Potato Grower

WWW.POTATOGROWER.COM 11 Aberdeen. In 2014, he partnered with Koompin Farms to grow seed near Chesterfield, where they do a one-year increase in the seed before bringing it to the commercial farms. So far, that move has worked out well for both parties. "Partnerships are really important in the potato business," says Toevs. "Whether you're talking about business partners, employees or customers, you can't succeed without solid relationships you can trust." Toevs is a big believer in innovation on the farm and across the industry, but he makes a point to caution against progress for progress' sake. To him, it all comes back to making sure those relationships are on solid ground. "I look at what the customer values in our relationship and invest in that," he says. "It's probably not new paint that's going to impress a customer. New equipment or technology doesn't matter if it's not minimizing foreign material or disease contamination, or doing something else to make their lives better." The relationships that have mattered the most, though, are with the people Toevs works with every day—his employees and his family. He has multiple employees who have been with the farm for over 30 years. He says he values integrity and hard work above almost anything else, and tries to consistently reward those traits. "It's cliché, but we've had great employees, and it really is like a family," Toevs says. "We've found ways to show appreciation other than just a paycheck. We want every one of their kids to know they'll have an opportunity to go to college. The best way to tell someone you appreciate them is to do something nice for their kids, and we really do try to do that." Toevs firmly believes that there is no other line of work in which you could find better people—that agriculture is, beyond question, the best environment in which to raise a family. He credits his wife Joanne as being "my most significant partner in all of this." Their three daughters, Ellen, Meredith and Abigail, all still live in Idaho and return to the farm on a regular basis. Their son Will works by Ritchey's side, carrying on that tradition the Toevs family is so proud of. "You know," Toevs says with a small smile and contented sigh, "farming really does get you close to the most important things in life."

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