N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 7 POTATO GROWER 9 ally is essential for present-day com- petitiveness. Additionally, a strong focus on export markets allows the potato industry to serve the con- sumers of the future. Between now and 2050, the United Nations pre- dicts that half of the world’s popula- tion growth will be provided by just nine countries; India, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Pakistan, Ethiopia, the United Republic of Tanzania, the U.S., Uganda and Indonesia. In that group, the U.S. is the only one showing a declining birth rate. Conversely, India is growing so rap- idly that within ten years it will replace China as the world’s most populous country. These demographic trends and the specific nature of our industry demand our relentless engagement on trade issues. The long-awaited resolution of the fresh market access issue with Mexico, ensuring that the benefits of NAFTA for potatoes are not lost in a renegotiation, and see- ing potato trade enhancements from the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP) resurrected in bilateral or multilateral successors will positively affect supply and demand across our industry. We believe our focus on trade issues of all varieties can deliver positive results to both export-dependent potato producers and their domes- tic-focused colleagues alike and is time well-spent on your behalf. SIMPLE. SMART. STRONG. 3001 N Washington St Grand Forks, ND 58203 (701) 772-5591 www.tristeelmfg.com [email protected] Tri-Steel Manufacturing 1305 S 12th W Suite B Rexburg, ID 83440 1-800-346-3623 [email protected] Logan Farm Equipment TRAC-PRO SCOOPER LOAD-PRO TRUCK BED TRAC-PRO TELESCOPIC CONVEYOR In the most recent marketing year, exports of all varieties amounted to over 1.7 billion pounds of potatoes.