Nomination Period Now Open for Wisconsin Potato Industry Board Election

MADISON, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is accepting nominations through March 29, 2024 for three seats on the Wisconsin Potato Industry Board.

Producers who grow and sell potatoes in the following districts are eligible to nominate other producers or be nominated to the board: 

• District 1: Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Brown, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Door, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Forest, Iron, Kewaunee, Langlade, Lincoln, Marinette, Menominee, Oconto, Oneida, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, St. Croix, Taylor, Vilas, and Washburn counties.

• District 2: Marathon, Outagamie, Portage, Shawano, Waupaca, and Waushara counties.

• District 3: Adams, Buffalo, Calumet, Columbia, Crawford, Dane, Dodge, Fond du Lac, Grant, Green, Green Lake, Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kenosha, La Crosse, Lafayette, Manitowoc, Marquette, Milwaukee, Monroe, Ozaukee, Racine, Richland, Rock, Sauk, Sheboygan, Trempealeau, Vernon, Walworth, Washington, Waukesha, Winnebago, and Wood counties.

DATCP will mail nomination forms to eligible producers. Growers must sign, notarize, and postmark completed nomination forms by March 29, 2024 and include signatures from at least five eligible growers other than the nominee. Producers should mail completed nomination forms to: Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, Market Order Program, P.O. Box 8911, Madison, WI  53708-8911. Eligible producers who have not received a nomination form by March 15, 2024 or who have other questions about the nomination process should email DATCPMarketOrders@wisconsin.gov.

DATCP will conduct the Wisconsin Potato Industry Board election from May 10 through June 15, 2024. Elected board members will serve three-year terms from July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2027.

About the Wisconsin Potato Industry Board
The Wisconsin Potato Industry Board is composed of nine producers in three districts across the state, with one at-large members elected every third year. The board oversees the collection and use of approximately $2 million in annual assessment fees paid by Wisconsin potato growers. This funding is used to support the potato industry through research, consumer education, and promotion of Wisconsin-grown potatoes.

DATCP administers elections for Wisconsin commodity marketing boards. To learn more about the market order boards, visit https://datcp.wi.gov/Pages/About_Us/MarketingBoards.aspx.