b'Turning Back The ClockA Look Back 25 Years Ago at Excerpts fromThe June 1994 Issue ofThe ValleyPotato Grower MagazineRed River Valley Potato Growers alsfromNDSU,eachofwhom asked to make a commitment of 50Working Toward already have full time positions at cents per planted acre for the nextImproved Varieties the university, with Dr. Gary Secor two years to fund the NDSU Potatoas coordinator. Plant Breeding program. The dona-Red River Valley Potato Growers are tions are strictly voluntary by eachin the process of raising funds for a RRVPGAboardmemberswerenot potatogrower.RRVPGA Presidentpotatoplantbreederpositionat contentwiththesituation.Red LloydSchmidtsaidifallgrowersNorthDakotaStateUniversity River Valleygrowers have indicated participate, this would create about(NDSU), Fargo, North Dakota. This inrecentyearstheirmostserious a maximum of $100,000 per year.positionwasleftvacantwhenDr. need is new and good varieties. TheRobertJohansenretiredin Associationmadethisanumber NDSU officialsindicatetheywillDecemberof1992andbecame one goal in their research efforts. continue efforts to regain the neces-Professor Emeritus.sary funds for a permanent full timeposition,butitwouldbeatleastTheNDSU potatoplantbreeding onemoreyearbeforefundscouldprogram is one of the most success- bereinstated.Schmidtsaidfulandrespectedpotatobreeding Associationrepresentativeswillprogramsinthecountry.Ithas continue to work with NDSU offi-released15potatovarietiesinthe cialstosecuretheneededfundslast40years,manyofwhichare from the Legislature as soon as pos-still in production. sible. The very earliest governmentfundscouldbecomeavailableisNDSU technician Bryce Farnsworth sometime in 1995, but NDSU offi-and others in the horticulture and cialsbelieveitmaybetwoyearspathologydepartmentshavecar- before the funds become available.riedonthepotatoplantbreedingeffort since Johansens retirement. It is assumed if the RRVPGA is abletosecureenoughfundingfortheOriginally, NDSU officials indicated Followingfurthermeetingswith program, it will play a more activethe position would be filled no later NDSUofficials,theRRVPGA roleintheprogramforthenextthan July 1, 1994. Earlier this year, ExecutiveCommittee,underthe couple of years. Gunnerson said inthey announced to NDSU staff and ChairmanshipofChuckGunner- alettertothemembership,WeRedRiverValleyGrowers son,(Ada,Minnesota),decidedto have placed new guidelines on theAssociation (RRVPGA) officials that attempt to raise funds for the posi- programandhaveamoreactivethe funds are no longer available for tionforatwoyearperiod. role in the operation of the programthe position and would not be filled Committeemembersstrongly in an effort to ensure the maximumat this time. As such, the University believethepositionneedstobe benefittotheindustry.Wewouldformedaninterdepartmental filled as soon as possible to ensure intend to continue this activity andPotato Breeding Research Group to continuity to the program. bemoreactivelyinvolvedinthelead the potato breeding effort. The coordinationandmanagementofgroup is made up of four individu- Red River Valley growers are being the entire program.MAY/JUNE 2019 POTATO GROWER 23'