LAS VEGAS – Kicking off the 12th annual Potato Expo, held Jan 14-15 in Las Vegas, the National Potato Council announced the launch of its new podcast, “Eye on Potatoes.” The podcast, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts, provides a platform for growers throughout the country and policy makers in Washington to learn about industry policy priorities and hear from growers and experts on the latest issues affecting the industry.
“NPC was created in 1948 for the sole purpose of impacting federal policy to benefit the U.S. potato industry,” said NPC CEO Kam Quarles. “A key part of our ability to be successful in that mission is for growers and allied industry members to know what NPC is doing on the federal level, how it’s impacting them, and how they can get involved. The ‘Eye on Potatoes’ is a terrific way to keep our partners throughout the country and in D.C. updated, knowledgeable, and engaged with our efforts on their behalf.”
The biweekly podcast is hosted by Lane Nordlund, a professional television and radio agriculture broadcaster based out of Bozeman, Mont. Born and raised in Central Montana, Nordlund has been involved in production agriculture his entire life. He provides live televised broadcasts for the Montana Ag Network and hosts a segment on the statewide radio program “Montana Talks Hosted by Aaron Flint.” Nordlund also hosts a podcast for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association and produces an agriculture podcast called “The LaneCast,” which focuses on rural and agriculture issues in the western United States.
Current “Eye on Potatoes” episodes include:
- Welcome and Introduction. Guest: Kam Quarles, NPC CEO
- The International Trade Environment. Guests: Matt Lantz, Vice President of Global Access, Bryant Christie; Jared Balcom, NPC Vice President of the Trade Affairs Committee and President of Balcom and Moe, Inc. in Pasco, Wash.; Kam Quarles, NPC CEO
- Immigration and Ag Guest Worker Reforms. Guests: Mike Carlton, Director of Labor Relations Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association; Ralph Child, owner of Childstock Farms, Inc. in Malone, N.Y.; Kam Quarles, NPC CEO
- Ag Transportation in the 21st Century. Guests: Jon Sampson, Executive Director of the American Trucking Associations’ Agricultural and Food Transporters Conference; Dominic LaJoie, majority owner and partner of LaJoie Growers Vegetable Operations in Aroostook County, Maine; Kam Quarles, NPC CEO
Upcoming episodes will feature conversations on health and nutrition, sustainability, ag research, trends in agriculture and consumption, food labeling, registrations and impacts on potato exports, and seed certification and best practices for managing seed.
Listeners can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.
The National Potato Council represents the interests of U.S. potato growers on federal legislative, regulatory, environmental and trade issues. The value of U.S. potato production is over $3.7 billion annually and supports hundreds of thousands of jobs both directly and indirectly.
