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84 POTATO GROWER | JANUARY 2020 A GATHERING OF MINDS In September, Montana Seed Potato Certification and Potatoes USA had the honor of hosting a gathering of seed potato certification practitioners from around the world. Visitors had the pleasure of experiencing the best fall weather Sept. 23-25, and before they left Montana, some of them got to see their first-ever snow. The group was made up of delegates from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) Committee on Seed Potato Standards. Delegates attended from Australia, Belgium, Finland, the Netherlands, Russia, South Africa, Sweden and the U.S. Other participants included representatives from Potatoes USA, USDA, Montana Department of Agriculture and the Montana Seed Potato Certification program. The UNECE Seed Potato Standards Committee is tasked with maintaining the UNECE Standard for Seed Potatoes, which sets common terminology and minimum commercial quality requirements for the certification of high-quality seed intended for marketing internationally. It is a unique international frame of reference, covering all aspects related to seed potato certification including varietal identity and purity, genealogy and traceability, diseases and pests, external quality, sizing of tubers, and labeling. In addition, the committee develops informational materials that benefit all potato specialists. These include its "Guide to Seed Potato Diseases, Pests and Defects," "Guide to Seed Potato Field Inspection: Recommended Practices," and "Guide on Seed Potato Lot Inspection" as well as position papers on diseases and disorders of potato, and emerging topics such as true potato seed. These documents can be found at www.unece.org/trade/agr/ standard/potatoes. The program kicked off with a welcome from Montana State University and Nina Zidack presenting on seed potato certification in the U.S. Potatoes USA's Amy Burdett presented an overview of the U.S. Seed Potato Export Program and the activities of Potatoes USA. Potatoes USA's Peter Joyce outlined seed potato variety demonstration trials in developing markets. He spoke of his experience in developing markets for seed potatoes in Myanmar, the Dominican Republic, Morocco and Uruguay. He also spoke candidly about carefully evaluating whether a country has the potential to raise its own seed or is better off importing, as well as the need for variety evaluation in each country and the importance of clean seed potatoes. Saul Mercado, also from Potatoes USA, spoke to the group on the status of seed potato production in Latin America. This included seed potato projects in Guatemala, Nicaragua, Honduras, Panama, the Dominican Republic, Cuba and Uruguay. Mercado emphasized the need for a win- win partnership between collaborating countries. He also commented that the work was both rewarding and beneficial to the local population. Mercado also discussed his work for Potatoes USA translating UNECE publications into Spanish. This is of particular interest to the UNECE committee because of an interest in outreach to the Latin American seed potato industry. Montana Seed Potato Certification Program By Nina Zidack Program Director A tour of Montana's seed potato industry was enjoyable and educational for all parties involved. Montana and Potatoes USA host UNECE Seed Potato Rapporteurs Meeting Harvest tour at Schutter Seed Farm in Manhattan, Mont.