Porter interviewed by Boston Globe on potato journey
The Boston Globe interviewed Gregory Porter, a professor of plant, soil, and environmental sciences, as well as agronomy at the University of Maine, about his experiences in the potato business and his recent release of a new potato variety. Porter works on Aroostook Research Farm in Presque Isle, Maine, researching and breeding potatoes. He was raised on a potato farm in Washburn, Maine and took over the potato breeding program at UMaine in 2007, which has introduced four new potato varieties since 2014, according to the Globe. And he is a potato “fan” himself. “Oh, I love ’em. I eat ’em all the time. Never get sick of ’em. I like ’em baked, like ’em roasted, like ’em scalloped…” Porter told the Globe. And the most recent variety he developed, the Pinto Gold, named for its yellow flesh and patchy patterned skin, is suitably versatile, though it is best for roasting. The impressive feat began in 2008 when the United States Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service’s potato breeding program sent leftover plant material from a cross-pollination to Maine’s program. Successful creation of a new variety that is unique, resistant to pests and attractive to potential buyers can take years of hard work, and experiments often end in failure, the article states. But Porter had a hunch that the Pinto Gold was special, and now it has emerged publicly and gained national recognition. He does not expect significant financial returns, but the endeavor was a success nonetheless. “We just kept moving forward,” said Porter.