Potatoes USA Appoints 2020 -2021 Industry Outreach Committee Co-Chairs

April 14, 2020

Heidi Alsum-Randall of Cambria, Wisconsin and Mike Carter of Rosholt, Wisconsin were elected to the Potatoes USA Executive Committee on March 11, 2020 at the organization’s 48th Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado. This will be Alsum-Randall’s sixth year on the Board and her third year as the Co-Chair of the Industry Outreach Committee. Carter will be serving his first year back on the Board after previously serving a six-year term from 2009 – 2015. During that time, he was a Co-Chair of the Domestic Marketing Committee for three years and an administrative committee member for five years.

For the past 14 years, Alsum-Randall has been involved in the family owned business. She serves as the COO of Alsum Farms & Produce, Inc. overseeing production, sales, and purchasing of fresh market potatoes, along with Human Resource responsibilities. As the Co-Chair of the Committee, she is excited about the new opportunity to educate members of our Congress and Senate on Capitol Hill about what we are doing. Alsum-Randall is a 2014 graduate of the Potato Industry Leadership Institute and has served as President of the Wisconsin Potato Industry Board from 2014 to present. Alsum-Randall is also the Director of the Cambria-Friesland Area Chamber of Commerce and has been a member of the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) Promotions & Education Committee since 2007. She received the WPVGA Volunteer of the Year Award in 2016 and Produce Business “40 Under 40” Award in 2018.

Carter has been farming for the past 22 years and is the CEO and Co-Owner of Bushmans’ Inc., focusing on the fresh potato market. Like Alsum-Randall, he is also a member of the WPVGA and is a very active member at his church. Carter’s wife, Ali, plays a role in the industry as well. She writes the monthly recipe column for the Common ‘Tater magazine and has previously been a member of the WPVGA Auxiliary. Carter is looking forward to working through the challenges as the committee’s reach expands to Congress.

The Industry Outreach Committee oversees industry communications and the Potatoes USA Ambassador Program. The committee is focused on expanding the awareness of Potatoes USA’s marketing and research programs, establishing Potatoes USA as the go-to resource for the industry and, most importantly, to increase engagement and involvement by the industry in programs and activities. The Ambassador program is designed to educate and train Board members on how to effectively communicate to the U.S. potato industry, increase cooperation and coordination with state and national potato organizations and to identify and prepare for adverse issues that could impact the industry.

---