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Seed is one of the most important ingredients to a successful potato production management program. Michigan is a leading national producer of potato seed, with the largest market for its production here in Michigan. Knowing your seed grower, the seed source, the seed class, and the seed program gives you a close reign on this important piece of your operation.

Limited generation production made possible by tissue culture, allows pre-nuclear (or mini tubers) to be produced under aseptic conditions and finished in a green house. This tissue culture system allows control of diseases through testing. It provides a strong and vigorous first generation of seed stock. Another advantage of Northern production is the ability to pre-screen the next year's seed proving the variety and seed lot's reliability. The MSPA conducts winter tests in south Florida on all seed lots to insure quality and disease standards. Results are available in late January.

This association is designated by the state of Michigan as the agency which assures seed potato quality and controls uniformity from one producing member to the next. All to maintain Michigan's potato seed production reputation.

In order to have enough seed produced to supply commercial field production of potatoes, the seed producer must be several steps ahead of the industry to anticipate which seed varieties will be in demand. The association keeps its members abreast of developments in other potato breeding programs across the US and the worldwide. One of the directors is a major cooperator in the US Snack Food Association potato variety trails, held at production plots in different production areas across the country. For more information contact the association's director Jeff Axford at (989) 732-4433.