US Potato Growers Select 2017 National Potato Council Leadership

At the National Potato Council’s (NPC) 2017 Annual Meeting January 6-7 in San Francisco, Dwayne Weyers of Aspen Produce, LLC, in Center, Colorado, was elected to serve as NPC’s 2017 President and to lead the council’s Executive Committee. As President, Weyers will host the 2017 NPC Summer Meeting in Denver. The Executive Committee holds office for one calendar year.

NPC delegates approved Daniel Chin of Klamath Falls, Oregon, as the new Vice President of the Grower and Public Relations Committee and Cully Easterday of Pasco, Washington, as First Vice President and Vice President of the Trade Affairs Committee. The other members approved include: Larry Alsum of Friesland, Wisconsin, as Vice President of the Finance and Office Procedures Committee; Dominic LaJoie of Van Buren, Maine, as Vice President of the Environmental Affairs Committee; and Britt Raybould of St. Anthony, Idaho, as the Vice President of the Legislative and Government Affairs Committee. The 2016 President, Jim Tiede, will continue to serve on the Executive Committee as the Immediate Past President.

The 2017 Executive Committee will meet at the Potato D.C. Fly-In February 13 to continue their work for the industry. This includes leading more than 150 growers to Capitol Hill to meet with Senators and Members of the House to communicate industry messages. The messages point to the need to reduce the regulatory burden on farms and small businesses, jump start tax reform including eliminating the estate tax and making accelerated depreciation permanent, and to support foreign trade deals that facilitate potato exports.