Dr. Thomas German, long-time director of the Wisconsin Seed Potato Certification Program stepped down from the position to make a career change.
German told The Badger Common'Tater Wisconsin potato industry magazine that he wanted to focus on research and graduate education in the University of Wisconsin-Madison's entomology department.
Walt Stevenson and Doug Maxwell will act as interim directors of the program.
German said he has mixed feeling about leaving the plant pathology and seed certification programs. He believes his focus in research in ways to control pests of all kinds will help agriculture get out of "the broad-spectrum chemical dependence" mode of agriculture.
He said an example of his belief in additional research is the increased aphid pressure in the potato industry and the need for data to understand why this is occurring and to develop effective new ways to deal with it.