The Department of Agriculture swears in 42 members to Potatoes USA’s Board

Kelly M. Robertson of USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service’s Specialty Crops Program swearing in members at Potato USA’s 48th Annual Meeting. 

Potatoes USA’s Annual Meeting concluded with formal board business, including the swearing in of new members, and the electing of a new Board Chairman as well as new Administrative Committee members and Executive Committee members.

This year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture appointed 27 new members to the board to serve three-year terms. They were sworn in on March 11 by Kelly M. Robertson, Marketing Specialist of the Promotion and Economics Division of the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service’s Specialty Crops Program.

Each year, board members are nominated by the industry and are then appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture. Potatoes USA’s board has about 100 members, which consists of growers, importers, and one public member.

New Board Members

Greg Hebdon, Blythe, Calif;
Rob Giesbrecht, Aberdeen, Idaho;
Kamren Koompin, American Falls, Idaho;
Andrew Porath, American Falls, Idaho;
Morgan Andrus, Idaho Falls, Idaho;
Ryan Moss, Rupert, Idaho;
Kent Peterson, Shelley, Idaho;
Justin Searle, Shelley, Idaho;
Matt Floming, Thomson, Illi;
Dan Blackstone, Caribou, Maine;
Jennifer Gogan, Littleton, Maine;
Kathy deVries-Ruehs, Melrose, Maine;
Scott Hanson, Cornell, Mich;
Casey Folson, East Grand Forks, Minn;
Troy Sorensen, Alliance, Neb;
Tyler Backemeyer, Kearney, Neb;
David Fedje, Hoople, N.D.;
Brad Nilson, Hoople, N.D.;
Jess Blatchford, Baker City, Ore;
Steve Barrett, Lubbock, Texas;
Dennis Wright, Kennewick, Wash;
Juan Martinez, Warden, Wash;
Colt Underwood, West Richland, Wash;
Kevin Schleicher, Custer, Wisc;
Chris Olsen, Othello, Wash;
Josh Knights, Plover, Wisc; and
Mike Carter, Schofield, Wisc. 

Reappointed Members

Jaclyn Green, Edison, Calif;
Bryan Jones, Elkton, Flo;
Kevin Searle, Shelley, Idaho;
Jennifer Borowicz, Crookston, Minn;
Thomas Enander, Grenora, N.D.;
Marty Myers, Boardman, Ore;
Tim Gonzalez, Littlefield, Texas;
Tyler Tschirky, Eltopia, Wash;
Kyle Barclay, Kennewick, Wash;
Melissa Bedlington-Kleindel, Lynden, Wash;
Travis Meacham, Moses Lake, Wash;
Chad Sullivan, Pasco, Wash;
Erin Baginski, Antigo, Wisc; and
Keith Wolter, Antigo, Wisc;

Reappointed Importer

Vernon Thomas, Centreville, N.B.