St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin - The Potato Sustainability Alliance (PSA) has welcomed six new members to its organization since the first quarter of 2024.
RPE, LLC becomes the third member of the Fresh Marketer Sector to join PSA, and will be offering access to PSAs annual on-farm self assessment. PoLoPo joins the Allied Industry Sector. RD Offutt Company, Reed Farms, BKR Farms LLC, Sklarczyk Seed Farm, and Alsum Farms and Produce join as Grower Associates.
PSA is an inclusive, pre-competitive collaboration of all players in the potato value chain. PSA and its members work to define, measure, and advance potato sustainability by using robust metrics to drive improvements in productivity and profitability. Efforts are focused on protecting the environment and streamlining how farm-level data is collected and made available to end users.
A new Grower Associate category was added this year to address the unique needs and important contributions from potato growers. For growers that see value in demonstrating their sustainability commitment to their customers, PSA offers an opportunity to connect with an international organization focused on potato sustainability.
“At every stage of the value chain, from growers to retailers, sustainability issues continue to grow in importance. Our job at PSA is to help the potato industry work together, across business lines, to develop comprehensive sustainability guidelines,” said John Mesko, PSA CEO. “Every time we get to welcome a new member company or grower, our organizational reach extends further and we are able to be even more effective in our mission to advance potato sustainability.”
Companies interested in learning more about the benefits of PSA membership are invited to contact John Mesko at mesko@potatosustainability.org or visit postatosustainability.org/join-us for more information.
About PSA’s Newest Members
RPE LLC – RPE was established in 1971 and is the fresh potato industry leader with reliable year-round russet, red and yellow commodity and baby potato supplies. RPE maintains a presence in all major potato producing regions and controls upwards of 18 percent of the United States fresh potato market. RPE offers strategic nationwide sourcing including a presence in Canada which makes us the most diverse grower/shipper in the marketplace. RPE is built to provide strategic support to our customers and growers within sourcing, quality, pricing, food safety, category management and sustainability.
For more information, visit https://www.rpespud.com/.
PoLoPo -A molecular farming pioneer, PoLoPo uses proprietary metabolic engineering techniques to turn potato plants into micro-biofactories that manufacture animal-based proteins, starting with egg protein. After accomplishing all milestones set for the first two years, PoLoPo seeks partners in the potato industry, especially in the U.S. to grow and process the company’s transgenic potato plants. The company was founded in 2022 by Dr. Maya Sapir-Mir and her longtime research partner, Dr. Raya Liberman-Aloni, both specialists in metabolic engineering of plants.
RD Offutt Company - For 60 years, R.D. Offutt Company has been responsibly farming potatoes, using science-driven, sustainable practices to meet its customers’ needs to ensure its farm’s productivity today and into the future. The company is committed to investing in soil health, conserving water and keeping the food supply safe and stable. Together with its partners, R.D. Offutt Company operates more than 15 potato farms across four states in the Midwest as R.D. Offutt Farms and five farms across two states in the Pacific Northwest as Threemile Canyon Farms. It provides potatoes to processing facilities across the country, which are turned into a variety of fresh and frozen products.
Reed Farms -Reed Farms is located in Filer, in southcentral Idaho. Alexander and his wife Leah are the fourth generation at Reed Farms, which began in 1916. Alexander has been farming a variety of crops including malt barley, sugarbeets, corn and hay for 12 years and in 2024 he is a first time potato grower. He has 500 acres of Clearwater Russets for processing.
Sklarczyk Seed Farm is a third generation farm located in Johannesburg, Michigan. The hydroponic seed potato greenhouse operation is the focus of the diversified farm, producing over 10 million seed potatoes of more than one hundred different varieties annually. The on-site tissue culture lab produces plantlets for the greenhouse, as well as a handful of growers. All minitubers produced by Sklarczyk Seed Farm are certified to be virus and disease free by the Michigan Seed Potato Association. Sklarczyk Seed Farm is dedicated to pursuing long-term sustainability goals through increased diversification, practical research and regenerative practices. The farm’s mission is to provide good, clean, consistent seed to its customers across the world.
Alsum Farms and Produce Inc. is a leading fresh market grower, packer and shipper of Wisconsin grown potatoes, onions, and provider of fresh, quality produce. Established more than five decades ago and headquartered in Friesland, Wis., Alsum Farms and Produce is a vertically integrated family-owned farm, packing facility and logistics company. Committed to sustainability and stewardship of the soil, Alsum Farms grows 3,000 acres of Wisconsin Healthy Grown Certified Alsum Potatoes along with pumpkins. For more information, visit www.alsum.com.