News on Industry Associations from the Americas

Elizabeth Avery was appointed President of SNAC International during the International Board of Directors meeting on September 29. She will begin as President on January 16, 2017 and take over the roll of CEO on July 1, 2017 from outgoing-CEO Tom Dempsey after the six-month transition period.

United Potato Growers of America announced today that its executive board has unanimously chosen Mark Klompien as the organization’s next president and chief executive officer, replacing Jerry Wright.

Northern Plains Potato Growers Association (NPPGA) has launched a new website, one entirely dedicated to promoting potatoes grown for the fresh market and branded as Red River Valley Potatoes. Fittingly, the new web address is RedRiverValleyPotatoes.com.

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries of Jamaica announced they will be expanding the Irish potato programme to new planting areas for the 2016/17 crop year.

Potatoes USA sponsored a U.S. demonstration plot at the Panama-hosted Latin American Potato Congress (known as ALAP).

Prince Edward Island recaptured the unofficial record for the largest potato display, with a 140,000 pounds display at the Superstore in Charlottetown last Thursday.

The Idaho Potato Commission recently appointed Ritchey Toevs of Toevs Farm as Chairman and Lynn Wilcox of Wilcox, Floyd & Sons as Vice Chairman.

United Potato Growers of America President/CEO, Jerry Wright, announced his coming retirement at the August 23 Board of Directors meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah.

In New York City, the world’s largest potato on wheels traded its tires for buoys in celebration of the 2016 Idaho® Potato Harvest.

USDA staff from the AMS Plant Variety Protection Office and APHIS Biotech Regulatory Services on a tour of the Sterman Masser Potato Farm facilities in central Pennsylvania on August 23.

When reviewing the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) website analytics for the past year (August 2015-August 2016), IPC staff wasn’t surprised to find that Dr. Potato (alias Don Odiorne, Vice President-Foodservice) had garnered 959,328 page views, nearly 50% of all www.idahopotato.com views.

During the Potatoes USA Summer Meeting held in Seattle August 10, it was announced that the Alliance for Potato Research and Education (APRE) has been restructured in an effort to minimize overhead costs and expand research on potato nutrition.

Potatoes USA is pleased to announce Rachael Lynch has joined its staff as a Global Marketing Manager for institutional foodservice

The National Potato Council has joined more than 100 prominent national grower organizations, state grower associations, and agribusiness members as part of the U.S. Agriculture Coalition for Cuba, whose goal is to reestablish Cuba as a market for U.S. food and ag exports

After five years as the president and CEO of the Alliance for Potato Research and Education (APRE), Maureen Storey, Ph.D., is no longer leading the organization.

On July 15, Governor Rick Snyder of Michigan announced a series of appointments and re-appointments to the Michigan Potato Industry Commission

The International Potato Center (CIP) has published its annual report for 2015.

David Thompson, President and CEO of World Potato Congress Inc. (WPC) announced today the retirement of Albert Wada, after an eight year term as active member the Board of Directors. Three new international advisers were newly appointed to the Board.