Quality over quantity is the watchword for the 2022 russet crop in Idaho, as growers grappled with increased input costs and weather challenges that led to fewer acres being planted.

“The potato quality looks amazing this year — maybe the best in recent memory,” said Travis Blacker, vice president of industry relations and research for the Idaho Potato Commission. “I’ve heard from growers all over the state that they are really impressed with the potatoes they dug during this year’s harvest.”

Church Bros. is expanding its team and promoting staff within ag operations to support its growing foodservice and retail business.

Brian Hunt, recently appointed senior vice president of ag operations, is restructuring and expanding the ag operations leadership team to support his vision of increased alignment across the organization. This new structure will create continuity across each of the new directors who will be responsible for their assigned crops, enhancing yields and increasing customer satisfaction.

The traditional russet may be the darling of Idaho potato lovers, but the state’s red and yellow tubers have a growing fan base, thanks to their standout skin coloring. In fact, Idaho is now the No. 1 supplier of yellow potatoes in the United States.

Norman William Amling died Dec. 24 after a battle with cancer. He was a long-time resident of Orange California and a faithful member of St. John's Lutheran Church of Orange. Never afraid of hard work, Mr. Amling had been a farmer, a truck driver and a business owner. He was probably known best for his understanding and appreciation of flowers and agriculture in general.

Deb Conklin will become KeHE’s president and CEO on April 1, and Brandon Barnholt will move into the executive chairman role. Barnholt, who turns 65 in April, has been the company’s president and CEO for 15 years and helped lead the company through a time of extraordinary growth.

During Barnholt's tenure, KeHE expanded from a Midwest specialty distributor to the largest pure play distributor of specialty, natural, organic and fresh products in North America, including the acquisition of Tree of Life, Nature’s Best and Monterrey Provisions.

Michael (Mike) Bozick, who spent more than five decades at Richard Bagdasarian Inc. and nearly four decades as a board commissioner for the California Table Grape Commission, died peacefully on Dec. 22 in the Coachella Valley, a community he grew to love. He was 91.

Mr. Bozick was born in Masontown, PA, a company coal mining town, to Nicholas and Minnie Bozick, and was the sixth of seven children.