September 2019 - 23

VGN
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Q&A WITH NATHAN TALLMAN
Nathan Tallman has a Pennsylvania
potato legacy. He grew up on a potato
farm, helping his father, Bill Tallman, at
the family farm in Tower City. In addition,
both of Nathan's grandfathers - George
Tallman and Roy Snyder - also grew spuds
in the Keystone State.
It's only fitting that last year Nathan
Tallman became the chief executive
officer of the Pennsylvania Co-Operative
Potato Growers (PCOOPG), a nonprofit
organization dedicated to the prosperity
of state farmers, a position once held by
his grandfather, George Tallman. Nathan
holds a degree in agricultural business
management from Penn State University,
is a proud PSU alum and had a long
stint in foodservice sales before joining
PCOOPG.
1Could you share a little about your background?
I grew up in a small town called Bethel, which is located between Allentown
and Harrisburg. I spent a good bit of my time helping my father, Bill Tallman,
on the family farm. He worked with his dad, George Tallman, and siblings at
Tallman Farms in Tower City. I always enjoyed riding on the back of the potato
planter while my father did the spring potato planting and working with him
at the potato storage stacking the pile in the fall. I was always amazed by the
mountain of potatoes my family could produce.
2 What does your new job entail?
I supply Pennsylvania chip manufacturers with potatoes each week through
contracts with in-state growers, as well as ones in Florida, North Carolina,
Virginia, Maine, Indiana, Michigan, New York and Canada. I also contract
Pennsylvania-grown potatoes for Keystone Potato Products, our processing and
dehy plant in which the co-operative is the second-largest stakeholder. Also, I
coordinate tablestock sales to retailers and source seed potatoes for growers
and customers. Another thing is coordinating our food stand at the Pennsylvania
Farm Show each January. The co-operative has made baked potatoes, fresh-cut
french fries and our famous potato doughnuts for decades.
3What are your biggest
goal for the next 12
months?
Increase planted potato acreage in
Pennsylvania, find new profitable
business for state growers and support
the growers with up-to-date industry
topics and market information.
Plus, encourage a potato growers'
community, so growers communicate
among themselves by sharing ideas of
what is working and what is not.
4 What are biggest
challenge facing
growers and shippers
in Pennsylvania?
One of our biggest challenges
is climate and soil conditions;
we have an abundance of
stones and mud lumps. Last
year was the wettest year in
Pennsylvania on record (124
years). Another obstacle is our
lack of modern updated storage
and potato infrastructure. It is also
challenging for our growers to find
part-time, seasonal labor and dayto-day
qualified farm labor.
5
?
KNOW SOMEONE WHO SHOULD BE
FEATURED?
Email Gary Pullano at
vgnedit@vegetablegrowersnews.com,
or call 616-520-2144.
If you weren't in the potato industry, what would
you be doing?
I would definitely be in foodservice produce sales. I really enjoyed that side
of the business in my previous career. The way produce constantly moves
around the country amazes me. When markets get tight, it's interesting to
watch prices climb on the different commodities.
6What is your favorite
way to eat potatoes?
Mashed potatoes made from
Pennsylvania-grown round white
varieties, such as Reba, Norwis,
Superior and Eva are the best! My
mother's mashed potatoes with
butter and ham gravy are my alltime
favorite.
7What do you enjoy
doing outside of work?
I enjoy spending time with my wonderful
wife, Katie, and our 8-month-old son,
Carter William Tallman (his initials are
CWT). I look forward to sharing my love
of farming and growing potatoes with
him. I like working on our small farm in
Kempton. We raise hay, soybeans, corn,
wheat and, of course, potatoes! I also
love following Penn State football.
VGN | SEPTEMBER 2019 | 23
September 2019

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