For decades, MSU scientists have worked alongside potato growers to address their most pressing challenges. Potato breeding, disease, insect and weed control, and input recommendations have been vital to the industry.

EAST LANSING, Mich. — When Dr. Kelly Turner considers what Michigan State University research means to the state's potato growers and consumers, the message is simple.

"MSU research is not a luxury. It's a necessity," said Turner, executive director of the Michigan Potato Industry Commission (MPIC). "Continued public investment in research ensures that Michigan agriculture can solve the problems of tomorrow, today."

Like those of other crops, Michigan potato growers face a number of threats, from diseases and insects to competition from other states. Turner's role with MPIC is to position the industry to thrive now and into the future through fostering grower collaboration, building research partnerships and promoting the industry's efforts publicly to ensure economic prosperity.
For decades, MSU scientists have worked alongside potato growers to address their most pressing challenges. Potato breeding, disease, insect and weed control, and input recommendations have been vital to the industry.

With backing from the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, MSU AgBioResearch and MSU Extension administer programs such as Project GREEEN, which is geared toward solving immediate problems, and the Agricultural Resiliency Program, an effort focused on long-term issues related to water and extreme weather.

These programs, in addition to other industry, state and federal funding, are an important asset for growers as they seek to keep their operations profitable.

"Without this support, growers would face more risk, have fewer tools and see a reduced ability to compete in the market — not just at the state level, but we're talking at a global level," Turner said. "It would stifle innovation, threaten economic stability of rural communities, and likely undermine our ability to adapt to climate, market and regulatory pressures. Continued funding is a commitment to the future of Michigan agriculture and to the families, businesses and communities that it sustains."

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Michigan State University AgBioResearch scientists discover dynamic solutions for food systems and the environment. More than 300 MSU faculty conduct leading-edge research on a variety of topics, from health and agriculture to natural resources. Originally formed in 1888 as the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, MSU AgBioResearch oversees numerous on-campus research facilities, as well as 15 outlying centers throughout Michigan. To learn more, visit agbioresearch.msu.edu.