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24 Potato Grower | MARCH 2015 As often as not, big trade events, no matter the industry, turn out to be little more than pep rallies reassuring folks that their respective businesses are in the right sector, one that's going to take care of them long into the future. And, as often as not, those sentiments are true. Yet the events often ring hollow, leaving participants wondering what value, outside of important networking opportunities, a particular event held for their respective businesses. Potato Expo 2015, which took place at the Rosen Shingle Creek Resort in Orlando, Fla., Jan. 7-9, was not such an event. While there was plenty of rah-rah to go around, the Expo had the feel of a locker room at halftime more than that of a pep rally. Deserving parties received their props, and optimism was as prevalent as ever. But the most important dialogues took place as issues were acknowledged, game plans were assessed, and strategies were tweaked. On Wednesday, Jan. 7, United Potato Growers of America got things started with a bang as it hosted the Potato Business Summit. In the potato industry's locker room, United is that assistant coach who can anticipate exactly what halftime adjustments his opponent will make and counter with some funky matchup zone defense that, if the players execute it well, will be the key to victory. So it was at the Summit: Specialists from several different parts of the industry—finance, exports markets, retail and process, to name a few—presented the cold, hard facts about where the industry stands in different parts of the marketplace, then provided guidance as to how to navigate the rocks and roadblocks of the near future. "Growers cannot grow in a vacuum," United CEO Jerry Wright said in concluding the Summit. "You can't just assume anything. Just because you did it last year, doesn't mean you should this year." The Expo trade show floor was, as always a place for companies and associations to showcase some of the newest and most exciting innovations in the potato industry. From optical sorters to new irrigation techniques, just about anything one can imagine was there to be seen. A representative from the Republic of Fiji's Trade Commission was even present, offering American growers the In-Game Adjustments Potato Expo 2015 Recap STORY AND PHOTOS BY TYRELL MARCHANT