The Power of Data-Driven PR: Inside the 2026 Spud Sector Survey
How Evocati PR turned industry sentiment into a strategic roadmap for the National Potato Council and the $100 billion potato supply chain.
Introduction
Public relations traditionally relies on events to trigger interest, like a new partnership, a product launch, or a program announcement. While these milestones matter, they often overlook a more potent tool for influence: the untold story living within raw data.
At Evocati PR, we specialize in "story-finding," in this case, the process of identifying and analyzing complex data to uncover narratives that drive public opinion and move the needle in Washington, D.C.
Our recent release of the 2026 Spud Sector Survey© for the National Potato Council (NPC) demonstrates how a data-first approach provides the strategic clarity required to influence national policy. The journey from a preliminary proposal to the national spotlight reveals how a single strategic insight can reshape the future of a $100 billion industry.
DOWNLOAD THE REPORT: 2026 Spud Sector Survey Now Available - Spudman
From Concept to Execution
In May 2025, Evocati PR met with NPC leadership to propose a new approach in their advocacy strategy. The U.S. potato industry supports more than 714,000 jobs and contributes over $100 billion to the domestic economy annually. However, the industry needed a consistent, data-driven mechanism to measure the economic sentiment of its most critical stakeholders: the potato growers.
Our firm identified the Spud Sector Survey as a solution. We led the project from its initial proposal through its national deployment, ensuring every question asked, every graphic featured, served a strategic purpose.
READ MORE: National Potato Council and Spudman Unveil Spud Sector Survey - Morning Ag Clips
We designed the survey instrument to bypass anecdotal evidence, focusing instead on quantifiable metrics like input cost inflation, labor availability, and the effectiveness of federal emergency aid.
Securing a Strategic Partnership
Co-branded logo designed by Evocati PR. (Source: NPC and Spudman)
A survey launch is only as strong as its reach. Evocati PR recognized that NPC needed an earned media partner to ensure high participation and instant industry-wide credibility.
We pitched the survey concept to Great American Media Services, the parent company of Spudman magazine, which consistently features growers and their community to readers.
This early-stage partnership, secured in September 2025, was a critical win. By securing an exclusive media partner during the conception phase, we guaranteed that the final report would have a built-in audience of thousands of commercial growers and industry professionals.
READ MORE: National Potato Council and Spudman Unveil Spud Sector Survey - Potato Gazette
Under the signed agreement, Spudman became the official host of the report, providing a platform for the data to live and breathe within the industry.
Data Sovereignty: The Design, Analysis, and Discovery
While some firms outsource the heavy lifting of research, Evocati PR led every phase of the project’s execution. After all, data is one of our love languages.
We partnered with a survey specialist, Dr. Chris Cate, with Analytic Impact, to ensure the instrument was unbiased and focused on high-value metrics. Our team handled the end-to-end logistics, including:
Survey Instrument Design: Crafting safe yet meaningful questions that avoided antitrust pitfalls while measuring inflation, labor policy, economic sentiment, and trade impacts.
Data Collection & Pilot: We proctored a pilot survey that exceeded its goal, receiving 88 responses from NPC's Executive Committee and Board to validate our logic.
Analysis: Evocati PR led the in-depth interpretation of the raw data, utilizing industry tools to find the story within the numbers and draft the first version of what became the Spud Sector Survey.
The Creative Engine: Branding a $100 Billion Sector Report
Cover page designed by Evocati PR. Click the image to download the report. (Source: NPC and Spudman)
Evocati PR led the creative process with Spudman, designing a visual identity that felt both professional and rooted in the industry's agricultural heritage.
This included the co-branded logo, the final public report, and a suite of high-impact infographics that translated complex data into digestible insights for policymakers. All done in-house at Evocati PR.
A Roadmap for Advocacy
The 2026 Spud Sector Survey launched February 24, 2026, coinciding with the annual NPC Washington Summit. The results are already shaping the conversation on Capitol Hill.
READ MORE: National Potato Council and Spudman Unveil Spud Sector Survey - National Potato Council
Key findings from the report include:
The Inflation Impact: 82.9% of growers expect inflation to disrupt their business strategies through 2026.
The Technology Divide: Smaller farms (under 1,000 acres) are delaying equipment repairs due to costs, while larger operations are turning to labor-enhancing technologies to survive.
Federal Policy Validation: 96.2% of growers who received federal emergency funds reported the aid was valuable, providing NPC with a clear data point for Farm Bill negotiations.
Spudman Managing Editor Melinda Waldrop authored an original long-form article, "Cultivating Optimism," based on our findings, further amplifying the industry's voice.
READ MORE: Spud Sector Survey shows grower optimism, uncertainty - Spudman
Why Story-Finding Matters
The success of the Spud Sector Survey proves that data is a powerful storytelling tool when wielded by those who know how to shape it into action. That's where we excel.
By taking this from ideation to a nationwide release, Evocati PR provided NPC with a data-driven roadmap to shape the future of American agriculture.
Strategic PR requires finding meaning in data and consumer sentiment. If your organization is ready to leverage data to influence the public and policymakers, contact Evocati PR today.
© 2025 – 2026 Spud Sector Survey by the National Potato Council & Great American Media Services | All Rights Reserved
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