Jay LaJoie of Van Buren, Maine and Jason Davenport of Arvin, California were appointed to the Potatoes USA Executive Committee on March 16, 2017, at the organization’s 45th Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado.

This will be LaJoie’s fourth year on the Board serving all four years on the Industry Outreach Committee and second year as the Committee’s Co-Chair. Davenport will be serving his first year as Co-Chair of Industry Outreach Committee after previously serving as Co-Chair of the Domestic Marketing Committee.

LaJoie grew up on the family farm and started growing his own crops in 2003 on the LaJoie family farm. In 2007, he and his family formed LaJoie Growers, LLC where russet, red, white, yellow, and blue potatoes are grown primarily for chip-stock, but also for frozen-processing, seed, and table-stock.

Davenport has grown potatoes for nearly ten years for Allied Potato, Inc. Some of Allied Potato’s major varieties are Atlantic, Snowden, Chipeta, NY115, Lamoka, Frito-Lay varieties, Agata, Parella, and Colorado Rose which are grown for the chip-stock, organic, seed, and table-stock markets. Allied Potato is one of the largest fresh and seed exporters in the U.S.

The primary objectives of the Industry Outreach Committee are to expand awareness of marketing and research programs in the U.S. Potato Industry, create an understanding in the industry of how these programs strengthen demand for potatoes, and, most importantly, to increase engagement and involvement by the industry in programs and activities.

LaJoie and Davenport will be working closely with Potatoes USA over the next year to ensure that growers are well represented and proactive in the industry. Both growers are active in Potatoes USA’s Potato Ambassador program.