We recently had a chance to catch up with Snake River Sugarbeet Growers Association (SRSGA) Board Member, Doug Evans during his potato harvest.
Doug farms 4,500 acres with his two brothers in the Blackfoot area. He is the third generation to farm the land he is currently on. The farm’s rotation includes sugarbeets, potatoes, grain and hay.
As far back as you can trace his genealogy, Doug’s ancestors were farmers. Farming clearly runs in the family. After serving an LDS Mission in England and earning a BS in Agribusiness from BYU-Idaho, Doug returned to the family farm. Perhaps his 6 children will continue the family legacy of farming.
Doug joined the SRSGA board about 10 years ago after being asked to get involved. He has enjoyed learning more about how the association works and the importance of sugar policy. Since serving on the board, he has helped to educate other growers about the work of the association including the Snake River Sugarbeet Growers Association PAC. The SRSGA PAC is funded solely by sugarbeet growers. The goal of the PAC is to fund candidates in Idaho that support agricultural producers. Doug sees the importance of supporting candidates that will help protect his livelihood.
When talking about the farm, Doug shared that he is dedicated to growing the best, safest food possible for the consumer. So often the general public thinks that farmers are trying to do harm. In reality, growers like Doug are using sustainable practices to ensure that the food they grow is safe. As most farmers do, Doug pulls the potatoes right off the truck headed for processing and serves them to his family. If it wasn’t safe, he wouldn’t feed the product to his own family and friends.
Thank you to Doug and all our farm families for feeding the world.
