Whether it's information on the hot topics relevant to the potato industry or just networking opportunities at a beautiful mountain resort, the Idaho Grower Shipper Association convention offers something for everyone. The convention will be held Aug. 28-30 in Sun Valley, ID.
"I joined the IGSA in April 2017, so this will be my third convention," said IGSA President and General Counsel Shawn Boyle. "When I first came on board, there was discussion about how to get people to attend the education seminars. After much back-and-forth, we decided that it was not our place to force them to attend, but rather make sure our programming was top-notch. So if people wanted to learn about the important topics in the potato industry, we would provide the best educational programming possible. And if they just wanted a place to come and relax and play golf and connect with their customers, we have everything they need at the beautiful Sun Valley Resort."
As IGSA prepares for its 91st annual convention, Boyle said he found himself looking back at the archives of the association and the rich history attached to it.
"Our first convention was held in 1928, and except for a couple of years during World War II, we have been going strong every year," he said.
He said the IGSA was originally the Idaho Transportation Association and represented the interests of all agriculture in Idaho. Over the years, it evolved to become IGSA, with a focus on the Idaho potato industry.
"We've been holding the meeting in Sun Valley for 70-plus years," he said. "It had been held in a couple of other locations, such as Boise, but we eventually settled here and people absolutely love it."
Boyle said the convention in Sun Valley used to host a competitive baseball game among its members, who donned real game jerseys. The Chairman's Reception featured a grand dance with a live band on the large lawn at the resort, where men donned tuxedos and women wore ballroom gowns.
"We are certainly proud of our history, but we realize we need to stay relevant and not rely on our history," said Boyle.
The educational programming is one of the ways IGSA looks to stay relevant among its membership.
"We also try to stay out in front of the current trends and we're always looking to explore the hot topics that bring the most value to our members," he said. "Here we are 91 years later, and transportation is still the hot topic."
Boyle said the educational lineup starts with a transportation panel featuring the railroads and trucking companies, and that always draws a lot of interest.
"This year we will be discussing the possible construction of an intermodal facility in eastern Idaho, and we'll be bringing in a company that is looking to make a significant investment to make exporting potatoes out of Idaho a little more competitive so we can compete with Washington and Oregon that are closer to the ports," said Boyle.
Other highlights include the Idaho Potato Commission presentation at the Thursday breakfast, where IPC will detail its marketing efforts to help move the state's world famous spuds. There is also a luncheon on Thursday, which will feature Alan Tran, a performance nutritionist, who will speak about his work with Olympic athletes.
On the social side, Boyle said the convention lineup again will feature the popular golf tournament, trapshooting tournament, horseshoe tournament and bowling tournament. But new this year is a side-by-side tour of the Sun Valley backcountry, where participants will ride on UTVs and explore the beauty of the Sun Valley region.
"This new event already sold out and we have a waiting list going," said Boyle.
The mission of the IGSA is to be the leading resource for education, networking and advocacy for our membership, and the group's annual convention really supports that mission well, according to Boyle.
"We have a lot of educational activities and seminars, and in addition to the IPC, and we also have involvement by the National Potato Council, Potatoes USA and Western Growers Association," he said. "Something that we pride ourselves in is being a uniting factor in the potato industry, and this event really accomplishes that. We have a lot of wonderful companion organizations we work with, and we want to leverage what they are doing as well. Whatever challenges there are out there for our members, we want to be part of the solution."
