Wisconsin potato growers should be looking for ballots in the mail and planning to vote in the Wisconsin Potato Industry Board elections to be held April 14-April 30, according to the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection.
Potato Districts 1, 2, 3 and 4 have board positions to be filled. Three districts have incumbent candidates running unopposed.
Write-in candidates are needed in District 1 and are accepted in all four districts:
- District 1 - "Write-In" election
- District 2 - Tom Wild, Antigo (Incumbent)
- District 3 - William Wysocki, Plover (Incumbent)
- District 4 - Steve Diercks, Coloma (Incumbent)
Farmers who grow and sell potatoes on five or more acres in Potato Districts 1, 2, 3 and 4 are eligible to vote. Counties making up those districts are:
- District 1 - Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Florence, Forest, Iron, Lincoln, Marinette, Oneida, Pepin, Pierce, Polk, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, St. Croix, Taylor, Vilas, and Washburn counties.
- District 2 - Brown Door, Kewaunee, Langlade, Menominee and Oconto counties.
- District 3 - Marathon, Outagamie, Portage, Shawano, and Waupaca counties.
- District 4 - Adams, Buffalo, Crawford, Green Lake, Jackson, Juneau, La Crosse, Marquette, Monroe, Richland, Sauk, Trempealeau, Vernon, Waushara, and Wood counties.
The Wisconsin Potato Industry Board is made up of ten potato growers who have been elected by state potato producers. The Board is responsible for budget approval and managing over $950,000 in grower-funded promotion and research money annually.
Potato growers who do not receive a ballot by April 16 should call Noel Favia at 800-942-2474. Results of the election will be announced in May.