b"2023 NPGA Annual Meritorious Service Award and Chairmans BanquetThe 2023 Annual Northland Potatoonprocessand GrowersAssociations Chairmansseedpotatoes. andMeritoriousServiceAward Brian had a leader-BanquetwasheldattheAlerusshiproleinbring-CenterinGrandForks,NorthingtheCavendish Dakota on Tuesday, February 21st.Farmsplantto Jamestown,North PeterImleisthenewNPGADakotaandhas Chairman,replacingDavidFedjebeenactivein fromHoople,NorthDakota.Petermanyagandcivic farmsover5,000acresinPolk,organizations.NPGA President, Donavon Johnson (left) presents Mike Oosterwijk, North Dakota State Seed Department with Pennington,andClearwatercoun- the NPGAs Industry Meritorious Service Award.ties90milesEastofGrandForks,TheIndustry North Dakota. 450 of those acres areMeritoriousSer-dedicated to potato production eachviceAwardwas year. The farm is located in a seedreceivedbyMike quarantine area and all acres are cer- Oosterwijk.tified. MikeisaSuper-They started as a wild rice farm andvisorandSeed still raise 2,000 to 2,700 acres eachInspectorforthe year. They also grow soybeans andNorth Dakota State some dry yellow peas. Peters fatherSeedDepartment. NPGA President, Donavon Johnson (left) presents Brian andapartnerstartedthefarmonHehasbeenwithVculekwiththeNPGAsGrowerMeritoriousService 110 rented acres in the fall of 1971.the department forAward.Peter is married with three daugh- over45years.His ters and two grandsons. duties include the daily running ofTheentertainmentportionofthe the office, distributing assignmentsnightwaslightmusicbyJazzOn TheGrowerMeritoriousServicetothestaffastheycomein,alsoTap.AwardwaspresentedtoBrianproviding all necessary information VculekfromCrete,NorthDakota.to the growers, this is very impor- TheNPGAwouldliketothank The Vculeks have been raising pota- tant in the potato regulatory busi- HoopleFarmersGrainCompany, toessince1989andhavegrownness,andmakingsureallcorrectOtto Ag and all of the sponsors who potatoes for all four sectors over theprocedures are being followed.help make this event successful year years; fresh, frozen processing, seed after year.and chip. The banquet was well attended with around200growersandindustry TodayBrian'sfamilyconcentratespeople.26 POTATO GROWER MARCH 2023"