Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer has named Stacy A. Kniveton of Othello, Wash., to serve on the National Potato Promotion Board as a producer member.
The term begins March 1 and ends Feb. 28, 2012.
Kniveton, of Johnson Agriprises Inc., is a member of the Washington State Potato Commission research committee. He has about 1,700 acres of potatoes.
Authorized under the 1971 Potato Research and Promotion Act, the board is composed of producers, importers and a public member appointed by the Secretary. 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 potato board administers an industry-funded national research and promotion program to increase U.S. exports and domestic potato consumption. USDA's Agricultural Marketing Service monitors the operations of the board.