Ted Kreis, marketing and communications director for Northern Plains Potato Growers Association in East Grand Forks, MN, told The Produce News that the group represents about 250 potato growers, all of which are located in North Dakota and the northwest corner of Minnesota, commonly referred to as the Northern Plains.

Ted Kreis, marketing and communications director for Northern Plains Potato Growers Association.“The NPPGA does a lot of work with the U.S. Potato Board and the National Potato Council on legislative issues,” said Mr. Kreis. “Most of the marketing that I do is for our fresh growers, as opposed to those who grow for the processing market.”

Mr. Kreis represents the NPPGA at trade shows such as the Produce Marketing Association Fresh Summit and the New York Produce Show. This year he will be at booth No. 134 at the New York show.

“Besides myself, Mike Rerick, vice president of sales and marketing for NoKota Packers in Buxton, North Dakota, and likely some of our other grower-members will be at the New York show to represent the association,” he said. “The entire Eastern Seaboard, including New York is a very strong market for our red potatoes, and about 98 percent of what we grow for the fresh market are reds. Like Idaho is in russet potatoes, we are in red potatoes.”

The timing of the show, in early December this year, works out well for Mr. Kreis and his colleagues because its potatoes are in the market from early October into June.

“Pre-Christmas is a strong time for the potato market, so the PMA Fresh Summit and the New York Produce Show and Conference are good timing for us,” he said. “They both fit into our shipping schedule nicely.”

Theassociation services a wide range of customer categories, from retailers and foodservice operations to industrial users, such as hospitals, school systems and the military.

Besides promoting its current crop of red potatoes, the NPPGA is talking up its newly designed “Red River Valley Potatoes” logo and label.

Last February, the then newly elected chairman of the Association, Carl Hoverson, expressed his desire for a more unified branding of Red River Valley red potatoes. The new image began appearing this fall in trade show displays, pamphlets, print ads, websites and other venues.

Mr. Hoverson felt the old triangle-shaped logo used by fresh shippers was dated and did little to represent the product, so he suggested that a new logo for Red River Valley potatoes should be created to better represent Red River Valley Potatoes as a unique and wholesome product.

“The new label is available for our member to use on their packaging,” said Mr. Kreis. “The updated and fresh design depicts potato fields, with a river separating them. This gives us a fresh new identity, especially for trade use.”

“We also designed a new five-pound bag with this label for those members who want to use it,” he continued. “The majority of potatoes produced today are marketed with private labels, however.”

Mr. Kreis said that the NPPGA works with the National Potato Council on food safety initiatives, and grower-members are up to date with all necessary certifications.

“But what retailers will demand from shippers in certifications going forward is still a little muddled,” he added. “Once they are clarified and uniform, we’ll be tuned in to everything that’s needed. The processors and facilities are already updated on their traceability initiatives.”

Mr. Kreis said that every year or two the NPPGA reviews updates and expansion projects being done by its members. The past year has been especially busy with numerous growers making facility upgrades and expansions. One of the more notable is Lone Wolf Farms in Minto, ND, owned by the Bjorneby family.

“Just over a year after their facility was destroyed by a fire, the company is up and running again in a brand-new plant that is capable of doubling the production of the old facility,” said Mr. Kreis. “The new plant covers 25,000 square feet, roughly twice the size of the old building. The entire facility was built to increase efficiency.”