Members-at-large also sit on the committee at the pleasure of the chairman by reason of specialized areas of knowledge so that they can be called upon for the evaluation of research proposals.

After study and negotiation with research organizations, the R and E Committee makes recommendations to the Idaho Potato Commission, which collects research funds as part of the advertising assessment and is responsible to the industry for the use of the money. The IPC can also contract for projects that do not come through the committee.

Research dollars, through the work of the dozens of scientists that have been involved throughout the years, have accomplished a great deal and yield a huge return to the Idaho potato industry for money spent.