October 10, 2011 • The Produce News • 19 Humble Roots Spring to Big Business for Black Gold Farms BY LORA ABCARIAN Black Gold Farms sank its roots deep into the fertile soil of the Red River Valley more than 80 years ago. "Black Gold Farms started in 1928 when Hallie Halverson planted his first potatoes in Forest River, North Dakota," said Glen Reynolds, national director of produce sales. "Black Gold Farms still farms those very acres. In 1959, Black Gold Farms … Read More...

A recent mail ballot was conducted for two seats on the Northern Plains Potato Growers Association Board of Directors. Gregg Halverson of Grand Forks was re-elected for a second term and represents District 3. Don Suda of Grafton will serve his first term representing District 2. Both ran unopposed. Suda takes the seat vacated by Mike Jorde who moved to Washington DC. Brent Heisler had filled the seat on an interim basis.   … Read More...

The United States Potato Board (USPB) Chip Committee re-elected Richard Pavelski, President of Heartland Farms, Inc. Hancock, WI, to serve as its Chairman during its 2011 Summer Meeting, June 22, 2011, in Grand Forks, ND. Jason Walther, CEO of Walther Farms in Three Rivers, MI, was elected to serve as Vice Chairman of the USPB Chip Committee.    Upon his re-election, Chairman Pavelski organized the USPB Chip Committee's Steering and Research & Variety Selection sub committe… Read More...

The Potato Association of America held its annual meeting last week in Wilmington, North Carolina. Each year they recognize leaders in their industry with Honorary Life Membership Awards for both technical and non-technical achievement in their careers.  This year the non-technical award went to Black Gold President and CEO Gregg Halverson of Grand Forks.  Gregg is on the Northern Plains Potato Growers Association's board of directors and served as its cha… Read More...

Published August 08, 2011, 10:49 AM By: Alan Van Ormer, Prairie Business Magazine    Black Gold, a multi-state potato production and sales organization, is constructing a new facility that will house its engineering, agronomy, sales, transportation, and accounting department, as well as top management in Grand Forks, ND.   We're in a growth mode," says Gregg Halverson, President and CEO of Black Gold in Grand Forks, ND. "Agriculture is a good space to be in to… Read More...

In what seems a bullish vote on agriculture as well as on Grand Forks, one of the nation's biggest potato firms is building a new $4 million corporate headquarters in the city. The Grand Forks City Council, convening as the city's Growth Fund Authority on Monday, approved giving Halverson Family Investments $166,758 in local "flex PACE" loans to buy down the interest costs on $3.11 million in loans from Bremer Bank to build a new executive office building at 42nd Street South… Read More...

Black Gold, a multi-state potato production and sales organization headquartered in Grand Forks, North Dakota announces its recent acquisition of Preston Produce, Randall Preston's potato packing facility in Pearsall, TX this spring. Black Gold will also partner with Gary Boyd, an experienced local [in Pearsall] potato producer. Glen Reynolds, National Director of Produce Sales, who is leading the Black Gold table stock efforts, comments about the value that this location will add to custom… Read More...

By SEAN CLOUGHERTY Managing Editor RHODESDALE, Md. - As more corn planters get pulled out from their winter's nap, the Black Gold potato operation has already brought a frenzy of early spring activity to the area around this eastern Dorchester County town. The operation started its fourth planting season in Maryland about two weeks ago with about 1,750 acres of chip-stock potatoes in Caroline, Dorchester and Wicomico counties. Black Gold, a national company with 13 similar growing operat… Read More...

By DALE HILDEBRANT Farm & Ranch Guide Farm & Ranch Guide |  VALLEY CITY, N.D. – This year the North Dakota Agricultural Hall of Fame will be inducting two individuals during ceremonies on Saturday, March 5 at the North Dakota Winter Show in Valley City. Those being inducted are the late Howard  Olson, a key person in the development of the current day Research Extension Centers in the state, and Gregg Halverson,… Read More...

By: Ann Bailey, Grand Forks Herald Published October 31 2010   After six months, Gregg Halverson's potato harvest is finally finished.   Halverson's Grand Forks based-company, called Black Gold, owns farms in 11 locations across the United States, so the potato harvest begins in April in south Texas and ends in late October in Michigan. Black Gold Farms grow a total of about 17,000 acres of potatoes and are the world's largest producer of fresh-crop chipping potatoes… Read More...

Time:01 Jul 2010Posted by 21food.com For the past two weeks, trucks hauling potatoes from fields to their local plants and then processing facilities have been on the roads. And officials at two of Southeast Missouri's potato farms say as this year's harvest continues, they can only hope for a break in the temperatures, the Sikeston Standard Democrat reported. "The heat has made for some very long days for our crew," said Gregg Halverson, president and chief executive offic… Read More...

Published on 03/05/2010 02:04PM It is an awesome task shouldered by the marketing staff of Black Gold Potato Sales Inc. The Grand Forks, N.D.-based sales staff must find buyers for more than half billion pounds of chip, seed and table stock potatoes every year - and the volume continues to increase. Gregg Halverson is president and chief executive officer of Black Gold Farms Inc. The family owned multi-state grower-shipper began with a 10-acre parcel more than 80 years ago. But it … Read More...