1. 1.

    The PAA Annual Business Meeting was called to order by the president, Kent McCue at 4:00PM ET on Wednesday, July 22, 2020 during the 104th Annual Meeting held virtually.

  2. 2.

    Remembrance of deceased members and friends.

    • Creighton Miller

    • Richard Wellington Chase

    • Joseph J. Pavek

    • Warren Henninger

  3. 3.

    President McCue called for additions to the agenda.

  4. 4.

    The minutes and reports of the 2019 PAA Annual Business Meeting were reviewed.

MOTION by Dennis Halterman, was seconded by Andy Robinson and unanimously passed to approve the minutes of the 2019 Annual Business Meeting.

  1. 5.

    Officer and Staff reports

  1. a.

    President – Kent McCue provided a written report (see Appendix 1). Kent highlighted outreach activities of PAA through its involvement in Potato Expo and Spudman articles. Kent also acknowledged the effort of board members and AMR in the planning and execution of a successful virtual PAA annual meeting.

  2. b.

    Treasurer - Larry Hiller reviewed the PAA’s finances. Information is attached in Appendix 2 and is also included in the “PAA Members Only” section of the PAA website at http://potatoassociation.org

Highlighting the written report, Larry included a few observation on the virtual annual meeting and growth of the association. Some accounting highpoints of the year included transferring association accounting books to AMR control, and converting the credit card processing to Affinipay. Larry also highlighted that the implementation of the $800 publication flat fee in August 2018 has been very successful. A few areas of emphasis for the coming year include: 1) endowment funds, payout, and uses, 2) maintaining membership and quality journal publication, and 3) developing future annual meeting planning guidelines for LAC operation in combination with AMR.

  1. iii.

    Secretary – Darrin Haagenson provided a written report (see Appendix 3).

  2. iv.

    Administrator – Angela Richardson provided a full written report to the “PAA Members Only” section of the PAA website at http://potatoassociation.org (see Appendix 4).

Angela highlighted AMRs continued operations role in PAA membership, finance, and communications, and the expanded involvement of the AMR Event Management Team in PAA annual meeting planning. Angela noted that the AMR office location is moving the end of July 2020 from Ann Arbor to Okemos, MI. Lastly, Angela completed training and an examination to become a certified association executive; this knowledge will be used to strengthen PAA in an ever changing landscape

  1. 6.

    Standing Committee Reports

  1. a.

    Editorial Board – Samuel Essah provide a written report (see Appendix 5). Samuel reported that manuscript turn-around time is increasing, which can be attributed to difficulty in finding qualified reviewers for Senior Editors. Samuel is encouraging membership to assist Senior Editors in the review process. Average time for first decision is 76 days and final decision is 168 days. Samuel suggested a goal for a manuscript decision turnaround time would be a maximum 90-100 days from receipt to acceptance. Samuel reported the Journal Impact factor has decreased slightly in 2019 (0.858) from the five-year average (1.085), which may be attributed to the increased turnaround times.

  2. b.

    Finance – Larry Hiller provided written report (see appendix 2).

  3. c.

    Leadership Identification and Development – Rich acknowledged two outgoing directors that completed their 3-year terms: Roy Navarre and Helen Tai. Elections for two new directors and a vice president appointment were coordinated with assistance of AMR.

  4. d.

    Awards and Recognition Committee

    1. i.

      Honorary Life Members - Rich reported the four inductees for Honorary Life Member Recognition include: Shelley Jansky, John Keeling, Jeff Stark, and Richard Veilleux. A formal ‘virtual’ recognition will occur at 5pm ET, July 22, 2020 at the conclusion of the virtual annual business meeting.

    2. ii.

      Frank L. Haynes Graduate Student Research Award – Paul Bethke reported that 10 students presented their live presentations at the beginning of the virtual annual meeting on July 20, 2020. Winners will be formally announced at the conclusion of the virtual annual business meeting.

  5. e.

    Association and Industry Outreach

    1. i.

      Promotion and Communication – Andy Robinson reported on the different social media channels being used to promote potato research and extension activities, and there are currently 265 Facebook, 629 Twitter, and 181 Instagram followers.

    2. ii.

      Global Outreach In Peter VanderZaag’s absence, Angela Richardson reported the international speaker, Marc Ghislain, scheduled for 2020 has been moved to 2021 and Peter will be coordinating in PEI 2021.

  6. f.

    Membership – Mark Pavek reported that the 2019-20, membership included 305 individual, 25 sustaining, 39 student, 66 Honorary Life Members, and 14 Emeritus; totaling 449 members across 23 countries. This is a membership loss of approximately 20 members from 2018-19. The topic of annual meeting format (virtual) and relationship to membership decline was discussed, and Erin M. suggested surveying membership not participating in the virtual meeting.

  7. g.

    Standing Rules Document – Mark Pavek reported that work is ongoing to update the document and Mark requested input from AMR and sought additional volunteers for assistance in reviewing.

  8. h.

    Site Selection – Susie Thompson provided a written report (see appendix 6). The 2022 meeting plans in Montana are ongoing. The PEI LAC is working closely with the host Delta hotel and convention center located in Charlottetown on 2021 annual meeting preparations. Should the pandemic delay an in-person 2021 meeting in PEI, the LAC and AMR have had successful discussions on future meetings in PEI. Susie reported that Oregon has presented plans for hosting a future PAA annual meeting, citing Portland or Bend as possible locations. A formal notice was forwarded to the Executive Board of Directors identifying Oregon as a tentative 2023 meeting location.

  1. 7.

    Section Reports

  1. a.

    Breeding & Genetics – Laura Shannon provided a written report (see appendix 7).

  2. b.

    Extension, Production & Management – Yi Wang provided a written report (see appendix 8)

  3. c.

    Plant Protection – section meeting was postponed until in-person annual meeting returns in 2021.

  4. d.

    Physiology - Amber Gotch reported the postponement of the physiology section meeting until 2021 with officer positions remaining the same until the 2021 in-person meeting in PEI.

  5. e.

    Utilization & Marketing – Tina Brandt reported that section officer positions will remain the same until 2021, with one exception: Darrin Haagenson was elected as new section secretary. The section hosted a brief virtual round table discussion on the impact of COVID on utilization and marketing of potato. (see appendix 9)

  6. f.

    Certification – Gordon Henry provided a written report (see appendix 10).

  1. 8.

    Board of Directors Actions: 2019-2020

The dates following the approved motions below represent the BoD meeting where the action was approved with additional details provided in the minutes of those BoD meetings.

October 2019 – June 2020 – Kent McCue – Motions Passed

MOTION by Larry Hiller, was seconded by Jeff Miller, and was unanimously passed that the BoD approve two new savings accounts with the PNC bank in Ann Arbor in the name of 1) LAC Idaho and 2)Certification Section. These two saving accounts would fall under the PAA umbrella and will be assets of the PAA corporation, but will be separate savings accounts and will not fall under PAA annual budgeting. (10-15-19)

MOTION by Larry Hiller, was seconded by Jeff Miller, and was unanimously passed that the BoD approve a one year APEX Abstract software renewal for the 2020 annual meeting calendar year at a cost of $1,800. (10-15-19)

MOTION by Larry Hiller, was seconded by Roy Navarre, and was unanimously passed that PAA begin using credit card payment transactions with Affinipay as the approved credit card processor in association with Wild Apricot, beginning with the PAA December 2019 renewal with Wild Apricot. (10-15-19)

MOTION by Larry Hiller, was seconded by Dennis Halterman and unanimously approved to continue financial transactions for administrative and operational procedures of the Potato Association of America into the beginning of 2020 if we do not have a fully executed and accepted revised budget for 2020. (11-19-19)

MOTION by Roy Navarre, was seconded by Larry Hiller and unanimously approved to renew the proposed AMR contract for 2020. (11-19-2019)

MOTION by Roy Navarre for the board to approve International Relations Committee speaker selection: Marc Ghislain, was seconded by Jeff Miller, and was unanimously passed (2-25-20)

MOTION by Jeff Miller to amend the 2020 budget line item 62500 symposium speaker budget allotment from $4,000 to $6,000, was seconded by Dennis Halterman, and was unanimously approved (3-17-20).

MOTION by Larry Hiller, was seconded by Dennis Halterman, and was unanimously approved to accept the proposed 2020 PAA annual budget as presented online (3-17-20).

MOTION by Larry Hiller, was seconded by Helen Tai, and was unanimously approved to use Swoogo for 2020 Annual Meeting registration processing (3-17-20).

MOTION by Larry Hiller, was seconded by Rich Novy, and was unanimously approved to provide build your own a la carte registration options for HLM and accompanying persons for the 2020 Annual Meeting (3-17-20).

MOTION by Roy Navarre, seconded by Rich Novy: To cancel the in-person annual meeting of the PAA for 2020 in light of the Covid pandemic situation. Unanimously Passed Via Email Vote. (5-4-20).

MOTION by Roy Navarre, seconded by Rich Novy: To accept the proposal of holding the 2022 meeting of the PAA in Missoula MT. Unanimously Passed Via Email Vote. (5-4-20).

MOTION by Larry Hiller, seconded by Addie Waxman: to accept the 4 director and 2 vice president nominees, and the motion was unanimously passed (5-19-20).

MOTION by Larry Hiller and seconded by Dennis Halterman: to delay the 2020 PAA symposium until 2021 and the 2021 PAA symposium until 2022, and that this information be conveyed as soon as possible to the organizers for benefit of their speakers and planning. Unanimously passed by email vote (5-21-20).

MOTION by Helen Tai, seconded by Larry Hiller: to list the PAA virtual annual meeting registration cost at $50 per registrant, and the motion was unanimously passed. (6-1-20).

MOTION by Larry Hiller and seconded by Jeff Miller that PAA go with the AMR Zoom account, and additionally provide up to $1,000 in the 2020 PAA budget for additional Zoom and related video conference programming technology features implemented by PAA, the motion was unanimously approved (6-16-20).

MOTION by Larry Hiller and seconded by Dennis Halterman that the 2020 PAA virtual annual meeting will occur within a block of time beginning Monday, July 20 and ending Thursday, July 23, 2020; motion unanimously passed (6-16-20).

  1. 9.

    New Business

  1. a.

    Outstanding Section Paper of the Year – Samuel Essah. Each outstanding Section paper of the year was announced.

Pathology:

corresponding author: Jonathan L Whitworth

‘Symptom Expression of Mainstream and Specialty Potato Cultivars to Bacterial Ring Rot (Clavibacter sepedonicus) and Evaluation of in-Field Detection’.

Jonathan L. Whitworth, Rachel A. Selstedt, Alan A. G. Westra, Phil Nolte, Kasia Duellman, S. K. R. Yellareddygari, & Neil C. Gudmestad_

Breeding and Genetics:

corresponding author: Walter S. De Jong

‘QTL for Resistance to Globodera rostochiensis Pathotype Ro2 and G. pallida Pathotype Pa2/3 in Autotetraploid Potato’ . Jaebum Park, Christine A. Hackett, Louise-Marie Dandurand, Xiaohong Wang, & Walter S. De Jong

Entomology:

corresponding author: W. Rodney Cooper

The Weed Link in Zebra Chip Epidemiology: Suitability of Non-crop Solanaceae and Convolvulaceae to Potato Psyllid and “Candidatus Liberibacter Solanacearum”

W. Rodney Cooper, David R. Horton, Eugene Miliczky, Carrie H. Wohleb & Timothy D. Waters

Production Management:

corresponding author: Addie Waxman

‘The Effect of Harvest Timing on French Fry Textural Quality of Three Processing Potato Varieties: Russet Burbank, Alpine Russet, and Clearwater Russet’ Addie Waxman, Jeffrey Stark, Michael K. Thornton, Nora Olsen, Joseph Guenthner & Richard G. Novy

Physiology:

corresponding author: Stef de Haan

‘The Nutritional Contribution of Potato Varietal Diversity in Andean Food Systems: a Case Study’ Stef de Haan, Gabriela Burgos, Reyna Liria, Flor Rodriguez, Hilary M. Creed-Kanashiro, & Merideth Bonierbale.

Economics: no outstanding paper was awarded in 2019

  1. b.

    Announcement of Graduate Student Competition Winners- Paul Bethke

1st Place: Ms. Rabecka Hendricks, University of Idaho, ‘Susceptibility of Harvested and Stored Potatoes to Bruise; Extension, Production, and Management’

2nd Place: Ms. Fatemeh Ekbataniamiri, University of Maine, ‘Investigating Surface Water in Association with Potato Blackleg and Soft Rot’

3rd Place: Ms. Thilani Jayakody, Michigan State University, ‘Genome Sequence of DM1S1 as a Resource for Gene Editing in Diploid Potato and Detection of Genome-wide Off-target Effects’

  1. iii.

    Recognition of Service to PAA: Outgoing Directors

    • Roy Navarre

    • Helen Tai

  1. 10.

    Announcement of newly-elected Vice-President and Directors

    • Vice President – Helen Tai

    • Director - Brian Charlton

    • Director - Sastry Jayanty

  2. 11.

    Recognition of 2020 Honorary Life Members

    • Shelley Jansky (nominated by Paul Bethke)

    • John Keeling (nominated by Bret Nedrow)

    • Jeff Stark (nominated by Addie Waxman)

    • Richard Veilleux (nominated by David Douches)

  3. 12.

    “Resolution of Appreciation” - Kent F. McCue

Recognition of Virtual Annual Meeting Hosts

The 104th virtual annual meeting was hosted by Association Management Resources (in particular Erin McLaughlin) and the planning and execution was also supported by the PAA Board of Directors (in particular, Secretary Darrin Haagenson). The Association greatly appreciates the members for their participation in our first virtual annual meeting.

Therefore, let it be resolved that on this 22nd day of July, we of the Potato Association of America extend our heartfelt and most sincere thanks toAssociation Management Resources, the PAA Board of Directors, sponsors, and all who contributed to the success of the virtual annual meeting. Please join me to acknowledge a job well done!

  1. 13.

    Passing of Gavel: The 104th Annual Business Meeting of the PAA concluded with the passing of the gavel from outgoing President Kent McCue to incoming President Mark Pavek.

  1. 14.

    Adjournment

MOTION: moved by Kent McCue, seconded by Rich Novy, and unaminously passed to adjourn the meeting at 5:40PM ET.

Respectfully Submitted,

Darrin Haagenson

PAA Secretary