Dept. of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection: Nomination period opens for WI potato board

CONTACT: Rick Hummell, 608-224-5041 richard.hummell@wi.gov
or Bill Cosh, Communications Director, 608-224-5020 William2.Cosh@wi.gov

MADISON – Potato growers in three Wisconsin Potato Industry Board districts have until April 2 to nominate three members to the industry’s market order board. Potato growers in Districts 1, 2 and 3 are eligible to nominate board members or to be nominated.

Growers can find nomination forms online at datcp.wi.gov. Click on the “Growing Wisconsin” tab, then “Market Orders and Boards” and then on the link for the potato board. Eligible growers also can request nomination forms by contacting Market Orders Program Manager Debbie Gegare at 608-224-5116 or Debbie.Gegare@Wisconsin.gov.

Each nomination form must include signatures of at least five eligible potato growers, other than the nominee, from the district in which the nominee is running for office. An Affidavit of Eligibility is located on the nomination form and must be completed and notarized.

Completed forms must be sent to: Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Marketing Order Program, P.O. Box 8911, Madison, WI 53708-8911. The forms must be postmarked on or before April 2, 2018.

The open positions represent the following counties:

District 1: Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Forest, Iron, Kewaunee, Langlade, Lincoln, Marinette, Menominee, Oconto, Oneida, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, St. Croix, Taylor, Vilas, and Washburn counties.

District 2: Marathon, Outagamie, Portage, Shawano, Waupaca and Waushara counties.

District 3: Adams, Buffalo, Calumet, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, La Crosse, Lafayette, Manitowoc, Marquette, Milwaukee, Monroe, Ozaukee, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Sheboygan, Trempealeau, Vernon, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha, Winnebago and Wood counties.

DATCP will conduct the Wisconsin Potato Board election from May 15 to June 11. Elected board members will serve from July 1, 2018 to June 20, 2021.

The nine-member board is responsible for collecting and allocating about $1.3 million in annual assessment fees paid by Wisconsin potato growers. The money is used to support the industry through research, market development and consumer education.