The Canadian Private Potato Breeders Network (CPPBN) has elected Robert Coffin as its new president for a two-year term at its annual general meeting on Jan. 26, a news release says.
Coffin has worked as a potato specialist in both the public and private sectors. The release notes he runs his own private potato breeding program with his wife Joyce called Privar Farms Inc. They have released several potato varieties including the cultivar Prospect.
The release notes Andre Gagnon with Progest/Quebec Parmentier served as CPPBN’s president for the past two years.
Newton Yorinori, who runs Cavendish Farm’s potato breeding program in Prince Edward Island, has been elected as vice-president of CPPBN, the release says.
CPPBN is a network of private breeders representing seven potato breeding programs from across Canada who share expertise and genetic material amongst themselves and cooperate with many public institutions on an individual basis, the release says. CPPBN members have released numerous varieties that are grown in North America and are being evaluated in many other countries of the southern hemisphere as well as Asia.
