June 2025 - Sweetpotato Speak

Sweetp tato Speak

J U N E 2025

www.ncsweetpotatoes.com

TABLE CONTENTS Of 04 LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Michelle Grainger

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CAPITOL BRIEFS

A look at policy, and legislative happenings in both North Carolina & Washington D.C.

12

A TASTE OF HOME

Domestic Promotion Activities

16

WORLD OF FLAVOR International Promotion Activities Around the Globe

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MINDFULL MEDITATION FOR YOUR HEALTH Sarah Schlichter, NCSC Registered Dietititan of Record

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NCSC CALENDAR OF EVENTS June - October 2025

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RECIPE ROUND-UP Summer Recipes for Everyone!

staff

Executive Director

MICHELLE GRAINGER

Finance & Operations Specialist CINDY VANDERHOOF

Communications Specialist COCO DAUGHTRY

Intern

GRAYSON BRASWELL

communications@ncsweetpotatoes.com www.ncsweetpotatoes.com 700 E. Parrish Dr., Suite C Benson, NC 27504

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LETTER from the

Executive Director

Hello Spring and Sweetpotato Season 2025!!!

By the time this reaches you, I’m confident that you will be well into transplanting for the 2025 production year. Please know you have my and your entire Commission team’s prayers and well-wishes for a tremendous season ahead. Since our last issue of Sweetpotato Speak, the Commission has been “all gas, no brakes” as they say with our efforts to advocate and educate both policy makers and consumers not only in the United States, but well beyond our borders as to why the NC Sweetpotato industry should be protected and our delicious sweetpotatoes always on the plate As an example of some of our most recent efforts, have you seen our industry being featured on the Amazon Prime show, The Futurist? This can be found on Prime and there is an entire episode dedicated to our sweet industry; Episode 4 – The Food Revolution . This series is published on the Amazon platform in numerous countries and languages. We are proud of the reach it is projected to have and certainly the story it tells as to what makes our sweetpotatoes so special and most importantly different! (Be sure to keep an eye out within these pages for a QR code (pg 07) that will take you directly to the episode on Prime.) The timing of the Futurist’s release was great, as we promoted it not only at the booth we had at Fruit Logistica in Berlin, but also in their associated publication with a full-page ad! The Fruit Logistica booth was a special opportunity for the Commission, made possible through the NC Department of Agriculture and SUSTA . Our placement was fantastic –

CONTINUED ON PAGE 08

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PERFECT PLACEMENT IN THE SUSTA PAVILLION

– as we received all of the traffic connecting the two buildings and were directly next to the SUSTA chef creating numerous delicious sweetpotato samples handed out over the course of three days. In addition to our placement within the SUSTA pavillion, we also had amazing swag giveaways, which also attracted many to stop by and allowed us to strike up conversations educating booth visitors as to why NC Sweetpotatoes are simply the best ! As part of those discussions, we directed visitors to our industry member listing on all four of our websites (US, UK, France & Germany), should they wish to discuss the opportunity of importing NC sweetpotatoes. Speaking of, have you submitted your form to have your listing captured on our websites? If not, we encourage you to do so. This listing section is for everyone connected to our industry – from grower to agribusiness supplier and all in between. This listing is the only way that the Commission is able to connect buyers and future partners to our industry as we work tirelessly to ensure that there isn’t any form of favoritism extended on either side of the negotiating table. For more details, please contact our office and we will be happy to ensure your operation is captured. In March, several members joined me and our federal lobbyist, Brad Edwards, in DC. We had one of the most robust Hill visits that I have participated in since having joined the Commission.

Over the course of 2 days, we visited with eleven members of our NC delegation, including both Senator Tillis and Senator Budd. Throughout each meeting, we discussed the current challenges our industry and its great farmers are battling including the devastation and loss of the 2024 season and the continued H2-A Labor Wage increases that are creating an environment that is not profitable to produce one of the globe’s most recognized superfoods !

Your Lobbying Delegation Team

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All offices were incredibly attentive and desired to assist in our efforts. The current H2-A Wage Labor Survey effort was discussed in great detail. Each of our delegates are anxiously waiting for my promised return to DC with data that is statistically valid so that they may further assist us with our efforts in being heard and ultimately bringing reform. I remain below the threshold of data that would enable us to state that our data is valid. We are currently about 10% shy of total acreage reporting and would benefit significantly by your participation. If you have not submitted your data, I kindly ask that you consider doing so. By your helping me collect the data, I will be able to do my best to help you and your operation as I advocate for change in DC on your behalf. For wage labor survey access, please scan the QR code on page 5. With the board’s support, we have added to our team and expanded the resources we have available for the industry as we have contracted Ms. Ann Gallagher to serve as our Project Manager for all GRKN Research Projects . In this capacity, Ann will work directly with all researchers currently receiving funding from the Commission with projects looking at tackling the numerous challenges GRKN presents not only to our industry but the many others across the state.

We feel that her expertise will serve us all to ensure that research projects remain on track and ultimately deliver findings that can make a difference to the crops and farmers. Be on the lookout for Ann and upcoming correspondence she may send out. Her years of service and knowledge, not to mention dedication and passion for all things sweetpotatoes are sure to serve us all well! Michelle

SCAN

HERE

TO VIEW “ THE FUTURIST ”

L-R Colby Griffiths, Ann Gallagher, Seth Ballance

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John Cooper Connect C

By: John Cooper, Nathan Honaker & Brad Edwards

05 So far, only three bills have passed all the way through both chambers and become law – a local bill, an appointments bill, and the Disaster Recovery Act Part I . The Disaster Recovery Act Part I (House Bill 47) provides regulatory flexibility and funding for Western North Carolina and is a continuation of the relief bills passed at the end of 2024. One important provision in this legislation is the inclusion of a 08 Since our last update, the General Assembly in Raleigh has been extremely active. The filing deadline for all bills came and went in the first part of April, with over 2000 bills filed in both House and Senate. The next deadline for both chambers is the crossover deadline of May 8 where a bill must pass one chamber to be eligible for consideration for the rest of the biennium (through December 2026). th

Brad Edwards Jenkins Hill Consulting

Nathan Honaker Connect C

triggers for income tax reductions. The House also chose to pass a third disaster relief package in a separate bill rather than as a part of the state budget. The two chambers are now negotiating a final budget. There is a chance a deal is made before July 1, but do not be surprised if we do not reach a budget deal until sometime in the fall. If a deal is not made by July 1 we expect the General Assembly to take an extended break until August or September. The 2025 Farm Act (Senate Bill 639) has been filed, but has not yet passed, although we expect a hearing in the NC State Senate soon. The Farm Act has become an annual tradition by Senator Brent Jackson who works with his colleagues in the House, especially Senior Agriculture Chairman Jimmy Dixon, to pass regulatory relief and policy changes to benefit NC Agriculture. This year’s Farm Act has a variety of provisions including changes to water resource management, feral swine initiatives, a ban on sale of raw milk for personal use, local government permitting reform for properties which border farmland, allowing excused absences for children who participate in agricultural events, expanding the jurisdiction of the forest service, reducing restrictions on the composting of horses and cattle, and providing legal protections for pesticide manufacturers. The raw milk and pesticide provisions have created a lot of discussion, and it remains to be seen if they will be included in the final version of the bill. After the Senate passes the Farm Act, it heads to the House for consideration where further changes could take place. Our team is tracking all issues on behalf of our agricultural clients including the sweetpotato industry. We appreciate the opportunity to work for the Sweetpotato Commission and represent your interests in state government.

statewide crop loss program for any farmer who was affected by natural disaster in 2024. The bill also appropriated funds for small business, debris cleanup, home rebuilding and repair, volunteer fire departments, nonprofit disaster relief organizations, education, and travel and tourism. To date, the legislature has appropriated approximately $1.4 billion from the savings reserve for Hurricane Helene Relief. 2025 is a budget year , and this year the North Carolina Senate goes first (the two chambers alternate every Session). The Senate passed its budget with bipartisan support in mid April. The budget prioritizes saving over spending, allocating the full amount needed to replenish the state’s Rainy Day Fund back to $4.75 billion which was the balance before Hurricane Helene. There is an additional $700 million for hurricane relief, raises for teachers and state employees, and a one time bonus of $3000 for teachers and most state employees. The budget continues planned tax cuts, including the personal income tax scheduled to go to 2.99% by 2028. The House passed their version of the budget at the end of May. There were many similarities, but some major differences which will need to be negotiated. The House budget proposed higher permanent raises for teachers and state employees rather than bonuses, and it increased the revenue

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The DOGE impact has initially implemented significant budget cuts and personnel changes at federal agencies. DOGE has cut or reduced billions of dollars in government contracts, leases and grants in over 176 departments and agencies. It also has cut the federal workforce by about 130,000 employees, with more planned reductions. It is estimated about 12% of the 2.4 million civilian federal workers are expected to be impacted. DOGE IMPACT HAS IMPLEMENTED SIGNIFICANT CUTS & PERSONNEL CHANGES AT FEDERAL AGENCIES The Congressional Farm Bill renewal appears to be stalled at this point. Some of the potential funding measures for the Reconciliation package could possibly be included to offset costs, specifically relating to Food and Nutrition funding that was added in the previous administration. In addition, FY 2026 appropriations process is likely to move sometime this summer once a clearer path is known on the Reconciliation legislation.

Congress continues to work on President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill.” The U.S. House and U.S. Senate have both passed budget resolutions to allow them to proceed forward on either a one or two bill approach to extend the 2017 individual tax cuts, other tax provisions and additional funding for administration priorities that include immigration enforcement and defense. There is a scramble to offset the costs of the extension ($4.5 trillion over 10 years) with likely changes to Medicaid) and tax revenue raisers. This measure called reconciliation (which allows just a simple majority to pass in the US Senate) needs to be completed prior to the end of the fiscal year (September 30 ) but could be completed by end of July or early August. In addition the debt ceiling which is expected to expire in August would likely be attached to this measure. th Tariff discussions continue by the President and his team while almost a third into the 90 day pause period since his tariff announcement in early April. Since tariff levels often are already low with many of the US trading partners, the Trump administration is looking at concessions in other areas, including the reduction of non-tariff barriers, commitments on investments in the US and measures to pressure China (limits on trade content from China and the imposition of controls on certain exports and/or investments from China).

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Retail Marketing

Consumer PR

Market Outreach Social Media & Influencer Collaboration Trade Advertising Food Service School Nutrition Recipe Devlopment Nutrtional Trade Shows & RD Collaboration

2025 PROMOTION COMMITTEE

Brenda Oglesby, Chair Pepe Calderon Rob Hill

Annette Starling Beth Taylor Charlotte Vick Stephanie Williams

Jordan Jackson Thomas Joyner Kim LeQuire Taylor Rhodes-Hill

Heather Lifsey, NCDA Advisor Jeff Thomas, NCDA Advisor

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By: Sabs Wilson; FullTilt Marketing

Since our last newsletter, we fulfilled the Sweet North Carolina Sweetpotato Sweepstakes trip to Charlotte with our winner Michelle, along with her friend Robyn. They got to be part of our live recipe photo shoot with our longtime partner, Kevin Chelko Photography. As our food stylist and photographer worked their magic, Michelle and Robyn received an exclusive look at new content that will be featured on our website and social media. A great time was had by all as we taught them about the unique and versatile nature of sweetpotatoes and the national impact our state has on impacting sales and consumption.

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Zoe Kent (@FarmwithZoe), a 29-year-old 8 generation farmer in Ohio, visited North Carolina this past April. Accompanied by NCSC and FullTilt Marketing staff, Zoe visited three farms, the Clinton research station and the NC State PSI to capture content on the breadth of work being done to continue the production of NC Sweetpotatoes. She gathered content to produce a video to educate consumers on where their food comes from, from the perspective of a young female farmer. Long-form content (including 1 YouTube video) and shortform content (for TikTok and Instagram) will be posted on her social platforms as a collaboration with the commission in the coming weeks, so make sure to follow her! th

We sponsored two successful Homemade cooking classes during National Sweetpotato Month and again in April. They are known as the fastest growing culinary platform in America where consumers get to watch live cooking classes from the comfort of their homes and on demand afterward – and we got to see it happen live! In February and April, consumers learned how to make Sweetpotato Almond Chai Babka and Sweetpotato Egg Bennies. The 45-minute session inspired hundreds of attendees to put their cooking skills to the test. We met our campaign objectives of increasing awareness of the nutritious benefits of sweetpotatoes, highlighting new sweetpotato recipe ideas that can be enjoyed year ‘round, engaging home cooks through live, interactive cooking experiences, providing high-quality content assets that extend beyond the live events and capturing email leads of registrants and executing giveaways during the live classes For their part, Homemade was extremely pleased with the results and reported that out of all their livestream signature cooking classes, our two classes performed best out of any class so far in 2025! With over 1,700 class signs up, 1,500 emails collected, 3,900 class video views (and counting!) and a reach of over 700,000 as of April 30, we are very pleased with the results. If you missed the classes, head over to www.homemadecooking.com and get in on the fun!

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THERE IS NOTHING LIKE THE SMILE OF A CHILD THAT LOVES SWEETPOTATOES! We participated in the Ag Field Day at North East Carolina Preparatory Academy in Tarboro. The day in the sun allowed us to share sweet facts, stickers, book marks and our Ag Mag with students ranging from kindergarten to high school seniors. NCSC staff attended and hosted a booth for the 4 year at University of Mount Olive’s Annual Ag Day where thousands of FFA students converged on campus to get a little taste of agriculture by visiting the various commodity booths, play games and listen to music. We even sold quite a bit of swag! th South Johnston Community Ag Day and the Girls are Great Conference had us “talking sweet,” sharing nutritional benefits of sweetpotatoes, handing our recipes, pencils and stickers while we engaged community members. It’s never a dull day at NCSC, and we do our very best to engage not only minds around the globe, but right here at home and entice them to EAT SWEET! And last but not least we had a table at the Girls are Great Conference in Lillington where we showcased just how healthy sweetpotatoes are for growing and changing bodies! Your NCSC Staff has been busy the last few months at state and local community events. In March we hosted a table at the 2025 NC Ag Products Legislative Reception at the NC State Fairgrounds. This provided us with a way to be present and thank those in attendance from the General Assembly for their generous funding of our GRKN efforts and marketing activities. There were 197 representatives, senators and general assembly staff in attendance. This effort afforded us a means to connect with members of the General Assembly and say thank you on your behalf.

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FLAVOR

By: Ony Anyanwu, Liquid

We're so excited as the date of our influencer cook a-long session gets closer! The event, which will take place in Birmingham, UK, the home of our Liquid office, is inspired by our research into marketing trends that revealed a growing interest in Pilates. Held in a studio setting, the event will start with a sweetpotato-based pre-workout snack while we talk about the benefits of sweetpotatoes, which, of course, are in abundance! The influencers will then enjoy an hour of Pilates, followed by a cook-a-long session featuring a high-protein post-workout dish. Be sure to follow us on social, we’ll be sharing behind-the-scenes moments and highlights througout the day on our channels - You can find us on Instagram, TikTok and Facebook.

Influencer partnerships are also on our radar. We’ve been reaching out to influencers across the UK, France, and Germany to gather information and see which partnerships would best showcase NC sweetpotatoes in these regions and boost engagement on social platforms.

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In February, we were excited to welcome Michelle to the office for a busy day that included meeting the team and recording her voiceover for the motion video showcasing the Commission’s work and held an in-house photoshoot. The motion video is currently being produced and will serve as a great educational tool across PR and social channels. In other news, our team has successfully finalized the brand-new NC sweetpotato websites. Most of our time in Q3 was spent moving content, ensuring everything from the old UK, French, and German sites was transferred to keep its online visibility. We set up redirects to reduce downtime and maintain the site’s ranking, while also adding new blogs and pages to boost its visibility. The increased visibility means more awareness of NC sweetpotatoes, which is great news for NC sweetpotato growers! The efforts for the new website paid off, as the new websites are now live and attracting traffic through organic search, social media, and paid search/display ads. We’re delighted to share we saw approximately 31,433 visits to the new site, across the UK, France and Germany.

NEW WEBSITE ncsweetpotatoes.co.uk

In Q3, we also completed market reviews for the UK, French, and German sweetpotato markets.

Looking ahead, we’re excited about a photoshoot in May featuring sweetpotatoes in a variety of recipes, including Focaccia, Lunchbox Recipes, Korean Bibimbap, Savoury Breakfast Bowls, and Taco-Stuffed Sweetpotatoes. These images will highlight how versatile and healthy the sweetpotato can be when preparing these summer-inspired dishes. Stay tuned for updates...

PHOTOSHOOT WITH MICHELLE

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8 ROW FOLDING SIDE SHIFT SWEETPOTATO FLIP PLOW

Moves up to 2" in either direction right or left Controlled by hydraulic cylinder to allow for adjustment on the move Available with 30" smooth disc blades 28" diameter coulter blades Lube fittings at all swivel/swing points for ease of operation and wear resistance Extra heavy duty contruction for long time use and reliability

www.stricklandbros.com

Rob Hill Tull Hill Farms President

Brent Leggett Leggett Farming Partnership Vice President

Thomas Joyner Nash Produce Secretary-Treasurer

Pepe Calderon Farm Pak

Richard Anderson Anderson Farms

Sarah Carraway Lancaster Farms

2025 Board of Directors

Rob Glover Rob Glover Farms

Kim LeQuire Kornegay Family Farms and Produce

Annette Starling Millstream Farms

Scott Sullivan Sullivan Farms

Michael Wood J. Rowland Wood Farms

Lyn Vick Vick Family Farms

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MINDFULLNESS MEDITATION and for your health

By Sarah Schlichter, MPH RDN Registered Dietitian for NCSC

As I thought about what to write for the summer issue of this newsletter, I kept coming back to the topic of mindfulness. Summer is often a time of long and hot days, busy travel, kids out of school and more. It can get very busy quickly. And while mindfulness is often hailed as a trendy buzz word and something we all “know we should do,” do we ever really do it? How do we cultivate mindfulness and calm, amongst our busy lives and responsibilities when planting, growing, harvesting, running the numbers, taking inventory, monitoring waste, etc? When do we really stop and think big picture, rather than the everyday minutia of the details? And is it really worth doing - can it impact our health in any way?

mindfulness meditation, or spiritual meditation in the previous 12 months tripled between 2012 and 2017, from 4.1 percent to 14.2 percent (Source).

So, as any good Registered Dietitian would do, I consulted the research.

I would venture to guess that it’s only increased since then.

What is Mindfulness? Mindfulness helps bring awareness and nonjudgmental acceptance to one's experience in the present moment. According to a 2017 U.S. survey, the percentage of adults who practiced some form of mantra-based meditation,

Can Mindfulness Improve Your Health? The research says yes.

Mindfulness is more than just the counting your breaths and a “woo woo” mantra. There is actually a plethora of research done on mindfulness and health - both physical and mental health.

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MINDFULLNESS CONTINUED

Here are some of the benefits linked to mindfulness: Improved attitude, confidence and well-being. Mindfulness can help individuals learn to appreciate the present moment, develop gratitude, and find joy in everyday experiences. Better mental and psychological health, such as increased mood, decreased stress and a reduced rate of depression. Better focus , attention and memory: regular mindfulness practice can enhance attention and concentration skills. Studies have shown that mindfulness training can improve working memory and cognitive flexibility as well. Improved physical health - research also suggests that mindfulness can help relieve symptoms for various different health conditions. Mindfulness practices have been linked to improvements in blood pressure, lower back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Type 2 diabetes, and fibromyalgia. Emotional regulation - Mindfulness is linked to having a better ability to exert control over emotions, both good and bad. This is also linked to stress. Better sleep - low sleep duration is linked to several chronic diseases. By improving sleep duration and quality, mindfulness and meditation may indirectly improve health in this way also. Chronic stress is a significant problem for many adults that can contribute to a variety of health problems, including an increased risk of depression and anxiety. Chronic stress can also impair the body's immune system and worsen other health problems. By lowering the stress response, mindfulness may have downstream effects throughout the body, indirectly improving health. Meditation and mindfulness can also benefit physical health by reducing the amount of strain on the heart. High blood pressure is a risk factor for poor heart function, as it makes the heart work harder to pump blood. It can also narrow the arteries, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Hence, by minimizing how hard the heart has to work, meditation may improve heart health.

The good news is that you don’t have to do mindfulness perfectly to reap the benefits. How to get started: You don’t need anything fancy to start - just find a quiet place, sitting or laying down, and focus on your breath. Thoughts will pop into your head - and that’s okay - acknowledge them without judgment, and return to your breath. Experts acknowledge that it will be difficult in the beginning, but this habit will become easier over time and with more practice. There are also several apps available that provide mindfulness meditation options, such as Calm, Headspace, Personal Zen and MindFi. SOURCES Bai Z, Chang J, Chen C, Li P, Yang K, Chi I. Investigating the effect of transcendental meditation on blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Hum Hypertens. 2015 Nov;29(11):653-62. doi: 10.1038/jhh.2015.6. Epub 2015 Feb 12. PMID: 25673114. Cash E, Salmon P, Weissbecker I, Rebholz WN, Bayley Veloso R, Zimmaro LA, Floyd A, Dedert E, Sephton SE. Mindfulness meditation alleviates fibromyalgia symptoms in women: results of a randomized clinical trial. Ann Behav Med. 2015 Jun;49(3):319-30. doi: 10.1007/s12160-014 9665-0. PMID: 25425224; PMCID: PMC4802162. https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/meditation-and mindfulness-what-you-need-to-know https://www.apa.org/topics/mindfulness/meditation https://www.verywellmind.com/the-benefits-of-mindfulness 5205137 You can also do body scans and listeing meditations. You can also find mindfulness classes and meditations available online.

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Sweetpotato Summer Fruit Salad

Created exclusively for the North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission by: Sarah Schlichter, MPH RDN

Ingredients

1 sweetpotato 2 tbsp olive oil ½ cup tri-colored quinoa, dry 1 cup water

½ cup strawberries, diced ¼ cup green grapes,halved ⅓ cup red onion, diced ⅓ cup cherries, diced with pits removed ⅓ cup cucumber, diced 3 tbsp goat cheese, crumbled ¼ cup pistachios (or other nut of choice) 1 lemon Lemon Honey Vinaigrette

1 tbsp apple cider vinegar 1 tbsp lemon juice 2 tsp honey 2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375° F 2. Peel and dice sweetpotatoes into small 1-inch cubes. 3. Toss sweetpotatoes in olive oil and roast for 35-40 minutes, flipping once. Season to your liking – I like to include salt, pepper, and garlic powder. 4. While sweetpotatoes are roasting, cook your quinoa according to directions. 5. Cut fruit and portion into a large serving bowl.

6. Make your dressing by combining all of the Vinaigrette ingredients. 7. When quinoa is done cooking, add quinoa to the bowl with fruit. 8. When sweetpotatoes are done roasting, add them to the bowl and toss lightly. 9. Top with goat cheese, pistachios, and Lemon Honey Vinaigrette. 10. Garnish with lemon slices & Enjoy!

Get Involved!

NCSC COMMITTEES

Annual Meeting Planning Committee Jim Jones, Chair Craig West

Legislative Committee Rob Hill, President Brent Leggett, Vice President Thomas Joyer, US Council Delegate Kim LeQuire, At Large Member

Clay Gardner Brent Leggett Kim LeQuire Michael Wood

Promotions Committee Brenda Oglesby, Chair Heather Lifsey, Advisor Jeff Thomas, Advisor Vanessa Sprion, Advisor Pepe Calderon Jordan Jackson Thomas Joyner Stephanie Williams Charlotte Vick Kim LeQuire Annette Starling Taylor Hill Beth Taylor Research Committee Jim Jones, Chair Craig West

Crisis Management Team Kim LeQuire, Chair Thomas Joyner Dewey Scott Heather Lifsey Seth Ballance Stephanie Williams Finance Committee Thomas Joyner, Chair Brent Leggett Kim LeQuire Sarah Carraway Craig West Michael Wood Nominating Committee Brent Leggett Jim Jones Vacant

Clay Gardner Brent Leggett Kim LeQuire Michael Wood

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JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER OCTOBER

BOD Meeting NCSC HQ, Benson 6:00PM 10

Independence Day NCSC Office Closed 04

BOD Meeting NCSC HQ, Benson 6:00PM 12

Nutrition News Update Conference Scottsdale, AZ 7-9 Mountain State Fair Recipe Contest 3:00 PM Fletcher, NC 13

12-14

14

USSP Council Mid-year BoD Meeting Washington D.C. 13-15

FLAG DAY

Gold Medal Dean’s Conference Pittsburg, PA 23-26 Fast Casual Dining Conference Chicago, IL 16-18

15-17

ASPMI BoD Meeting Washington, D.C.

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Deep Gap, NC

@ncsweetpotatoes

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MEMBERS PLATINUM MEMBERS ASSOCIATE

NC PORTS AUTHORITY www.ncports.com 910.746.6415 jake.berry@ncports.com RABO AGRIFINANCE www.raboag..com 229.516.0398 clark.hales@raboag.com

ASPEN SALES GROUP www.aspenglobalenterprise.com 908.234.1205 info@aspenglobalenterprise.com

CERTIS BIOLOGICALS www.certisbio.com 919.537.5437 aeade@certisbio.com

TELEOS AG SOLUTIONS www.teleosag.com 619.592.0858 groberson@teleosagsolutions.com

FIRST CITIZENS BANK www.firstcitizens.com 919.716.4445 mark.bradley@firstcitizens.com INTERNATIONAL PAPER www.internationalpaper.com 910.258.1522 john.brooks@ipaper.com

TRINITY FROZEN FOODS www.trinityfrozenfoods.com 855.543.7437 tripp@trinityfrozenfoods.com

ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

Listing in S w eetpotato Speak

INQUIRE TODAY

Weekl y e - ne w s - Tater Talk

Listing on ncs w eetpotatoes . com

Call : 919 . 894 . 1067

Promotional mailing to members

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GOLD MEMBERS

HILLTOP FARM SERVICE CENTER www.hilltopfarmservicecenter.com 919.894.4611 wendy@htfsc.com

J.R. SIMPLOT www.simplot.com 252.508.2677 sarah.posey@simplot.com NASH PRODUCE www.nashproduce.com 252.443.6011 thomasjoyner@nashproduce.com

IPM COMPUTERS LLC www.ipmcomputers.com 910.463.4299 greg@ipmcomputers.com

TRIEST AG GROUP www.triestag.com 844.878.5178 customerservice@triestag.com

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SILVER MEMBERS

THREE STAR PRODUCE www.3starproduce.com 252.230.4503 twebb@3starproduce.com

KHS TRANSPORTATION www.khsts.com 252-281-5170 mark@khsts.com

ARCOLA HARDWOOD

MCCALL FARM - BRUCE’S YAMS www.mccallfarms.com 843.662.2223 jfrick@mccallfarms.com MOODY DUNBAR www.moodydunbar.com 910.892.3175 brett.godwin@moodydunbar.com

252.257.4484 arcolalumberinc@embarqmail.com

B&B PRODUCE

919.894.2527 stephanie@bandbproduce.com

NATURE’S WAY FARMS www.nwfarms.net 910.594.0096 mark@nwfarms.net NORDANY BROKERS www.nordany.com 506.473.9492 kent@nordany.com

BARFOOTS OF BOTLEY www.barfoots.com +44 (0)1243 261269 ketan.dave@barfoots.uk.com

CARDINAL FOODS www.cardinalfoodsllc.com 910.259.9407 wdomville@cardinalfoodsllc.com FARM CREDIT ASSOCCIATIONS OF NC www.farmcreditofnc.com 336.486.5696 jbass@agcarolina.com

PIERCE SOIL & CROP CONSULTING 919.920.0238 dpierceriver@gmail.com

FARM PAK PRODUCTS www.farmpak.com 252.885.6633 jose.calderon@farmpak.com

SAIL SEA AIR INTEGRATED LOGISITICS www.sail.li 252.243.7245 robert.zenzel@sail.li

JENRESS FOODS www.jenressfoods.com 704.431.2402 jen@jenressfoods.com

SCOTT FARMS OF NC www.scottfarms.com 919.284.4030 dewey@scottfarms.com

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SILVER MEMBERS

TRIANGLE INSURANCE www.triangleinsurance.com 919.496.2239 service@triangleinsurance.com TRINITY FROZEN FOODS www.trinityfrozenfoods.com 855.543.7437 tripp@trinityfrozenfoods.com VICK FAMILY FARMS www.vickfamilyfarms.com 252.237.7313 charlotte@vickfamilyfarms.com

SOUTHERN CONTAINER www.socontainers.com 252.237.0539 cthompson@socontainers.com STEELE PLANT COMPANY www.sweetpotatoplant.com 731.648.5476 plants@sweetpotatocompany.com

STRICKLAND BROS. www.stricklandbros.com 252.478.3058 terry@stricklandbros.com

WADA FARMS www.wadafarms.com 919.578.4020 norman@wadafarms.com

For all your chemical & packaging needs! 252-245-2055

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SWEETPOTATO DEVILED EGGS

Created for the North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission by: Jessica Bently ~ asliceofjess.com

Ingredients

1 medium sweetpotato, cooked & cooled 12 hard boiled eggs, cut in half 2 tsp. Dijon mustard, or to taste ½ cup sour cream or Greek yogurt 1 cup shredded cheese (cheddar, pepper jack and colby jack work well) 2 tbsp. heavy cream+ Salt + pepper, to taste (I used white pepper) 1 dash of Tabasco, optional

For the garnish

Preparation Time : 45 min

4 – 5 strips of bacon, cooked & chopped green onion or chives, sliced thinly paprika, to taste

Total Time : 2 hr. 30 min

Servings : 24

Instructions 1.Bake sweetpotato in a 400F oven for roughly 45 minutes or until tender. Allow to cool completely. 2.Cut hard-boiled eggs in half, lengthwise, and place the yolks in a food processor with the cooked sweetpotato, Dijon mustard, sour cream, shredded cheese and heavy cream (plus optional tabasco). Add a dash of salt & pepper and then pulse until smooth. If you want to thin out the mixture, add more heavy cream until you’ve reached your desired consistency. 3.Taste and adjust any ingredients, as preferred. 4.Place deviled egg mixture into a ziplock bag and cut off the bottom tip to create a piping bag. Squeeze filling into each hard boiled egg and garnish with bacon, green onions and paprika. 5.Set in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to chill. Enjoy that day or within 24 hours.

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SWEETPOTATO & BACON SALAD Created for the North Carolina Sweetpotato Commission by: Meredith Bernard ~ thisfarmwife.com

Ingredients

6 medium sweetpotatoes 6 slices bacon 2 boiled eggs 1 green onion ¼ cup minced parsley fresh is best or substitute 2 Tbs. dried ¼ cup chopped dill fresh preferred or substitute 2 Tbs. dried

Dressing

½ cup Mayo 2 Tbsp stone ground mustard 1 Tbsp lemon juice 1 Tbsp honey

Preparation Time : 15 min

Total Time : 30 min

Servings : 6

Instructions 1.Peel and cut sweetpotatoes into 1 inch cubes 2.Boil for 6 minutes until fork tender 3.Boil eggs until hard and set aside to cool 4.Cook and crumble bacon (oven method: 400°, on foil lined baking sheet, approximately 10 minutes) 5.Chop or dice cooled eggs 6.Drain sweetpotatoes and mix with dressing (above), bacon, eggs and herbs 7.Serve warm or cold.

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NC Sweetpotato Commission 700 E. Parrish Dr. Suite C Benson, NC 27504

919.894.1067 ncsweetpotatoes.com