Nominations Open For 2017 Potatoes USA Board Members

Potatoes USA (formerly known as the United States Potato Board) announced earlier this month that nominations are now open for new Board Members for the 2017-2020 term. Sixty members will be elected or re-elected to fill open seats and the seats of outgoing Board Members who are completing their second three-year term in March 2017.

Potatoes USA is the nation’s potato marketing organization, and is the central organizing force in implementing programs to strengthen demand for U.S. potatoes. Potatoes USA provides the ideas, information, tools and inspiration for the industry to unite in achieving common goals.

All state potato organizations have received the information and materials to begin the process of seeking and nominating interested growers. All growers will be seated on the Board at the 2017 Annual Meeting in Denver, March 14-16, 2017.

Board Member Guidelines

It serves the good of both potato production regions and Potatoes USA by recruiting Board Members who will take an active interest in participating on the Board. A Board Member should communicate the interests of his/her area to the Board and carry the message of the Board back to his/her growing community. A nominee for Potatoes USA should be willing to:

• Attend the Board’s Annual meeting held in March each year of the three-year term, 2017-2020.
• Be active in the potato-growing community.
• Be visible in community work, participate in local government, cultural or business affairs—someone who is a leader.
• Be willing to represent and communicate with his/her constituents on a regular basis.
• Take the time to actively support Potatoes USA programs in his/her area.
• Speak to grower groups, newspaper reporters and interested parties about Potatoes USA programs, relating the value of the Board to all growers, how the 3-cent per hundredweight assessment is invested and ask for input from those interested in becoming active in the promotion of potatoes.

If you are interested in being considered by your state grower leadership to fill an open spot representing your state, please contact your state manager. For more information, contact Alexandra Grimm, Potatoes USA Industry Relations Manager, at alex@potatoesusa.com or 303-369-7783. The nominating process will be completed by Friday, July 29, 2016.

Diversity Statement

The Department of Agriculture’s programs are open to all individuals without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age or marital status, and it is Potatoes USA’s policy that membership on the Board and its committees reflect the diversity of individuals served by its programs. It is therefore the Board’s policy to have the representation of producers from diverse backgrounds on its board and strongly encourages women, younger growers, minorities and persons with disabilities to seek nominations to the Board and to participate in the Board’s activities.