USPB CEO Impressed with Industry's Collaboration and Cooperation

Today we are checking with United States Potato Board's CEO Blair Richardson who has been at the helm since early August. Since then he has spent a considerable amount of time on the road, meeting with growers, shippers, processors and associations across the country as he explains

Richardson: "Well mostly over the last couple of months, I've been out of the office more than in the office, I think. We've been going around visiting with different growers and organizations around the industry and across the country. Just trying to learn the industry and learn the products and get a feel for what some of the key issues are."

I asked him what has impressed him the most about the potato industry. He shares

Richardson: "One of the things that I think is very impressive about this industry is how well it cooperates on key issues. When there is something like market access into Mexico that is on the table. The communication and the interaction on that and just the general cooperation is very impressive. It's just not within the United State Potato group -- it is the state organizations, the Potato Council even with the USDA and government agencies that have been involved. It's been really nice to see that everyone can come together on something important such as that."