The Washington–Oregon Potato Conference is held annually at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick and is organised by the Washington State Potato Commission and the Oregon Potato Commission. The event serves as a platform for the potato sector in the Pacific Northwest.
Attendance has exceeded 3,000 participants in recent years, including growers, processors, researchers, agronomists, and suppliers across the value chain. The conference is focused on the potato sector, combining technical sessions, workshops, and a trade exhibition.
The program is designed to link research with field application. Topics include pest management, input efficiency, and climate-related challenges. Sessions address water use and nutrient management in irrigated production systems, which are widely used in the region.
The event also reflects the processing-oriented potato industry in Washington and Oregon, with discussions on quality, storage, and variety development aligned with processing requirements.
Participants include growers, crop advisors, seed producers, and researchers working in breeding, soil science, and plant pathology. Agribusiness companies present technologies and services, including irrigation systems, equipment, and crop protection products. Processors and supply chain participants are also represented.
The technical program includes general sessions and workshops on production and management. The Potato Cultivar Performance Workshop evaluates varieties based on yield, disease resistance, and processing quality. Ag Innovation sessions present technologies such as robotics, drones, and nutrient management tools.
Sessions also cover pest and disease management, including late blight, nematodes, and soil-borne pathogens, along with soil health, irrigation practices, and nutrient use.
The trade exhibition includes more than 260 exhibitors, covering machinery, irrigation, seed systems, crop inputs, and storage solutions. The exhibition includes product demonstrations and networking opportunities.
Key topics include precision agriculture, digital tools, irrigation efficiency, pest management, and climate adaptation. Discussions also address input costs, labour availability, and trade conditions.
Washington and Oregon are major potato-producing states in the United States, with production systems based on irrigation. The conference focuses on these systems and related challenges.
The event supports knowledge exchange, business development, and coordination across the sector. Outcomes include adoption of production practices, variety selection, and technology use, as well as discussions on trade and policy.
The conference also provides a platform for collaboration between growers, researchers, and industry stakeholders, with participation across experience levels.
Source: potatoPRO
