US Secretary Vilsack Names National Potato Promotion Board Members

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack appointed 33 representatives to serve on the National Potato Promotion Board. Members will serve a three-year term of office ending in February 2015.

Newly appointed members representing producers include: Jared W. Fielding, Shelley, Idaho;Alex Tiede, American Falls, Idaho;Garth Steed, Malta, Idaho;Dewey C. Crane, King Hill, Idaho;Chris Wada, Idaho Falls, Idaho;Rick D. Likes, Shelley, Idaho;Brian Jones, Rupert, Idaho;Lynn Wilcox, Rexburg, Idaho;Shari Kitchen, Elmira, Mich.;Joe Thompson, Hemingford, Neb.;Michael Brooks, Elmer, N.J.;Eric James, Elizabeth City, N. C.;Laura Huddle, Napolean, Ohio;Lon E. Baley, Merrill, Ore.;Wayne Amstad, Sherwood, Ore.;Doug Edward Poe, Connell, Wash.;Ted Tschirky, Connell, Wash.;and Alan Jay Brown, Cheyenne, Wyo. Also new to the board, representing importers, is Sanjiv Kakkar, of Lawrenceville, N.J.

Board members reappointed to represent producers are: Roger Christensen, Center, Colo.;Wyatt V. Penfold, Driggs, Idaho;Brett Jensen, Idaho Falls, Idaho;Ryan Wayne Cranney, Oakley, Idaho;Adam Culler, Samaria, Mich.;Lonnie Dean Spokely, Nielsville, Minn.;Peter Arlen Ewing, Becker, Minn.;John N. Meyer, Cohocton, N.Y.;Mitch Jorde, Cando, N.D.;H. Bruce Richardson, Jr., Capeville, Va.;Stacy Kniveton, Pasco, Wash.;Diana Garza Martinez, Moses Lake, Wash.;Kathy Blasdel, Kennewick, Wash.;and Michael Carter, Schofield, Wis.

The National Potato Promotion Board is authorized under the 1971 Potato Research and Promotion Act. The program is administered by board members, who are selected by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture, and funded through industry member assessments. Research and promotion programs help to expand, maintain and develop markets for individual commodities in the United States and abroad. They allow commodity groups to conduct promotion, market and production research, and new product development for the benefit of their industries. For more information about research and promotion programs, visit www.ams.usda.gov/FVPromotion.