iPhones, iPads, Androids, Blackberries, etc. For many in the potato industry, these technological wonders help us do our jobs more efficiently, thereby allowing us to be far more productive day-in and day-out. And whether it is staying connected to our customers, connected to our office or connected to our families and friends when traveling for business, we always have the latest news and information in our pocket and immediately accessible.
To that end, U.S. potato growers have entrusted the United States Potato Board to invest their three cents per hundredweight assessment for ".carrying out of an effective and continuous coordinated program of research, development, advertising, and promotion designed to strengthen potatoes' competitive position, and to maintain and expand domestic and foreign markets for potatoes and potato products (Potato Research and Promotion Act, 7 U.S.C. 2611-2627)."
From that, the mission of the USPB Industry Communications and Policy (ICP) Department remains steadfast: Communicate the USPB's role in increasing demand for potatoes and potato products and the return on investment growers receive from their investment into the USPB. Continually, effectively and efficiently communicating to the entire U.S. potato industry how the USPB is "Maximizing Return on Grower Investment" remains our singular focus.it also remains our greatest challenge.
At Potato Expo 2012 in Orlando in January, that challenge became a huge opportunity when USPB ICP officially launched its smartphone app. Available for iPhone, iPad and Android, the U.S. Potato Board App can be found in the Apple App Store and the Android Market.
The new USPB App is a simple, clean interface designed with one, and only one, purpose in mind: Keeping you connected to your USPB. The new USPB App delivers just four feeds:
"Potato Board Near You"-a newly created feature (that also lives on uspotatoes.com) giving the industry the complete rundown of all the state winter meetings and trade shows the USPB attended and a member of the Executive Committee delivered the annual Board Update. In some cases, a second, more in-depth staff presentation, and newly created for 2012, a "USPB Industry Dialogue" session held in four states;
Industry Update-the current month's issues, usually two;
U.S. Potato Update-the current month's radio programs, generally four, 90-second audio programs and printed transcript;
Press Releases-the most recent three releases from the USPB.
As we said, a simple, clean interface designed with one, and only one, purpose in mind: Keeping you connected to your USPB. And when you allow the USPB App to send you notifications, anytime there is a new Industry Update, U.S. Potato Update or Press Release available for reading or listening, the "red number badge" will appear on the USPB App telling you there is new content. Simply launch the USPB App and the new stories will always appear in date chronological order, top to bottom-how easy is that?!
Keeping you connected to your USPB just got a lot easier and faster with the new USPB App. Download it today from the Apple App Store or the Android Market and get connected!