b'People, Product NewsIndustry Applauds Opening Of theannouncementoftheChina sionaldevelopment.Inthefuture,Chinese Market For Fresh PhaseOneTradeAgreementin thePotatoLEAForganizationwillChipping Potatoes January to allow the Chinese market fundPILI,scholarships,andothertoopen.Todaysannouncementis leadershipdevelopmenteffortsforChinaisallowingtheimportation 20yearsinthemakingandwill the industry. of U.S. fresh potatoes for first time. allowChineseconsumersfortheU.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny firsttimetoenjoypotatochips McGovern joins board chair ShelleyPerdueandUnitedStatesTrade sourced from high-quality U.S. fresh Olsen of LJ Olsen, Inc. and membersRepresentativeRobertLighthizer potatoes. We look forward to devel- RJ Andrus of Idahoan Foods, GreggannouncedthatChinahastaken oping and expanding this vital mar- Halverson of Black Gold Farms, Dannumerousactionstobeginimple- ket. Moss of Moss Ag/Arrowhead Potatomenting its agriculture-related com- Co.,andRichardPavelskiofmitments under the landmark U.S.- China is currently a top 10 export Heartland Farms as a voting mem-ChinaPhaseOneEconomicand market for U.S. potatoes, primarily berofPotatoLEAF.Non-votingTrade Agreement on schedule. The in processed products. With a com- directorsincludeKamQuarles,agreemententeredintoforceon binationofcompetitivetariffsand National Potato Council CEO, BlairFebruary 14, 2020. enhancedmarketaccess,China Richardson, Potatoes USA CEO, andcould become a top five market in ShawnBoyle,IdahoGrowersSpecificallyfortheU.S.potato the near future. ShippersAssociationpresidentandindustry, the actions include signing general counsel.ahistoricprotocolthatallowsthe Potato LEAF WelcomesimportationofU.S.freshchipping McGovern To Board The organization also announced itpotatoesfromthestatesof has reached nearly $1.1 million inWashington, Oregon, and Idaho. Thisweek,KeithMcGovern, directcontributionsandpledges,PresidentofR.D.OffuttFarm, more than half of its $2 million goalThe U.S. potato industry welcomes joinedtheboardofthePotato for2020.TosupportPotatoLEAFthis important announcement that Leadership,Education,and withyourtax-deductiblecontribu-will allow U.S. fresh potatoes to be Advancement Foundation (LEAF), a tion, visit www.pleaf.org.exportedtoChinaforthefirst neworganizationlaunchedintime,saidNPCVicePresidentof Januarydesignedtoensurelong- Progress on Implementation OfTradeAffairsJaredBalcom.Wed term funding to support the devel- China Phase One Agreementlike to thank the dedicated officials opmentofnewleaderswithinthefromUSDAsAnimalPlantHealth U.S. potato industry. U.S.secretaryofagricultureSonnyInspectionService(APHIS)and Perdue announced today that ChinaForeignAgriculturalService(FAS) The announcement comes just one has continued its progress in imple-and the U.S. Trade Representatives weekaftertheconclusionofthis menting the U.S.-China Phase Oneoffice (USTR) for their efforts to pro- yearsPotatoIndustryLeadership Economic and Trade Agreement andvide U.S. potato industry this oppor- Institute(PILI)training,which has taken several additional actionstunity.Numerouslatenightcalls broughttogether24outstanding to realize its agriculture-related com-betweenUSDAandtheirChinese potato growers and industry repre- mitments.Theagreemententeredcounterpartshaveoccurredsince sentatives for eight days of profes- intoforceonFeb.14,andthe28 POTATO GROWER APRIL 2020'