Ryan Barrett - Director
Q: Where are you from?
A: I live in Kensington, Prince Edward Island, in the middle of the Island’s “potato belt.” My office is in Charlottetown, but I spend quite a bit of time on the road or in the field for my position.
Q: What makes PAA special to you?
A: For me, PAA is a tremendous resource of talented and plugged-in potato researchers. The annual meeting is an opportunity to meet those folks, listen to presentations and find out about research results that could benefit potato producers here in Prince Edward Island. It’s also a great way to identify speakers for future conferences and workshops or find collaborators on future projects.
Q: Projects you’re working on?
A: I work on a variety of projects with local researchers and farmers. One of our current projects that has proven successful with producers has been investigating the use of fall-seeded cover crops before and after potatoes. Other priority areas of research include potato early dying, improving soil health/soil organic matter, site-specific field management, mitigating soil compaction, and seed management.
Q: What’s your top way to eat potatoes?
A: I love mashed potatoes, especially with the right amount of butter and garlic. I’m also a big fan of crispy roasted potatoes, particularly using red-skinned varieties. It’s also hard to beat French fries!