DENVER — The United States Potato Board (USPB) was awarded the Produce for Better Health (PBH) Foundation’s “Role Model” award on March 30, 2012 in Monterey, CA. It is a distinctive honor recognizing 31 non-retail organizations whose efforts strive to increase fruit and vegetable consumption, providing a significant step toward improving the health of America.
“We’re extremely proud and appreciative of the efforts contributed by all these Role Models and Champions to remind consumers increasing fruit and vegetable consumption is important through use of the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters® logo and messaging,” said Elizabeth Pivonka, PhD, RD, president and CEO of PBH.
This year, the activities that earned the USPB recognition included linking to the www.FruitsAndVeggiesMoreMatters.org website; speaking about Fruits & Veggies—More Matters® during meetings and presentations; attending annual board meeting and dinner/auction; and participating actively in this year’s “Half Your Plate” program, which encourages consumers to fill half their plate with fruits and vegetables. The three plates USPB sponsored were Carnival Roasted Potatoes, Buffalo Chicken Potato Skins and Burger & Fries.
“We are glad to be part of a program motivating consumers to ‘rebalance’ their plates with more fruits and vegetables, “said Meredith Myers, USPB Manager, Public Relations. “Plans are already in place for working hand-in-hand with PBH to inspire new, healthy ideas about potatoes throughout the next year.”
Since 1991, PBH has worked to motivate people to eat more fruits and vegetables to improve public health. The USPB is proud to have supported their efforts for more than a decade, and applauds their ongoing success with public health initiatives—first with the 5 A Day program and, now, with the Fruits & Veggies—More Matters® campaign.
For more information, and to see the complete USPB Domestic Marketing Public Relations Long Range Plan for Fiscal Years 2012-2016, please visit
http://www.uspotatoes.com/downloads/Public%20Relations_NEW.pdf.
For more information on the USPB as the nation’s potato marketing organization, positioned as the “catalyst for positive change,” and the central organizing force in implementing programs that will increase demand for potatoes, please visit www.uspotatoes.com.
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.
Source: United States Potato Board