It's the end of another long day at the Comfort Inn in Kennewick. Started the day at 8 a.m. with the first seminar of the second day and between the seminars and attending the booth.

I've just settled down in my room after attending the Industry Leadership banquet that honored Robert Thornton, Ph.D. Thornton has been an integral part of the development of the potato industry here in Washington state. A long-time researcher and teacher at Washington State University.

I spent the dinner discussing the politics of potatoes with David Fairbourn and David Fraser of the United States Potato Board. We talked about future stories for the magazine about, "Linda," the prototypical consumer of potatoes.

I've included a photo of Warren Seely. A teenage from Clatskanie, Oregon Warren has spent the past three years constructing model farm equipment out of Legos. It's a popular exhibit at Wednesday's potato conference.

The past month I've traveled to Orlando for the National Potato Expo, attended the Idaho Potato Conference in my backyard of Pocatello and now I'm winding up this month of conferences in Kennewick. One thing I've appreciated during the past month is the friendly welcomes I've received throughout the community of growers, researchers and industry specialists.

I have enjoyed meeting and talking with everyone I've met during the past month. I've learned a lot about the industry and more about the people. I'm looking forward to the next issue and all the coming issues. Now I have to get busy meeting my deadines for the next Spudman.- William Schaefer, Spudman Editor

Labels: Industry Leadership Banquet, Ph.D, Robert Thornton, Washington State Potato Foundation, Washington-Oregon Potato Conference