The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the appointment of 33 individuals to serve on the National Potato Promotion Board. The appointees will serve three-year terms from March 1, 2022, through Feb. 28, 2025.
Members appointed or reappointed are:
- Ed Staunton, California
- Les Alderete, Colorado
- Bevan Lenz, Colorado
- Jason Tillman, Colorado
- Kurtis Crapo, Idaho
- Tyson Funk, Idaho
- Taylor Grant, Idaho
- Eric Jensen, Idaho
- Jordan Johns, Idaho
- Braden R. Lake, Idaho
- Rick S. Miller, Idaho
- Adam Nielsen, Idaho
- Jeff VanOrden, Idaho
- Colin Szawlowski, Massachusetts
- Alison Sklarczyk, Michigan
- Erwin J. Styma, Michigan
- Peter A. Ewing, Minnesota
- Jocelyn Schlichting, Minnesota
- Martin H. Kimm, Montana
- Leah Halverson, North Dakota
- Nathan Bender, Nevada
- Kory Hansen, Oregon
- Luke Robison, Oregon
- Benjamin Zechmann, South Dakota
- Matthew Linehan, Vermont
- Jennifer Bunger, Washington
- Daniel Gundersen, Washington
- Andrew Hyer, Washington
- Rod Schutte, Washington
- Samueal Stahl, Washington
- Marvin Wollman, Washington
- Jon Gay, West Virginia
- Norbert Bomm, Illinois
The 102-member board is comprised of 96 producers, five importers and one public member.
More information about the board is available on the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) National Potato Promotion Board webpage.
AMS policy is that diversity of the board should reflect the diversity of its industries in terms of the experience of members, methods of production and distribution, marketing strategies, and other distinguishing factors that will bring different perspectives and ideas to the table. When submitting nominations, the industry must consider the diversity of the population served and the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the members to serve a diverse population.
Since 1966, Congress has authorized the development of industry-funded research and promotion boards to provide a framework for agricultural industries to pool their resources and combine efforts to develop new markets, strengthen existing markets and conduct important research and promotion activities. AMS provides oversight of 22 boards, paid for by industry assessments, which helps ensure fiscal accountability and program integrity.
