Pasco farmer Randy Mullen was chosen as the National Potato Council's president for 2013.

Mullen, owner of Mullen Farms Inc., grows potatoes for the fresh market, as well as sweet corn and onions. He also co-owns Harvest Fresh Produce in Othello, a fresh potato pack facility.

"It is my hope to use the next 12 months to build upon our successes and help move some of our high-priority policy issues -- like expanding fresh potato access to Mexico -- over the finish line," Mullen said in a news release.

Mullen started farming potatoes in 1984. He came back to farming after working in the grocery store industry, taking over land his father started farming in the 1940s.

Mullen also is a Washington State Potato commissioner.

Also elected to serve on the National Potato Council's board of directors were Jared Balcom of Pasco's Balcom & Moe, Ellie Charvet of Pasco's Mercer Canyons, Cully Easterday of Pasco's Easterday Farms and Ted Tschirky of Connell's Sand Ridge Farms.