan,committed to supporting and nurturing andculminatedinWashington,D.C.,the next generation of those volunteer where the class applied its training toleaders. participateinNPCs2020PotatoD.C.Fly-In.ThatswhereourPotatoIndustryLeadership Institute (PILI) plays a vital During their time in Michigan, PILI par-role.NotonlydoesthePILIprogram ticipantstouredtheSklarczykSeedserve as an introduction to NPCs policy Farm, a hydroponic operation that pro-andregulatoryeffortsinWashington, videsmini-tuberstocommercialseedNPCD.C.,itprovidespotatogrowersand farms.TheyalsovisitedTechmark,aindustryrepresentativestrainingand companyspecializinginstorageandprofessional development they can take productionsystems,andtouredback to their states and business opera- MichiganStateUniversitysresearchMessagetions. farm and lab facility.FromFeb.20-27,thisyearsPILIclass Im new to the potato industry so forconsisted of 22 outstanding professions me it was almost like a boot camp, saidfrom Maine to Oregon (and ten states in participant Susannah Cooper, an agron-between)whocametogethertolearn omymanagerforMcCainFoodsinfromsomeofthebestmindsinthe Easton,Maine.Ivebeenlearningindustry.about the processing component, but Igot to better understand the challengesThediversityofthegroupincluded of seed growers, she said.everyone from a fifth-generation farmerin Washington state to a first-generation The best thing I learned was about seedfarmer in Pennsylvania, and from a CEO potato production and all that goes intoof an Idaho marketing group to a field the research end to produce new vari-technicianfromMichiganState etals,saidMitchellSearle,aprocessUniversity. They were led by two grow- potatogrowerfromBurley,Idaho.I8 POTATO GROWER APRIL 2020'