b"Launching Potato LEAF During A Year Of Turmoilby Shelley Olsen, LJ Olsen, Inc. and Potato LEAF ChairWhen we launched Potato LEAF at toreportthatwehavealreadyJanuarys Potato Expo, the outlook reached an incredible $1.85 millionfor 2020 couldnt be brighter. Sales of that $2 million goal. were strong, consumer demand wasup,tradeagreementswithvital I want to thank the more than 70exportmarketswerebeingsigned. individual growers as well as all theYetasoptimisticallyastheyear businesses, allied partners, and statebeganforourindustryandour andnationalpotatoorganizationscountry, it unraveled a few months whohavedonatedduringPotatolaterastheworldlockeddownto Leafs inaugural year, thereby ensur-combatthemostdevastatingpan- ing the foundation will continue todemic in a century.meet its mission for years to come.The resiliency and forward-lookingNPCPotatoLEAF(orasitsformally natureofourindustryhasnevercalled,thePotatoLeadership, been more apparent. Education,andAdvancementFoundation) could have easily with- While much of this year has beenMessageered in the field. After all, when we challenging, Potato LEAFs signatureannouncedthenewindustry-sup- programthePotatoIndustryported nonprofit organization dedi- LeadershipInstitutebenefitedcated to growing future leaders we from fortuitous timing. A few weekssetanambitious2020fundraising beforethepandemicshutdowngoal of $2 million.D.C. and the rest of the country, theClass of 2020 came together in lateThats right. Two million dollars. In Februarytotrain24outstandinga year when demand dried up and potato growers and industry repre-growers were donating potatoes by sentatives for eight days of leader-thetruckloadtofoodbanks,we ship and professional development. were asking the industry to pony upcashforanabstractmissionlike Thisyear'sclasskickedoffinleadership.Detroit,Michigan,wheretheclassreceivedanoverviewofthelocalEvenso,asIwritethisinearly andnationalpotatoindustry,October, I am pleased and humbled includingsomeofthechallenges8 POTATO GROWER NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2020"