b'75 Years in a Nutshellby Ted Kreis, NPPGA Marketing and Communications DirectorResearch Lab is established. 2,500 members in 22 counties in the1950 Dr.R.H.BobJohansen Red River Valley.begins working as a potato horticul- 1963 BobPribulaofruralEastturistatNDSU.Hewouldgoonto Grand Forks designs the first moderndevelop 15 potato varieties in his 42 storage, washing, grading and packag-years at NDAC (NDSU). The Edinburg, ing plant.The idea becomes a realityNorth Dakota native is considered one withtheopeningoftheOslo(MN)of the most prolific potato breeders of Potato Company.all time. 1964The Red River Valley Potato1951 ThePotatoImprovement, Processing Laboratory building is con-MarketingandAdvertisingActis structednearTheRRVPGAofficeinpassedintheNorthDakota EastGrandForks.ConstructionisLegislature. largely funded by the RRVPGA.The 1953Lyle W. Currie hired as the labwas,andstillisajointventuresecondExecutiveSecretaryofthe withtheUSDA,theUniversityofAs our growers association celebrates RRVPGA. MinnesotaandNorthDakotaStateits 75th year, we are looking back at1956The RRVPGA purchass 466 University.some of the regions potato history in acres of land 5 miles south of Grand1964The Norgold Russet is intro-aseriesofthreearticles;thisisthe Forks and establishes the nations first duced.third and final article.The first article andonlygrower-ownedpotato 1965 -ThePotatoImprovement,inthisserieswastitledThe research farm. MarketingandAdvertisingActisBeginning and wrote about the birth1958The Norland red potato vari- declaredunconstitutionalbytheof the potato industry in the Red River ety is released by NDAC.North Dakota Supreme Court.Valley.The second article was The1959The University of Minnesota1965Martin Kasperson is hired asBirthoftheGrowersAssociation. potato breeding program begins and is theRRVPGAsthirdExecutiveFinally, this article will wrap things up headed by Dr. Florian Lauer. Secretary.highlightingmajoreventsoverthe 1960sTwomajorpotatochip1966The first annual Potato Bowlpast 75 years.plants operate in the ValleyRed Dot Parade is held in Grand Forks, a jointFoods in Grand Forks and Scotts/Old venture between the RRVPGAand the 1946The Red River Valley Potato DutchinEastGrandForks.Three University of North Dakota.GrowersAssociation(RRVPGA)is more plants are operating in southern1968The Norchip variety is intro-formed on October 18th.E.J. Taintor Manitoba. ducedandbecomesthedominantis the first Chairman of the Board and 1960 PolarPotatoProductsInc. chipping variety in the Valley.Bill Chase is named the first Executive begins operating a flake plant in Park 1968 ThepositionofAreaSecretary. River,ND.By1961fourotherflake Extension Agent for Potatoes is creat-1947 OnJanuary29ththefirst plants are operating in the Valley. edinajointventureofNDSU,theannualmeetingisheldattheEast1961The Red River Valley is intro- UniversityofMinnesotaandtheGrand Forks High School Auditorium. ducedtofrozenprocessingwiththe RRVPGA.Ed Plissy is the first to hold 1947The associations first mem- openingofJiffyFryInc.,in that position. bership drive is held at the Ryan Hotel Crookston, Minnesota. and the Frozen1968Martin Kasperson resigns atin Grand Forks on April 11th. ProcessingProductsCompanyin RRVPGA Executive Secretary and Cliff 1948The Red River Valley Potato Grand Forks, North Dakota. Hagen takes his place.1961 Theassociationboastsof 1969 TheNorthDakotaSeed4 POTATO GROWER JULY/AUGUST 2021'