At the annual general meeting of the United Potato Growers of Canada, March 13, 2023, members elected Wayne Rempel, CEO of Kroeker Farms, Manitoba, as the new chair. He takes over the position from potato grower RayKeenan of Rollo Bay Holdings in PEI.

Gord Medynski, director of sales, purchasing & business development of Dolbec Potatoes, Québec, was elected vice-chair. He brings a greal deal of experience to the role, as part of a five-member executive board at Les Producteurs dePommes de Terre du Québec. Matt Hemphill, executive director of Potatoes New Brunswick has been elected as thenew treasurer.  Greg Donald, general manager of the PEI Potato was elected secretary.

The UPGC also announces representatives of each potato-growing province as directors: Michelle Flis (director, LesProducteurs de Pommes de Terre du Quebec); Dan Sawatsky (manager, Keystone Potato Producers Association);Kevin Brubacher (general manager, Ontario Potato Board); Shawn Brenn (chair, Ontario Potato Board); John Visser(chair, PEI Potato Board); Rachel Durepos (Atlantic Potato Distributors Ltd, New Brunswick); Terence Hochstein(executive director, Potato Growers of Alberta); Matthew Lawless (president, Saskatchewan Seed Potato GrowersAssociation); Kevin Nickel (vice-president, Saskatchewan Seed Potato Growers Association); Hugh Reynolds(Reynalda Farms, Delta, BC); Cory Gerrard (Swenson Farms, Delta, BC)

“Potatoes are a weather crop which brings inherent risk, and with today’s high cost of production it is imperative thatsupply and demand be matched as best as it can with up-to-date information on a timely basis,” said outgoing chair Ray Keenan.

“We are a data-driven association, in continual exchange of data with our sister organization the United Potato Growersof America as well,” continued Keenan. “UPGC has become the only organization that sits down with UPGA on aweekly basis to discuss supply and demand along with crop reports from different areas so growers can better meet theneeds of our consumers and customers.”

United Potato Growers of Canada was formed in February 2006 by the Provincial Potato Boards in Canada and represents 98 per cent of the Canadian potato industry. Its mission is to improve the marketing of potatoes via the development of better market information and analysis, and to develop stronger communication and cooperation between the grower organizations across Canada.

Source:  United Potato Growers of Canada March 13, 2023 news release