Spudman April 2023 - 12

A third-generation farmer's
advocacy efforts get traction
Andrus already working to aid the nation's potato growers
By Todd Foltz
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
T
he National Potato Council has
a new president, RJ Andrus. His
ambitious goals for representing
the interests of the nation's spud
producers are no small potatoes. Getting
the new Farm Bill passed tops the list.
Andrus, a third-generation farmer
who owns Hamer, Idaho-based TBR
Farms, was elected March 3 for a year's
term during the Washington D.C.-based
council's annual meeting, and he's already
getting down to business. The council
sent a letter to Congress endorsing a
bill that would support agricultural
transportation and infrastructure.
According to the council's letter to
House and Senate leadership, the Safer
Highways and Increased Performance for
Interstate Trucking Act (SHIP IT) would
bolster the nation's driver workforce with:
* Two years of tax incentives to
qualified drivers and authorization
for additional parking facilities.
* Improved truck productivity and
environmental efficiency by allowing
states to opt into pilot programs to
permit trucks with at least six axles
weighing up to 91,000 miles on
interstate highways.
" I'm confident we'll get traction, "
Andrus said. " We have good friends on
both sides of the aisle. "
RJ Andrus was elected president of the National Potato Council on March 3 for
a year's term during the Washington, D.C.-based council's annual meeting.
Photos: National Potato Council
FARM BILL ADVOCACY
Farm Bill advocacy will be a critical
task for the council during Andrus'
presidency. Andrus said the Farm Bill is
always a key concern for growers because
it oversees everything farm related.
Funding for research into the use
of pesticides and the application of
fertilizers can significantly influence
the potato industry's ability to improve,
" I always say, 'Get involved.' When we descend
on Capitol Hill, we do it en masse. We have great
numbers participating, and we need more. It
is so crucial to keep lawmakers apprised of our
priorities. We need young people to get involved. "
- RJ Andrus
12
Spudman * April 2023
so growers need to become advocates,
Andrus said. He added that potato
production alone infuses the nation's
economy with an estimated $100.9
billion annually, according to the
council and a new report authored by
Michigan State economists.
To achieve the legislative results
the potato industry needs the 2023
Farm Bill to address, Andrus will
work with the Specialty Crop Farm
Bill Alliance, a coalition of more than
200 specialty crop organizations to
which the potato council belongs. At
the beginning of February, the alliance
sent a report to Congress outlining
the needs of fruit, vegetable and nut
producers. The letter highlighted
more than 100 specific points that the
produce industry wants addressed in
the Farm Bill.

Spudman April 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Spudman April 2023

Spudman April 2023 - 1
Spudman April 2023 - 1A
Spudman April 2023 - 2A
Spudman April 2023 - 2
Spudman April 2023 - 3
Spudman April 2023 - 4
Spudman April 2023 - 5
Spudman April 2023 - 6
Spudman April 2023 - 7
Spudman April 2023 - 8
Spudman April 2023 - 9
Spudman April 2023 - 10
Spudman April 2023 - 11
Spudman April 2023 - 12
Spudman April 2023 - 13
Spudman April 2023 - 14
Spudman April 2023 - 15
Spudman April 2023 - 16
Spudman April 2023 - 17
Spudman April 2023 - 18
Spudman April 2023 - 19
Spudman April 2023 - 20
Spudman April 2023 - 21
Spudman April 2023 - 22
Spudman April 2023 - 23
Spudman April 2023 - 24
Spudman April 2023 - 25
Spudman April 2023 - 26
Spudman April 2023 - 27
Spudman April 2023 - 28
Spudman April 2023 - 29
Spudman April 2023 - 30
Spudman April 2023 - 31
Spudman April 2023 - 32
Spudman April 2023 - 33
Spudman April 2023 - 34
Spudman April 2023 - 35
Spudman April 2023 - 36
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/july-august-2024
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https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/march-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-january-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-november-december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-september-october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-july-august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-may-june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-january-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-november-december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-september-october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/spudman-july-august-2022
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https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/january-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/november-december-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/september-october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/july-august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/may-june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/january-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/november-december-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/september-october-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/july-august-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/may-june-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/april-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/march-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/january-2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/november-december-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/september-october-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/july-august-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/may-june-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/april-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/march-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/february-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/basf-2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/greatamericanmediaservices/SPUD/january-2019
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