Release No.: 003-17
WASHINGTON, Jan. 9, 2017 -- Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today appointed 39 members to the National Potato Promotion Board. Each representative will serve a 3-year term of office beginning March 1, 2017.
Newly appointed members representing producers are: Jaclyn Green, of Edison, Calif.; Sheldon Rockey, of Center, Colo.; Bryan R. Jones, of Elkton, Fla.; Aaron Hepworth, of Burley, Idaho; LaVel Stoker, of Burley, Idaho; Kevin Searle, of Shelley, Idaho; Jennifer Borowicz, of Argyle, Minn.; James R. Allen, of Alliance, Neb.; Tom Enander, of Grenora, N.D.; Martin Myers, of Boardman, Ore.; Tim Gonzalez, of Springlake, Texas; Kyle Barclay, of Kennewick, Wash.; Melissa Bedlington-Kleindel, of Lynden, Wash.; Travis Meacham, of Moses Lake, Wash.; Shelley R. Olsen, of Othello, Wash.; Chad Sullivan, of Pasco, Wash.; Tyler Tschirky, of Pasco, Wash.; Melva J. Calloway, of Quincy, Wash.; Erin Baginski, of Antigo, Wis.; and Keith Wolter, of Antigo, Wis.
The following producers are reappointed to the board: Kael Koompin, of American Falls, Idaho; Thomas Kress, of American Falls, Idaho; Jerry Tominaga, of Heyburn, Idaho; Dwight Little II, of Newdale, Idaho; Bob Conger, of Rexburg, Idaho; Katie Floming, of Savanna, Ill.; Brandon Berce, of Saint Agatha, Maine; Jay LaJoie, of Van Buren, Maine; Casey Weldon Hoverson, of Larimore, N.D.; William Sheldon, of Ray, N.D.; Kerry Anthony Heilig, of Moses Lake, Wash.; Gerald Greenwalt, of Quincy, Wash.; Brandon Schaapman, of Quincy, Wash.; Mike Madsen, of Tri-Cities, Wash.; Eric William Schroeder, of Antigo, Wis.; and Mark S. Finnessy, of Plover, Wis.
Newly appointed importers are Edward Barnhill, of Burlington, Mass.; and Vernon Thomas, of Florenceville, NB Canada. Sanjiv Kakkar, of Hamilton, N.J. is reappointed as an importer.
Board members selected by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture administer the program. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) provides oversight of the National Potato Promotion Board in accordance with the Potato Research and Promotion Act and the Potato Research and Promotion Plan. USDA encourages board membership that reflects the diversity of the individuals served by the programs.
Since 1996, Congress has authorized the establishment of 22 research and promotion boards that are industry-funded and empower agricultural industries with a framework to pool resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets, and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight, paid for by industry assessments, which helps ensure fiscal responsibility, program efficiency and fair treatment of participating stakeholders.
For more information about the National Potato Promotion Board, which operates as Potatoes USA, contact Hakim Fobia at (202) 720-4835, or email Hakim.Fobia@ams.usda.gov.
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