Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Maine Department of Agriculture Commissioner Walter Whitcomb is getting very familiar with Aroostook County. The Waldo resident has made four trips to the region in the last several weeks. His more recent trek was to speak at the Maine Potato Board’s 25th annual meeting and dinner, which was held March 18 in Presque Isle.
SEVERAL PAST PRESIDENTS of the Maine Potato Board were in attendance at the board’s March 18 annual meeting and dinner. Pictured are, from left, front row: Richard Kneeland of Easton (1987), Brian Campbell of Exeter (1993), who traveled from Florida to attend; Robert Bartlett of Littleton (1994), Maylen Kenney of Mapleton (1991), Bruce Roope of Presque Isle (1996) and Willard Doyen III of Mapleton (1997). Back row: Andrew McGlinn of Presque Isle (1998), Andrew Yaeger of Westfield (1999 and 2000), Thomas Qualey of Smyrna (2001 and 2002), Seth Bradstreet III of Newport (2003 and 2004), Dominic LaJoie of Van Buren (2007 and 2008), and Murray Blackstone of Caribou (2009). This is the Maine Potato Board’s 25th anniversary.
“There are a lot of days when I really don’t mind clearing my head by driving up here,” said Whitcomb, who was a member of the Legislature’s agriculture committee when the Maine Potato Board was formed. “We’re monitoring 100 pieces of legislation in the ag department right now. Many of them are well intended, but there are some that aren’t quite so helpful. We have a professional staff that spend a lot of time studying the intent of the legislation and then try to determine what might happen if that legislation were enacted. Then we present our opinion to the committee who will set policy. Needless to say, we’re busy in Augusta.”
Whitcomb said a recent accomplishment those in the potato industry should be proud of is the addition of funding the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program to the state budget.
“It’s not officially in there yet,” he said, “but we expect the money to be there for one year anyway. That will allow a great program to continue.”
The IPM program takes an active role in promoting and facilitating the use of IPM; best management practices that emphasize quality production and health while minimizing reliance on pesticides. The IPM program provides leadership and technical expertise to farms and communities through education, demonstration and outreach activities.
Whitcomb, who was sworn into office Feb. 8, told the more than 100 guests in attendance, that he is enjoying what he’s doing.
“I feel a little bit like a kid coming back home to the family table after being away at an FFA or 4-H gathering. I’ve been doing a lot of things and have met a lot of people and would love to tell you all about it, but I really don’t have the time,” he laughed.
“Sometimes in this position you have to make some decisions that aren’t always fun and you have to make some decisions you wish you didn’t have to make, but it’s a great group to work with,” he said. “It makes me proud I can represent you. I look forward to continuing our working relationship, and look forward to you folks coming down to both visit and to work with us. I know there are some challenges ahead, but we’ll get through them.”
During the annual dinner and meeting, which was held at the Presque Isle Inn & Convention Center, two awards were given out — the Maine Agri-Women’s 2011 Agri-Woman of the Year, which was given to Gloria Goughan of Caribou, and the Maine Potato Board President’s Award, which MPB President Brandon Roope presented to Seth Bradstreet III of Newport. Bradstreet was the agriculture commissioner under Gov. John E. Baldacci and is now back on the Maine Potato Board.
After graduating high school and attending the University of Maine, Bradstreet joined the family farm where he helped raise seed potatoes for 30 years. While working on the farm, Bradstreet found time to serve both his community and the industry. He was named the MPB’s Young Farmer of the Year in 1994.
“His leadership was put to use in the industry when in 1997 he served his first of five terms on the Maine Potato Seed Executive Council, and in 1999 served his first of three terms on the Maine Potato Board and was elected president of the board in 2003 and 2004,” said Roope. “While a member of the board, he was directly involved in issues that had a huge impact on our industry such as development of the management for a plan for potato wart, potato mop top virus, the state’s water withdrawal flow rule standards, and irrigation farming.
The 2011 Maine Potato Board members were also introduced at the annual meeting. They include: Brandon Roope, president, of Presque Isle; Mark Tarr, vice president, of Washburn; Erica Fitzpatrick-Peabody, secretary, of Houlton; Murray Blackstone, ex-officio, of Caribou; Seth Bradstreet III of Newport; Kramer Bell, Gregg Garrison and Greg McCrum, all of Mars Hill; Scott Irving of Caribou, Shawn Doyen of Mapleton, and Shawn Mullen and Noah Winslow of Presque Isle.
