Bakersfield Farmer Again Leads Industry Communications & Policy Committee of United States Potato Board

DENVER—(March 25, 2008) Ronald Lehr, Jr., of Bakersfield, CA, was re-elected to serve on the United States Potato Board (USPB) Executive Committee at the organization’s 36th Annual Meeting, March 12-14. Lehr begins his second year as co-chairman of the Industry Communications & Policy Committee, overseeing all USPB communications and policy work.

Lehr is president of his family’s California farming operation, Lehr Brothers, Inc. He is beginning his fifth year as a USPB Board member. “I got involved with the Board to better understand the potato industry and how the USPB serves it,” Lehr said. “This experience has really opened my eyes to both domestic and international trends, and where the potato fits.  I’m amazed at all the information and research the USPB provides the industry to promote potatoes.”

The farming legacy in Lehr’s family spans three generations. His grandfather established Lehr Brothers in 1936 after moving to Bakersfield from South Dakota. Ronald Lehr, Sr. and Jr. expanded the business, where, today, they produce about 2,500 acres of potatoes, both conventionally and organically grown. Additionally, they grow 500 acres of citrus, 400 acres of carrots, and various grain and cover crops as rotation. After graduating from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, CA in 1987, Lehr returned to the farm and ran the packing shed for 10 years. As president, he now oversees the entire farming operation.

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David Fairbourn is Manager, Industry Communications & Policy, at the United States Potato Board in Denver. The mission of the USPB is to increase demand for potatoes and potato products through an integrated promotion program, thereby providing US producers with expanding markets for their production. David can be contacted at 303-369-7783 or david.fairbourn@uspotatoes.com. For complete information about the programs, ROI results, resources and tools available to all members of the industry through the USPB, please visit www.uspotatoes.com. The United States Potato Board -- Maximizing Return on Grower Investment.