2026 Speakers
Andrew Coyne - Keynote
How Politics Impacts and Shapes The Industry - new trade and politicalclimate and impact on the economies of Canada and the Globe
Andrew Coyne is a columnist for The Globe and Mail. Previously Comment Editor of The National Post and National Editor of Maclean’s, he has also written for a number of other publications in Canada and abroad, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, National Review, and The Walrus. He is the author of The Crisis of Canadian Democracy, published by Sutherland House Books.
Dr. Peter ZanderZaag
Innovative potato developments in China, Yemen, Kenya and South Africa
Peter VanderZaag (PhD) is President of the World Potato Congress Inc. He first served the WPC in various capacities since 2014 and as President since January 2023.
Peter was an integral part of developing the programs for the last 4 WPCongresses held in China, Peru, Ireland and Australia.
Peter is a potato scientist who has worked for the International Potato Centre(CIP) in several African countries and in later years, in SE Asia and China. Later, he served on the Board of Trustees of CIP from 2007-2014 including 4 years as chair.
He also served as adjunct professor at several universities in Asia and has
guided over 30 graduate students towards their advance degrees.
Peter and his family established Sunrise Potato, a large potato farm which
focuses on sustainable farming practices.
In 2014 he initiated the Sunrise Potato Systems Institute to assist remote
mountain potato farmers in Asia.
Peter is passionate about addressing global food security through potato
production and research.
Dr. Tracy Shinners-Carnelley
Fungicide Management Strategies for the Leaf Lesion Complex
Tracy Shinners-Carnelley is Vice President, Research, Quality & Sustainability at Peak of the Market Ltd. She leads the research program at Peak which is focused on variety evaluation, improved pest management, and optimization of agronomic practices for fresh market potatoes. She has a passion for working closely with growers and the
industry on challenging crop protection and production issues, both provincially and nationally. Tracy is the current Chairperson of the Potato Sustainability Alliance, and Vice Chairperson of the Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada’s Crop Protection Advisory Group.
Tracy obtained a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture (Pest Management) from Dalhousie University and a PhD from the University of Alberta (Plant Science). In 2020 she was appointed as an Adjunct Professor (Faculty of Graduate Studies) Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University.
Linda Schott
Introduction and Research Chair Objectives
Dr. Linda Schott is the inaugural UM Research Chair in Potato Sustainability, at the University of Manitoba. A transformative initiative aimed at educating students and advancing innovation and sustainability in Manitoba’s thriving potato industry.
Dr. Schott joined the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences as Associate Professor in the Department of Plant Science on July 1, 2025, bringing a wealth of expertise in agronomy, soil health, water management, and storage. Dr. Schott earned her PhD in Biological Engineering from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln and most recently served as Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in Nutrient and Waste Management at the University of Idaho.
Dr. Schott's research focuses on addressing key challenges in potato production, including agronomy, water management, soil health, pest and disease management, and post-harvest storage. The overall goal
of her work is to improve the sustainability of potato production by developing best management practices through applied research, extension and outreach activities, and the training of the next generation of industry professionals. Her program includes both small plot and on-farm research trials.
Mike Nemeth
Learnings from tracking on-farm management practices for sustainability outcomes
Mike is a Sr. Manager, Agricultural and Environmental Sustainability at Nutrien. He leads Nutrien’s global water stewardship and biodiversity efforts as priority sustainability topics and how they relate to sustainable
agriculture. He also supports Nutrien’s climate strategy and looks for opportunities around system solutions between the nature-climate nexus with agri-food value chain partners. Mike received his Bachelor of Science with Distinction in Environmental Science and his Master of Science with a concentration in Hydrology from the University of Lethbridge. He is registered as a Professional Agrologist (P.Ag.) in the practice areas of Environmental Impact Assessment and Mitigation Planning and Water Resources Planning and Management and currently serves as the Chair of the Water Committee for the Potato Sustainability Alliance in North America.
Andy Robinson, PhD
Yield Greed vs. Pathogen Payback: A Grower’s Dilemma
Andy Robinson is a Professor and the Potato Extension Agronomist at North Dakota State University and the University of Minnesota. Robinson, an Idaho native, grew up farming in Parma, ID with his family. He received a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and his master and doctorate degrees from Purdue University.
Robinson’s research and Extension goals are to develop science-based solutions to address real-world problems in potato production, enabling producers to increase economic and environmental sustainability through improved crop management. His current research is focused on the agronomics of potato production, cultural management of potato, herbicide use and misuse in potatoes, and variety
development.
His passion is potatoes. Robinson contributes regularly to the Valley Potato Grower writing “Andy’s Advice”. His work has taken him around the globe speaking, conducting research, and providing education on potatoes. This work has been acknowledged by being awarded the Spudman Emerging Leader Award, the Myron and Muriel Johnsrud Excellence in Extension Award, Communicator of the
Year award from NDSU Extension. He enjoys fly fishing, running, woodworking and spending time in nature with his wife, Michelle and five children.
Carrie Wohleb
Navigating the Smokey Haze: Impact of Wildfire Smoke on Potatoes
Carrie H. Wohleb is a Professor and Potato Extension Specialist at Washington State University. Her Extension and research programs focus on improving the profitability, productivity, and sustainability of irrigated potato production in Washington’s Columbia Basin. Her work emphasizes field diagnostics, pest monitoring and integrated pest management, and the development of decision support tools and educational resources for growers. She publishes the WSU Potato Alerts newsletter during the growing season and contributes a quarterly “Potato Pointers” column to American Vegetable Grower magazine. Carrie holds a B.S. in Botany from the University of Washington and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Horticulture from Washington State University, where she
studied potato physiology and agronomy. Before joining WSU in 2008, she worked for eight years as a potato farm agronomist.
Carl Rosen
Potassium management effects on potato yield, tuber quality, and chloride cycling
Carl Rosen is a Professor and Extension Soil Scientist in the Department of Soil, Water, & Climate at the University of Minnesota. He received his MS degree in horticulture from Penn State University and a Ph.D. degree in Soil Science from UC Davis. His research and extension programs in Minnesota have focused on optimizing nutrient management for a variety of crops with particular emphasis on irrigated cropping systems. Efforts in recent years have also focused on water quality issues related to fertilizer use and use of municipal and industrial by-products
as amendments for agricultural soils. He has authored or coauthored numerous publications and extension bulletins about nutrient management, soil fertility, soil health, plant nutrition, and beneficial use of by-products for crop production.
Tyler MacKenzie
PVY Findings and Management
Dr. Tyler MacKenzie is the Research & Development Coordinator at the Agricultural Certification Services Lab of Potatoes New Brunswick. There, he has conducted research trials and collaborated with
industry partners, government agencies and local growers on potato crop protection since 2012. Specializing in molecular virology and epidemiology, his work has focused on developing evidence-based management strategies for PVY control, as well as research on PLRV, PMTV and other potato pathogens like Verticillium, Root Lesion Nematode and Dickeya. Dr. MacKenzie grew up in part on a family beef farm in Doaktown, NB, later pursuing degrees at Dalhousie and Mount Allison Universities, ultimately receiving his PhD in Biology from the University of New Brunswick in 2004. He later held a post-doctoral research position at the Institut de Recherche en Biologie Végétale (Université de Montréal). Alongside his research, Dr. MacKenzie has taught university-level courses in introductory biology, cell and molecular biology and environmental science at several institutions in Canada and the USA.
Russell Groves
CPB Management & Aphid Management
