Protecting America’s Favorite Vegetable: Evocati PR Secures Major Media Wins for the National Potato Council
How strategic public relations defends U.S. potato growers from the catastrophic threat of potato wart and amplifies their voice on the national stage.
Introduction
At Evocati PR, we believe in "PR with a Purpose" and driving real impact for our clients. Our ongoing partnership with the National Potato Council (NPC) exemplifies this mission as we work to protect U.S. potato growers from phytosanitary threats.
Since May, our team has executed a targeted media campaign to amplify NPC's call to reinstate the ban on fresh potato imports from Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada, following a new detection of potato wart disease.
The Threat of Potato Wart
Potato wart is an aggressive, soil-borne pathogen that deforms potatoes and destroys crop yields. The fungus can survive in soil for more than 40 years, and no chemical treatments exist to control or eradicate it.
As we highlighted in our previous post covering the industry's impact on the Evocati PR blog, the U.S. potato industry is an economic powerhouse. A domestic outbreak would devastate this sector, which generates over $100 billion in annual economic activity and supports 714,000 jobs.
READ MORE: Evocati PR Client Fights to Protect U.S. Potato Growers from Potato Wart | Evocati PR
When the new disease detection was confirmed in a previously unregulated PEI field, Evocati PR mobilized to ensure NPC's concerns reached the right audiences.
Media Triumphs
We kicked off the campaign by distributing NPC's press release: "National Potato Council Urges Reinstatement of Prince Edward Island Potato Import Ban Following Additional Disease Detection."
Over the next three weeks, this strategic communication resulted in earned media wins across North America.
Highlights from the campaign include:
Politico Canada Playbook featured NPC's push to reinstate the ban, citing the new case of potato wart.
CBC (Canada) and Saltwire amplified the message internationally, detailing the renewed calls from the U.S. lobby group after the disease was detected on a PEI farm.
Brownfield Ag News hosted NPC CEO Kam Quarles for an interview to discuss the reinstatement of the potato import ban.
RFD-TV covered the crisis, warning that potato wart could threaten U.S. export markets.
Major agriculture trades, including The Packer, Potato Country, Produce Processing, Farms.com, and Spudman, provided coverage of the industry's efforts and the potential instability.
The Power of Purpose-Driven PR
These media wins reflect our dedication to purposeful PR and strategic planning. By elevating the voices of U.S. potato growers, we help defend an industry that is vital to America’s economy and food security.
At Evocati PR, we empower organizations to amplify their message and achieve their strategic goals.
If your organization needs to amplify its mission and secure high-impact media placements, contact Evocati PR today to discover how our values-based approach drives action.
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