February 2024 - 22

" He made me strive to reach my
potential more than anyone, " Ehrlich
said. " My true loves have always been
my family, farming and basketball. "
Ehrlich advises growers to pass their
potato passion onto future generations
by engagement that reaches beyond the
farm into industry organizations. And
he says that the best thing about that
industry is its people.
" Aggies are the best people on
the planet, and potato growers and
associated industry folks are at the top of
the list, " Ehrlich said.
JD Wasir
Senior vice president, KoolJet
JD Wasir loves a challenge, and his
profession affords him the opportunity
to encounter them on a regular basis.
" Every system brings a new challenge
involving dancing with precise
temperatures, critical humidity factors
and high energy efficiency, " he said.
Wasir realized that there was a need
for a compact, packaged refrigeration
system that could eliminate expensive
installation costs often associated with
conventional split type of refrigeration
system designs, which required site
installation.
So, Wasir designed and built a
packaged refrigeration solution, 100%
factory-tested prior to shipping.
" The refrigerant charged and
calibrated system can be mounted on
the exterior wall or door of the cold
room. Once electrically hooked, the
system is ready to operate and cool the
produce, " he said.
Wasir is proud that every refrigeration
system he designs helps keep produce
crisp and delicious - " from farm to
table. " Additionally, he takes pride in
providing solutions that meet agricultural
demands and contribute to sustainable
and efficient food supply chains.
He draws inspiration from
the pioneers in the refrigeration
engineering industry such as Willis
Carter, who laid the foundation for
temperature control technology.
" I am blessed with inheriting the
legacy of expertise and wisdom passed
down to me. (I'm) trying my best to
follow the tradition, " he said.
John Forsythe
John Forsythe's potato career began
Innovation manager at 1,4GROUP Inc.
when he was 10 years old and working
alongside his dad, who had just started
crop storage company Industrial
Ventilation Inc.
" My biggest qualification was being
small enough to squeeze into tight
places in a storage, " he said.
Those early years left a lasting
impression and sparked a lifelong interest.
" Growing up during the rapid
expansion of potatoes, not just in
Idaho but across the country, showed
me the value potatoes have in our
everyday life, " Forsythe said. " This
was a time when everything was new
and a bit unknown. Growers were not
afraid to try new, innovative solutions
to growing, storing, packing and
marketing. "
That excitement helped lead Forsythe
down a path to his current position as
innovation manager for 1,4GROUP Inc.,
where he's still focusing on innovating
and solving problems.
" It is wonderful to talk with a potato
* Gentle: Sorts potatoes by size without bruising
* Accurate: Precisely grades potatoes of all shapes and varieties
* Fast: Thirteen standard models custom-designed to meet your needs. Sort from
1,000 lbs./hr to 150,000 lbs./hr.
* Simple: Effective but simple design provides a rugged, low cost, low maintenance
machine at a high value to our customers. It can even be used in the field!
* Versatile: Specialized rollers allow for accurate sizing of round potatoes (reds,
yellows, whites) as well as long potatoes such as russets.
KERIAN MACHINES INC.
1709 Hwy 81 S, P.O. Box 311, Grafton, N.D. 58237
Phone: (701) 352-0480 * Fax: (701) 352-3776
Web site: www.kerian.com * E-Mail: sales@kerian.com
22
Spudman * February 2024
grower, no matter where they are, and
share the passion for excellence; so many
ideas have come from a simple discussion
in a storage, " he said. " I am so lucky to
have a workshop and talented engineers
to explore, design and build equipment. "
Forsythe points to his father, who
he calls a " master at innovation, " as
one of his biggest inspirations and
influences. Working together to find
an alternative to chlorpropham (CIPC)
for sprout control, they helped bring
1,4-Dimethylnaphthalene (1,4-DMN),
a naturally occurring compound,
to U.S. growers.
Kyle Atcheson
Co-owner, Atcheson Farms
Potato farming is in Kyle Atcheson's
blood.
Atcheson, co-owner of Atcheson Farms
in Woodland, Maine, is a third-generation
potato farmer. Before farming full time,
Atcheson worked as a John Deere Master
Technician for Theriault Equipment,
servicing equipment for 15-plus years.
http://www.kerian.com
February 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of February 2024
