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110 / OCTOBER 2018 / PRODUCE BUSINESS
nWHAT’S NEW IN THE RED RIVER VALLEY?
ASSOCIATED POTATO GROWERS INC., Grand Forks, ND
The largest fresh potato packer in the Red River Valley has a new chief execu- tive. Carrington, ND, native Bryan Miller brings 20 years of farming and ranching experience. Miller also ran a manufac- turing plant in Jamestown, ND, for 15 years. Miller joined the staff in August to begin the leadership transition with the current general manager, Paul Dolan. Dolan, who has been with APGI for 25 years, will retire at the end of the year.
“I’m grateful to be working with great people in a family-type atmosphere,” notes Miller. “We provide high-quality product, with timely delivery. We try to get every dollar out of a potato, and we operate as efficiently as possible.” Asso- ciated Potato Growers is a grower-owned cooperative, operating packing sheds in Grand Forks, Grafton, and Draydon, ND, specializing in red- and yellow-skin pota- toes for the retail and foodservice markets.
KERIAN MACHINES INC., Grafton, ND President James Kerian is eager to announce, “We’ve developed a new and unique type of sorting machine that the market has not had before.” Kerian describes his new invention, explaining, “We’ve been making machines that have been sorting by diameter, and the new design will sort by length, as well.” Cucumbers, zucchini, Russet pota- toes and sweet potatoes are examples of produce the new machine can sort. Kerian claims the innovative sorter is more economical and more portable than any
other sizing machine currently available. Prior to the rollout of this new tech- nology, “There had not been a mechan- ical way to do this type of sorting,” he explains. “It would have had to be done by hand, which is labor-intensive; or with an optical sorting machine, which costs
about 50 times as much.” Kerian and his sister, Mary, created the new design. “We have developed it and tested it, and we are looking forward to trying it in the packing houses.”
Kerian Machines celebrated its 50th anniversary in business last year. Kerian is one of the third-generation members of the family-owned company, which was started by his grandfather in 1967. The company continues to expand into specialized sizers for an increasing number of commodities, ranging from fruits and vegetables as small as Brussels sprouts, to larger produce items such as cantaloupes. In the potato arena, offerings include sizers for mini-tubers.
NORTHERN PLAINS POTATO GROWERS ASSOCIATION, East Grand Forks, MN
Donavon Johnson was hired as NPPGA’s new president. Johnson replaced Chuck Gunnerson who retired after leading the organization for the past 10 years.
James Kerian