April 2019 - 43

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Spudman7
Q&A
WITH
Alexandra Grimm
For many, tomato soup and grilled cheese represents the ultimate
in under-the-weather comfort food from their childhood. For Alexandra
Grimm, that special food is mashed potatoes. Growing up in Nicaragua,
whenever Grimm wasn't feeling well, her mother made her mashed
potatoes and that holds a special memory for her.
It's been nearly a year since Grimm took over as the executive
director of the Empire State Potato Growers. Grimm and her team is
busy getting ready for the organization's annual summer show, Empire
Farm Days. They have something special in the works.
1
Could you share a
little about your
background?
I was born in Nicaragua and
was there until the age of 7.
We moved to New Orleans
and when I was 14, then to
Colorado where I had been
until nine months ago when
I moved to New York to take
this position.
4
What attracted you
to the job with ESPG?
I had been in the potato
industry for 15-plus years working
at Potatoes USA. When the job
opened up at ESPG, I thought it was
a great next step for me careerwise,
as well as the opportunity to
stay working in this industry that I
love so much and I would still get to
work with growers.
2
What is the biggest challenge facing
the New York potato industry?
The biggest issue facing the New York potato
industry and the industry in general is the labor/
immigration issues. On a national level, it is trade and
tariffs - we need to be able to export. As long as the
tariff issues continue, we will not be able to compete
with other countries.
6
5
3
What was the most surprising
thing you learned about
potatoes once you became part
of the industry?
I knew very little about potatoes. The most
surprising thing I learned is that thvere are so
many varieties of potatoes and that each variety
is grown for a certain sector/type (frozen, fresh,
chip, seed, dehy). When I was just a consumer, I
thought a potato was just a potato, but there are
so much more!
Empire Farm Days is set for Aug. 6-8.
How's the show shaping up?
We are still in the planning stages so we do not have
anything concrete that we can share, but our vision is to grow
the show by keeping up with the industry trends and bringing
in other types of agriculture platforms, such as hemp. We are
working with Cornell since this is a new initiative for New York
and it is the next big thing in agriculture.
What is your favorite way to eat potatoes?
That's a tough question since I like eating potatoes in all
sorts of ways depending on the time of year. I would have
to say that mashed potatoes are my go-to. Ever since I was a little
girl, whenever I was not feeling well or I had a bad day, my mom
would make me mashed potatoes, so mashed is my all time favorite
comfort food.
7
What do you enjoy doing outside
of work?
I love reading in the winter when it is too
cold to be outside. But in the summer time you
will find me outside enjoying the warmth and
sunshine. I love going for long walks/hikes and
listening to music.
Spudman * April 2019
43
April 2019

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