April 2021 - 31

One industry, one goal
Henry Ford
UNITED POTATO
GROWERS OF
AMERICA
Buzz Shahan
Chief Operating
Officer
said, " Coming
together is a
beginning, staying
together is progress,
and working together
is success. "
Slice and dice
potato production
however you like; it
remains a business,
nothing else. As with
any business, its
primary goal is to
make a profit for its owner commensurate
with investment.
While industry aspects of potato packing,
sales and processing take exceptionally
good care of themselves, the same cannot
always be said of producers. Since producers
lie at the bottom of the economic heap -
producers accept total risk for weather's
vagaries, plant-pathogen attacks and market
misfortune - and since producers make it
all happen in the first place, one would think
that producers would shore up their tenuous
position in every possible way.
While some producing regions have
followed Henry's admonition of coming
together, some having reached success and
beyond, others have not.
Henry Ford produced cars. He began with
the Model A in 1903 and switched to the
Model T in 1908. Between 1903 and 1908,
Ford innovated mass production. The Model T
resulted, specifically designed with production
efficiency in mind. Henry's first Model T sold
for about $1,200. Five years later, Ford's
production innovations had lowered the price to
just over $600. Ford sold a total of 15 million
Model Ts, a remarkable feat even today.
While Henry Ford was a remarkable
innovator, most importantly he was a market
realist. He knew that if he produced cars
more efficiently than anyone else - and no
one came close - he would succeed. That
was his market strategy, and it worked.
As a potato producer, where in your
business plan do you find the market
data upon which to build your production
strategy? If you don't use market data for your
production strategy, what data do you use?
The fortunate thing about the potatoproduction
business is that its consumer
base loves and wants its product. When the
The fortunate thing about
the potato-production
business is that its
consumer base loves and
wants its product.
global pandemic hit, the first item off grocery
shelves was toilet paper followed closely by
potatoes. Toilet paper stands alone in its
category while potatoes face competition
from every aisle in the grocery store.
With all of that to choose from, why the
potato? Because consumers love it, trust
it, and can afford it, always. With such
endorsement, why don't potato producers
come together everywhere to support a
business model that consistently performs
on their behalf? Where certain producers
INDUSTRY NEWS
BRIAN SACKETT HONORED BY MICHIGAN STATE
Brian Sackett of Sackett Potatoes
in Mecosta, Michigan, will receive the
Michigan State University (MSU) College of
Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR)
Distinguished Service Award.
The CANR award honors individuals
or partners who have made outstanding
contributions to Michigan's agriculture
and natural resources industries, and who
possess high standards of integrity and
character to positively reflect and enhance
the prestige of the college.
Sackett, along with his son Tyler,
manages Sackett Potatoes, located in
Mecosta County. The family has been
growing potatoes in Michigan since 1905.
Under Brian's management leadership over
the last 10 years, Sackett Potatoes has
grown to a total of 18,000 acres across
three states. The primary crop grown is
7,500 acres of potatoes for the potato
chip industry.
Brian combines three decades of potato
farming experience with today's newest
potato farming technology to meet the
demands of modern business. He is
continually upgrading the potato storages to
have state-of-the-art technology to deliver
high quality potatoes to customers. Their
long-term crop rotation practices provide
nutrient balance, prevent pest build-up and
avoids the establishment of resistant pest
strains. The potato storage facilities have
been upgraded with computer-controlled
ventilation equipment and humicells,
a plant health enhancer. This provides
year-round potatoes to customers with the
shipment of potatoes out of storage from
November to June.
He furthers MSU potato research by
hosting the MSU Potato Breeding and
Genetics Common Scab Screening trial
each year on his farm. He has hosted
additional soil health research plots on his
farm with Dr. Bird and Dr. Liu over the last
two decades. For the past eight years and
continuing annually, Sackett donates an
acre of land for MSU researchers to screen
the breeding material for scab resistance,
or rot prevention. He also hosts Potatoes
USA NexGen trials and, for the last 15
years, he has brought national recognition
to MSU technology and champions
commercialization of MSU-developed
varieties. In addition, he donates hundreds
of dollars' worth of potato seeds for MSU
research trialing purposes.
- Michigan State University
Spudman * April 2021
31
of America's favorite vegetable have come
together the results are stunning. This has
happened because they include national
potato-supply data in their planning.
The trick is having access to it. UPGA's
comprehensive database answers that
question in exquisite detail for every potato
producer that wants it.
Like Ford, North American potato
producers have mastered production. Name
a vegetable category that can compete in
terms of nutritional value per consumer
dollar. You can't.
You can, however, name countless
vegetables that consistently remunerate their
producers with strong financial positions.
Potato production does the same for certain
producers, and not for others.
The difference is simple: Consistently
profitable producers have access to vital
market data and they utilize it.
April 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of April 2021
