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Center grower to represent Colorado on United States Potato BoardColorado Roger Christensen of Center, Colo., was seated as a board member on the United States Potato Board at the organization's 37th annual meeting, March 10 to 13, in Denver, Colo. He was named to serve on the board by former Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schafer on Nov. 18, 2008, and formally began his three-year term as of March 1, and ending on Feb. 29, 2012. New board members serving on the USPB in their first three-year term can be reappointed to serve another consecutive three-year term. Christensen credits his father-in-law, Lynn Kopfman, who is a third generation farmer, for getting him involved with farming and the potato industry. During the past 12 years, he has been growing Russet Norkotah, Sangre Reds and Santina Yellows--all for the fresh market--on about 1,000 acres for Kopfman Farms, Inc., and Valley Shippers, Inc. Wheat and barley are also grown in rotation. Christensen attended Hartnell Jr. College in Salinas, Calif., and is a graduate of the 2007 Potato Industry Leadership Institute. He has been involved on the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee, serving on the marketing group and is a bulk shipper alternate. Christensen and his wife, Jennifer, have two children: Cole (age 18) and Reilly (age 12). They enjoy boating, snowboarding and hunting. Christensen says he is also an occasional hack golfer. Authorized under the 1971 Potato Research and Promotion Act, the USPB is composed of producers, importers and a public member appointed by the Secretary of Agriculture. Producer members are nominated at state and local producer meetings and by mail ballot. Each state is entitled to at least one producer member, and additional members are allotted on the basis of the volume of production. Importer members are nominated by importers, and the number of members is related to the volume of imports, up to a maximum of five importer members. The USPB administers an industry-funded national research and promotion program to increase U.S. exports and domestic potato consumption. USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service oversees the operations of the USPB. More information about the research and promotion programs is available at www.ams.usda.gov/FVPromotion.
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