In this special live recording from the Expo Stage at Potato Expo 2026, host Lane Nordlund sits down with Kam Quarles, CEO of the National Potato Council (NPC), and Randy Russell, President and CEO of The Russell Group. One year into the current administration, the discussion tackles the current policy landscape and its impact on NPC's mission of "Standing Up for Potatoes on Capitol Hill."

The conversation explores how the "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA) movement and the DOGE commission have shifted the food policy landscape far faster than typical federal cycles. Looking toward the 2026 midterm elections, the panel analyzes the narrow legislative window for passing a new five-year Farm Bill, as the 2018 bill remains under a one-year extension through September 2026. The group also addresses the ongoing economic crisis in farm country, highlighting the NPC’s role in fighting for additional economic relief for specialty crop producers to offset rising input costs and market disruptions.