Morning Ag Clips reports on Porter Honorary Life Membership from Potato Association of America
Morning Ag Clips reported that Gregory Porter, professor of agronomy in the University of Maine School of Food and Agriculture, will receive an Honorary Life Membership from the Potato Association of America at the organization’s annual meeting in July 2022. Porter, who grew up on a potato farm in Aroostook County, has dedicated his 38-year career at UMaine to improving potato production in the eastern United States. He has conducted research on crop and soil management practices for improving the yield and quality of potatoes and other crops. In the past decade, Porter has released five new varieties in partnership with the Maine Potato Board — Easton, Sebec, Caribou Russet, Pinto Gold and Hamlin Russet. The Caribou Russet has proven highly successful, rising to 1,476 certified seed acres in 2021 (No. 2 in Maine, No. 16 in the U.S.), with an estimated cash farm value of approximately $41 million in 2022.