John Halverson of Arbyrd, Mo., was elected chair of Potatoes USA on March 16 at the organization’s annual meeting in Denver. 2017-18 will be his fifth year on the board and his third year on its executive committee. In 2015, Halverson served as co-chair of Potatoes USA’s domestic marketing committee, and in 2016 he served as co-chair of the international marketing committee.
Halverson has been involved with potato production his entire life and works out of Black Gold Farms’ business unit in Arbyrd, Mo. Black Gold Farms is a global production, sales and service operation, specializing in potatoes for the chip, fresh and seed markets. Sweet potatoes, wheat, corn and soybeans are also grown on their farms. Halverson is primarily involved in the chip-stock and fresh sectors of the industry through Black Gold.
“I have a passion for potatoes,” says Halverson. “It is what my family has done for generations, and we all love it with a passion. My brother, Eric, and sister, Leah, and I are fourth-generation farmers in our business, which dates back to 1928 in the Red River Valley of North Dakota.”