N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 8 12 POTATO GROWER In late 1960s the Federal Extension Service announced a new program policy to establish regional centers of expertise or specialized Extension staff. At this time the Red River Valley Potato Growers Association (now the Northern Plains Potato Growers Association) met with North Dakota State University and the University of Minnesota admin- istrators to create the Extension Potato Specialist position. This year marks 50 years since the hiring of the first Extension potato specialist. Because this is a significant achieve- ment, I would like to talk about this position and those who have pro- vided educational information to help the potato industry be successful today. It was 1968 when Ed Plissy was hired as the Extension pota- to specialist. After a short tenure, Ed took an opportunity to return home to Maine in a simi- lar position. Duane “Sarge” Preston was hired in 1977 after working out of the Kittson County Extension office. Following Sarge’s retirement in 2007, the office for the Extension potato specialist was moved from East Grand Forks, MN to Fargo, ND on the North Dakota State University campus and renamed the Extension Potato Agronomist. Nick David was hired in 2007 and he took a position in 2011 with RD Offutt company. After the position was left vacant, in 2012, I was hired to fill this position. Discussing the position in 1994, Ed Plissey stated, “I came to work at the Red River Valley Potato Growers Association on April 1, 1968. They created the office. It was a very unusual agreement. The Association provided the office, secretarial sup- port, mailing costs, telephone sup- port and travel expenses for the Extension potato specialist. That was a very significant burden to carry and they have carried it well all these years. It has now been over 25 years since that position was cre- ated and…there has been a full gen- eration of farmers served.” “The idea of the position was to have an area agent who could take advantage of specialist expertise at both state universities, help to bring Andy’s Advice: The Extension Potato Specialist: 50 Years of Service to the Potato Industry By Andy Robinson, Extension Potato Agronomist, NDSU/UMN Ed Plissy (left) and Duane ‘Sarge’ Preston share a cup of coffee.