February 2024 - 25

Tim Waters
Professor and regional specialist, Washington State University
As a professor and regional specialist at
Washington State University, Tim Waters
is no stranger to the potato industry. In
his role, he gets " to use science to try to
solve real world problems. "
At WSU, Waters is proudest of
his work with insect integrated pest
management in potatoes.
" We have been able to work with the
potato industry to learn how to manage
insect pests with reduced risk insecticides
and significantly reduce the number
of insecticide applications required to
produce a quality potato crop, " he said.
Mentors including the late Dallas
Batchelor and Doug Walsh have helped
steer Waters' career.
Batchelor frequently checked in on
Waters early in his career, providing
pertinent feedback " without a filter, "
Waters said.
Walsh, who understood the value
of public speaking, advised Waters to
never turn down an invitation to make a
presentation.
Waters' favorite potato variety is
Clearwater Russet because its long growing
season in the Columbia Basin provides
ample opportunity to conduct research
projects, " since we cannot predict how early
or late some of the insect pests we work with
will arrive, " he said. " It also produces very
consistently shaped potatoes even under
environmentally stressful conditions that we
sometimes purposely cause in our test plots.
" Even researchers want to have nice
looking potatoes at the end of the season. "
Emerging Leader
Bryan Bender
The Emerging Leader award recognizes
an up-and-coming industry professional
poised to reach new career heights.
Bryan Bender, 38, is a fourthgeneration
grower at Bender Potatoes,
which grows 140 acres of round white
potatoes in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania
on 500 acres of farmland.
Bender Potatoes grow 70 acres of
Atlantic and Snowden for out of the
field chipping and 70 acres of Norwis,
Reba and Waneta for table stock, while
30 acres of Waneta are put into storage
to be packed and sold on demand. Bryan
oversees sales, shipping and procuring
for repacking to provide local customers
with year-round supply.
Bender Potatoes sells to a few local
grocery stores and restaurants, but most
of the table stock goes to food service
distributors. Bender is involved in the
entire operation of the small family farm,
but his focus is growing, buying and
selling potatoes.
Bender went to Coastal Carolina
University hoping to play basketball
and to major in math. After becoming
a Christian through a campus ministry
called Campus Outreach, he went to
work for the organization in 2007.
In 2012, he moved back to the family
farm. He serves on the boards of the
Pennsylvania Co-operative of Potato
Growers and the Pennsylvania State
Potato research.
IN-LINE SCALE
f STORING f TRACKING f SHIPPING f TREATING
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
519-669-4698
GREENTRONICS.COM info@greentronics.com
Spudman.com 25
http://www.GREENTRONICS.COM http://www.Spudman.com
February 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2024
