USDA appoints new board members for Potatoes USA

The United States Department of Agriculture appointed 33 new or returning members to serve three-year terms on the National Potato Promotion Board, Dba Potatoes USA. The new members will be sworn in at the organization’s Annual Meeting in March.

Each year, growers from every producing state select other growers to represent them on the board. These selections then need to be confirmed by the Secretary of Agriculture. Potatoes USA has a 102-member board consisting of 96 growers, five importers, and one public member.

Each Board Member serves a three-year term with the ability to serve a second consecutive three-year term. Roughly one-third of the board members are appointed each year.

Members appointed or reappointed are:

• Ed Staunton, California
• Les Alderete, Colorado
• Bevan Lenz, Colorado
• Jason Tillman, Colorado
• Kurtis Crapo, Idaho
• Tyson Funk, Idaho
• Taylor Grant, Idaho
• Eric Jensen, Idaho
• Jordan Johns, Idaho
• Braden R. Lake, Idaho
• Rick S. Miller, Idaho
• Adam Nielsen, Idaho
• Jeff VanOrden, Idaho
• Colin Szawlowski, Massachusetts
• Alison Sklarczyk, Michigan
• Erwin J. Styma, Michigan
• Peter A. Ewing, Minnesota
• Jocelyn Schlichting, Minnesota
• Martin H. Kimm, Montana
• Leah Halverson, North Dakota
• Nathan Bender, Nevada
• Kory Hansen, Oregon
• Luke Robison, Oregon
• Benjamin Zechmann, South Dakota
• Matthew Linehan, Vermont
• Jennifer Bunger, Washington
• Daniel Gundersen, Washington
• Andrew Hyer, Washington
• Rod Schutte, Washington
• Samueal Stahl, Washington
• Marvin Wollman, Washington
• Jon Gay, West Virginia
• Norbert Bomm, Illinois

More information about the board is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) https://www.ams.usda.gov/rules-regulations/research-promotion/potato webpage.

AMS policy is that the diversity of the board should reflect the diversity of its industries in terms of the experience of members, methods of production and distribution, marketing strategies, and other distinguishing factors that will bring different perspectives and ideas to the table.

When submitting nominations, the industry must consider the diversity of the population served and the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the members to serve a diverse population.

Since 1966, Congress has authorized the development of industry-funded research and promotion boards to provide a framework for agricultural industries to pool their resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight of 22 boards, paid for by industry assessments, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.