The nation's top spud state will play host to its 42nd annual potato conference this month under the theme, "Putting Sustainability into Practice."
The Idaho Potato Conference is scheduled for Jan. 20-21 at Idaho State University in Pocatello. The annual event, which usually draws about 800 to 1,000 people, will be held in conjunction with the Eastern Idaho Ag Expo, which begins Jan. 19 at Holt Arena on the ISU campus.
Growers can check out the latest in farming equipment and attend a wide range of workshops and seminars.
Conference presenters will discuss how to put sustainability into everyday practice by using fertilizers, pesticides, water, fuel and other inputs more effectively.
While agricultural sustainability standards aren't all that clearly defined yet, the issue "isn't going away,"said Bill Bohl, a University of Idaho Extension potato specialist and coordinator of this year's conference.
"Farmers need to be aware of it,"he said.
Much of the emphasis so far has been about growers and processors providing more documentation and transparency in the food supply chain, Bohl said.
Producers who hope to stay in the business will have to adapt, he said.
Some restaurant chains such as McDonald's, a major purchaser of french fries, a href="/node/4217 " target="_blank" rel="noopener">have already pledged to reduce pesticide usage in their raw product.
