Rich Novy

USDA - ARS potato breeder/geneticist Rich Novy serves as a Principal Investigator on the GLOBAL Project.  

The emphasis of Dr. Novy’s research is the development of potato varieties and germplasm with enhanced agronomic qualities and disease and pest resistances, including resistance to potato cyst nematode.   He is a member of the Northwest (Tri-State) Potato Variety Development team comprised of state and federal researchers in the states of Idaho, Oregon, and Washington and during his career has contributed to the release of 37 potato varieties. Dr. Novy’s contribution to potato variety development has been recognized with two ARS technology transfer awards, a Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer Award from the Far West region, a USDA-NIFA Partnership Award for a SCRI grant in controlling zebra chip disease, and an Outstanding Extension Award for the storage management of new potato cultivars from the Potato Association of America. In addition, he has  authored or co-authored 64 breeding and genetics publications in peer-reviewed journals and text books.  Dr. Novy attended Washington State University and obtained his B.S. in Horticulture and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Plant Breeding and Genetics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Prior to joining the USDA ARS in 1999, Dr. Novy was the potato breeder/geneticist at North Dakota State University, Fargo, North Dakota.