Get to know the growers leading Potatoes USA’s committees

Potatoes USA, the national marketing and promotion board representing U.S. growers and importers, is spotlighting its newly announced committee chairs for 2023-24.

The Potatoes USA Board consists of five committees guided by nine industry members. The committees include international marketing, domestic marketing, industry outreach, research, and finance and policy.

Together with the board chair and past chair, these committee chairs form the executive committee.

International Marketing Committee: Shelley Olsen of Othello, Wash., and Mike Larsen of Declo, Idaho, will serve as co-chairs.

Olsen works under two family-owned companies, LJ Olsen and Two O’s Inc. Larsen is the general manager of Mart Group LLC, operating as Mart Produce.

This committee is focused on increasing U.S. potato exports across all product types, expanding access for U.S. potatoes across the globe and ensuring international consumers and trade members know U.S. potatoes for their quality and nutritional benefits, according to a news release. The committee oversees marketing programs for foodservice, retail, ingredient, consumer, market access and seed potato exports in 25-plus international markets.

Domestic Marketing Committee: Leah Halverson of Grand Forks, N.D., and Les Alderete of Monte Vista, Colo., will serve as co-chairs.

Halverson currently serves as director of marketing for Black Gold Farms, a family-owned, fourth-generation farm specializing in chipping potatoes. Alderete is general manager of Skyline Potato, a prominent shipping operation in southwest Colorado.

This committee oversees the Potatoes USA consumer, nutrition, retail, ingredient and foodservice marketing programs. The committee is focused on encouraging more people to eat more potatoes in more ways and positioning potatoes as a performance food, according to the release. The marketing programs are designed to inspire potato innovation across all channels, cultivate strategic partnerships and advocate for scientific research to demonstrate potatoes’ role in enhancing overall physical and mental performance.

Industry Outreach Committee: Ed Staunton of Tulelake, Calif., and Dennis Wright of Kennewick, Wash., will serve as co-chairs.

Staunton is the co-manager and partner of Staunton Farms LP, which produces a variety of fresh potatoes, both conventional and organic, as well as chipping potatoes. Wright is a general manager at AgriNorthwest, a large farm operating in the Columbia Basin of Washington and Oregon.

This committee oversees industry communications. The committee is focused on expanding the awareness of Potatoes USA’s marketing and research programs and increasing engagement and involvement by industry members in Potatoes USA promotional programs and activities, according to the release.

Research Committee: Jennifer Gogan of Houlton, Maine, and Trever Belnap of Hamer, Idaho, will serve as co-chairs.

Gogan is the assistant manager and part-owner of Miller Farms LLC, a seed potato farm in Littleton, Maine. Belnap is the general manager of Ball Brothers Produce, a family-owned business that focuses on growing potatoes for the fresh market and processing.

This committee participates in developing national potato research priorities and promotes industry support for selected potato research projects through the Potato Research Advisory Committee, according to the release. The committee also oversees the industry’s potato variety development activities for the chip and fry sectors through the National Chip Program and National Fry Processors Trial. The committee helps inform the industry of the latest potato nutrition research conducted through the Alliance of Potato Research and Education.

Finance and Policy Committee: Jeff Jennings of Camden, N.C., will serve as chair. He is president of John E. Ferebee Farming.

This committee oversees Potatoes USA’s financial information and makes recommendations to the executive committee on finance and policy-related matters, including the annual budget, according to the release. The committee also oversees the audit process.