b"thatvisitandbriefedthedelegationonMinnesota'sinspection and certification requirements.OnTuesdaythedelegationvisitedNorthDakotaStateUniversity and the North Dakota State Seed Department(NDSSD), with the goal of learning about seed productionand ensuring that US seed production would meet theirstandards in Cuba.The delegation was welcomed by Dr.GregLardy,AssociateVicePresidentforAgriculturalAffairs,andbyDr.RichardHorsley,HeadoftheDepartment of Plant Sciences.Ken Bertsch, North DakotaStateSeedCommissioner,andKentSather,DirectorofNDSSD Potato Program, hosted the delegation and a tourof the NDSSD greenhouse and laboratory testing facilities. EveryoneenjoysanicesummerdayatCarlHoversonsonAdditionally, Chelsea Penuel, North Dakota Department Union Lake in Minnesota.of Agriculture, provided information regarding phytosan-itary documentation and requirements for exporting seedfrom North Dakota.Jesse Ostrander provided an updateofthePlantDiagnosticLaboratorysSeedTestingProgram, and Dr. Gary Secor and Viviana Rivera provideda tour of their lab facility where testing for Dickeya andFusarium species occurs.Following a luncheon at thebeautifulNDSUAlumniCenter,thegrouptouredtheAgriculturalExperimentStationGreenhouseComplexwith Dr. Susie Thompson, where the NDSU potato breed-ing program produces seedling and mini tubers.Finally,the group headed to the NDSU potato breeding programcertified seed field south of Baker, Minnesota, where Susieexplained details of the single hill-nursery, maintenanceand increase lot production, and the delegation was ablesee a demonstration of certification inspections by Kent Carl shows a potato variety that can be fried up and servedSather and Willem Schrage. quickly.The Cubans were extremely interested in doing a collab-orativeresearchprojectbetweenNDSUandINCA(Instituto Nacional De Ciencias Agricolas) University inCuba.If all goes as plan, NDSU will have a trial with 24potatocultivarsandselectionsplantedatINCAbyDecember 1st, 2019, says Carl Hoverson.The Cubandelegation was truly interested in all of the collaborationthey could achieve with American farmers and universi-ties, as they are also very interested in dry beans and soy-beans amongst many other agricultural systems.Theywere very impressed by the professionalism, dedication,andhighstandardsofallinvolvedatNDSUandtheNDSSD.It is the beginning of a lot of possibilities forboth the Cuban and American farmers. Kent Sather, Director of NDSSD Potato program, gives a tour ofthe greenhouse and laboratory testing facilities at NDSU.SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2019 POTATO GROWER 11"