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Since 2023, Potatoes USA has used the fall potato harvest as an opportunity to spotlight potato growers and the journey of the spud from farm to fork, earning media coverage across the country.
In the run-up to Thanksgiving this year, growers from Idaho, North Carolina, Washington State, and Wisconsin were featured in Potatoes USA’s press release — The Heart of the Harvest: Meet the Farmers Bringing Potatoes to Your Table.
- Why it matters: Coverage of potato growers around harvest time helps consumers connect with where their food comes from and reinforces that potatoes are a nutrient-dense vegetable.
- For example, the press release promoted potato nutrition, like the fact that a medium, skin-on potato is an excellent source of vitamin C, has more potassium than a banana, and delivers carbs to provide fuel for the brain and muscles.
This year’s press release featured:
- Shelley Olsen of LJ Olsen and Two O’s, Inc., in Othello, Washington
- Trever Belnap of Hamer Farm and Ball Brothers Produce in Dubois, Idaho
- Hunter Gibbs of Pamlico Shores Produce in Swanquarter, North Carolina
- Wendy Alsum-Dykstra and Heidi Alsum-Randall of Alsum Farms & Produce in Friesland, Wisconsin
Results: The press release was placed on 468 media websites, including the Associated Press, Yahoo! Finance and KDVR-TV in Denver.
Local media also came out to visit Alsum Farms & Produce to feature the Alsum family — including sisters Wendy and Heidi and their dad, Larry:
- WMTV (The CW) of Madison, WI aired this segment twice:Wisconsin potato growers work around the clock ahead of Thanksgiving
- Wisconsin State Farmer: The Alsum family of Friesland, WI, sells potatoes across the Midwest and beyond
In Washington State, KEPR-TV and its sister station KIMA-TV interviewed Brandy Tucker from the Washington State Potato Commission to discuss the resilience of the potato:
- KIMA-TV (CBS): Action News at 6am
- KEPR-TV (CBS): Action News at 11
Thank you to Shelley, Trever, Hunter, Wendy, and Heidi for sharing your stories to help consumers understand how potatoes get from a farm to their plate.
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