Thanks to 
generous donations totaling more than $1.3 million from 19 partners in the potato industry, the University of Manitoba will soon be home to a Research Chair in Potato Sustainability. The first of its kind, this Chair will lead the charge in advancing the potato industry while firmly establishing UM as a top institution in the field.
The Chair and the work to be done will be an essential ingredient in the future of global food production and in turn addressing global food insecurities. The Chair will address research priorities ranging from economic sustainability and competitiveness to climate resilience, as the partners aim to develop strategies for a healthier, more inclusive and prosperous future for all by creating global food security to feed the world.
The idea to establish the Chair stems from the 2022 Manitoba Potato Science and Technology Strategy, which posed the bold vision statement of establishing Manitoba as the Canadian leader in potato research and innovation. The province is well-positioned to make its way to the top, already serving as a major potato-producing region, a home to prominent French fry producers such as McCain and Simplot, and thriving fresh market and seed potato sectors. The strategy went on to recommend expanding UM’s research and training capacity in areas such as agronomy, soils, potato quality and sustainability.
Source: news.umanitoba.ca