DENVER, CO - With the influx of new and renewed leaders hitting our industry, it came as exciting news when word hit our desks that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the appointment and reappointment of 31 leaders to serve on the National Potato Promotion Board. Those appointed, or reappointed, will serve three-year terms, which started January 1, 2021 and will end December 31, 2023.

The board is comprised of 98 members, 92 of which are producers, five are importers, and there is one public member, according to a release from the USDA. After serving their first term, Board Members are given the ability to serve a second consecutive three-year term. Roughly one-third of the Board Members are newly appointed each year.

Every year, growers from every state that produces potatoes select fellow growers to represent them on the Board. The selections are then confirmed by the Secretary of Agriculture.

This year’s appointees and reappointees include:

• Jason Davenport, California
• Jared B. Smith, Colorado
• Kasey Poulson, Idaho
• Mitch Bitter, Idaho
• Mike Larsen, Idaho
• Steve Elfering, Idaho
• Jeff Blanksma, Idaho
• Wesley Jacob Pahl, Idaho
• Eric Searle, Idaho
• Ryan Christensen, Idaho
• Jace Jensen, Idaho
• Tyson Ruff, Idaho
• Ryan Lee Tucker, Michigan
• John Coombs Jr., New Jersey
• Brian Mahany, New York
• Jeff Jennings, North Carolina
• Camburn Shephard, North Dakota
• Kyle Michael, Ohio
• Michael B. Kirsch, Oregon
• Bill Walker, Oregon
• Wayne Montgomery, Rhode Island
• H. Bruce Richardson Jr., Virginia
• Adam W. Weber, Washington
• Shelley Olsen, Washington
• Austin Ochoa, Washington
• James Baker, Washington
• Mike Pink, Washington
• Wendy Dykstra, Wisconsin
• Kevin Hachey, Canada
• Clifton Smith, Canada
• Kim M. Cupelli, Idaho

Congratulations to those who have been appointed!

Potatoes USA