Montcalm Potato Field Day 2026
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The Montcalm Field Day is a significant even for potato producers and agribusinesses in Michigan. It is held annually at the Montcalm Research Center, 4629 W. McBride Road, Lakeview MI 48850. There are CEU and RUP credits available.
When: 8 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 6
Registration: Free, but RVSP is required. Go Here.
AGENDA
- 8:00 - 8:45: Check-in with coffee and light refreshments (registration is required prior to attending event)
- 8:45 - 9:00: Welcome & Introduction by MSUE Field Crops Educator, Steve Whittington
- 9:00 - 9:45: Breakout Session 1 — Irrigation Management & Improving Efficiencies: Breakout session discussing irrigation
pivot improvements and the benefits to irrigation scheduling and timing to optimize operations and crop yields. This
session will also feature a Mobile Irrigation Lab Demonstration. - 10:00 - 10:45: Breakout Session 2 — Pre-Harvest Considerations & Post-Harvest Handling: a discussion of Pre-Harvest
Considerations including crop age, thermal age, chemical maturity, sucrose & glucose levels, specific gravity, field pathogen
load, genetic components, vine kill timing and more. Harvest considerations will be discussed such as mechanical process,
tuber physical condition, conditions at harvest, impact bruising, physiology of bruising, ventilation strategy, refrigeration
effect and more. This session includes an impact recording device (IRD) measurement demonstration and post-harvest
demonstrations. - 11:00 - 12:00: Dig & Drinks Educational Mixer: Showcasing of Potato Agronomy in an open format setting to allow participants to dig potatoes from a test plot, discuss and engage with researchers about various topics like IPM, potato
breeding, and participate in fellowship with potato industry growers and researchers. - 12:00 - 1:00: Lunch and closing remarks
- 1:30 - 3:30: Michigan Potato Industry Commission Research Committee Meeting at Douglass Twp Hall