DEVELOPING NEW VARIETIES IS AN EFFECTIVE STRATEGY TO COMBAT EVER-INCREASING STRESS AND PEST PROBLEMS, IMPROVE PRODUCTION AND UTILIZATION EFFICIENCY, AND MAINTAIN THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE US POTATO INDUSTRY. AMONG THE GENETIC IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED ARE BETTER FRESH MARKET AND PROCESSING QUALITY, RESISTANCE TO MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSES, INSECT PESTS AND DISEASES, MORE EFFICIENT UTILIZATION OF WATER AND NUTRIENTS, IMPROVED STORABILITY, AND LOWERED PRODUCTION COSTS. THE PURPOSE OF THIS RESEARCH IS TO RELEASE AND COMMERCIALIZE NEW POTATO VARIETIES THAT WILL DIRECTLY BENEFIT ALL SEGMENTS OF THE NORTHWEST POTATO INDUSTRY AND INDIRECTLY BENEFIT ALL US PRODUCING REGIONS. THE STRATEGY IS TO IDENTIFY TRAITS, MAKE CROSSES, AND APPLY SELECTION PRESSURES THAT WILL INCREASE THE PROBABILITY OF DEVELOPING VARIETIES THAT CAN BE PRODUCED AND UTILIZED MORE EFFICIENTLY THAN EXISTING VARIETIES. APPROPRIATE BREEDING GOALS INCLUDE HIGH YIELD, IMPROVED PROCESSING QUALITY, GENETIC RESISTANCE TO MAJOR PESTS AND DISEASES, HIGHER LEVELS OF RESISTANCE TO STRESSES, INCREASED NUTRIENT USE EFFICIENCY, IMPROVED HUMAN NUTRITIONAL VALUE, AND HIGH TUBER QUALITY. AN ADDITIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFIT COMES WITH REDUCED USE OF PESTICIDES, WATER, AND FERTILIZERS, WHICH ARE NORMAL BYPRODUCTS OF IMPROVED VARIETIES. THIS MAJOR OBJECTIVE IS ACCOMPANIED BY MYRIAD MINOR OBJECTIVES INVOLVING GERMPLASM ENHANCEMENT, GERMPLASM PRODUCTION, SELECTION PROCEDURES, DISEASE AND STRESS SCREENING, VARIETY TRIAL DESIGN AND CONDUCT, SEED INCREASES, MANAGEMENT STUDIES, AND COMMERCIAL EVALUATIONS. EACH OBJECTIVE IS TO BE CARRIED OUT BY THE NORTHWEST INSTITUTION(S) BEST EQUIPPED TO COMPLETE THE ASSOCIATED TASKS. A HEAVY ELEMENT OF INTERDEPENDENCE AMONG ALL INSTITUTIONS IS ESSENTIAL IN ACHIEVING THE OUTLINED OBJECTIVES.