LANSING, Mich. — Michigan potato growers recently approved a referendum to continue the Michigan Potato Industry Commission, according to Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Director Jamie Clover Adams, who announced the referendum results on March 20. By law, the program, established in 1970 and last amended in 2014, must be renewed every five years.

 

The referendum generates approximately $800,000 annually to support the activities of the Michigan Potato Industry Commission, which was established in 1970 to foster, develop and promote the potato industry through research, promotion, advertising, market development or expansion, education and the development and dissemination of market and industry information.

 

Mike Wenkel, executive director of the Michigan Potato Industry Commission, said the majority of funds are allocated to support research and outreach activities for Michigan potato growers.

 

The operation of potato storage facilities in Montcalm County and funding of a research position and a technician position in partnership with Michigan State University are examples of how the money is used to enhance industry activities. “These researchers had more than 25 farm trials across the state last year looking at varieties and different things,” Wenkel said.

 

Wenkel said MPIC has a research committee that focuses on identifying projects that will support industry goals.

 

“A research committee considers input from growers, shippers, processors and our industry partners on upcoming research needs for the industry and they develop a set of priorities on an annual basis,” he said. “That is also used for the industry’s priorities for Project GREEEN.”

 

That committee reviews grant applications makes a funding recommendation to the commission.

 

MPIC recently announced 11 projects that will receive total funding of $170,500 this year. This year’s research continues to focus on the industry’s priorities to further understand key nutrient uptake and optimization, variety development, pest and disease management and optimizing soil health in potato systems.

 

Wenkel said promotional and marketing initiatives continue to focus on relationships with processors and users. “We do a lot that is tied to strengthening relationships with the chip processors. We had a bus trip a couple of weeks ago to take growers out east to strengthen those relationships,” he said.

 

Wenkel will attend Snaxpo Exhibition and Conference, a premier event for the snack food industry, in April. “We give away a semi load of potatoes to one of the U.S. processors as part of that to promote Michigan potatoes,” Wenkel said.

 

“We’ve also been doing a lot more in the fresh market, really focusing on food service relationships,” he added.

 

MPIC has been working with the Michigan Restaurant Assoc. and the School Nutrition Assoc. to promote new and unique ways that potatoes can be used in the food service sector.

 

With the favorable referendum vote by the majority of Michigan potato growers, the Commission will continue for an additional five years beginning July 1 and ending June 30, 2022. The current assessment rate is established annually by the Commission and is not to exceed 5.5 cents per cwt. for the grower and 1.5 cents per cwt. for the first handler.

 

A total of 19 valid ballots were cast in the referendum. Of those, 17 producers voted yes (89.5 percent) representing 9,471,678 cwt. of potatoes, or 88.2 percent of the production volume of potatoes represented. Two producers voted no (10.5 percent) representing 1,266,900 cwt., or 11.8 percent of the production volume of potatoes represented.