(Presque Isle, Maine) – The Maine Potato Board is proud to announce that the McCrum Family of Mars Hill has been selected as the recipient of the 2025 Maine Potato Industry Recognition Award. The directors made their announcement at their June 19th board meeting, and the family will receive their award at the organization’s annual meeting in July. “We are truly pleased to recognize the well-deserving McCrum family with the 2025 Industry Recognition Award,” said Jeannie Tapley, the Executive Director of the Maine Potato Board. “They are fantastic representatives of the Maine potato industry and what family farming is all about. While showing great resilience, perseverance, and grit over the years, their family has made an incredible impact on both the potato industry and Maine’s economy. That legacy and impact will be felt for decades to come, and we are excited to watch the next generations of McCrum’s move the operation forward.”
Faith, Family, Farm. The three pillars of the McCrum Family have had a long-standing relationship with agriculture that began in 1886. Lemuel McCrum and his wife, Ada, arrived in Mars Hill, Maine, from New Brunswick, Canada. At this time, the couple began farming while raising 14 children, marking the beginning of a multigenerational legacy deeply rooted in tradition, innovation, and values centered around faith, family, and the farm.
By 1915, their son, Darrell McCrum, had taken the lead, continuing the legacy until 1961, when Dana McCrum took the reins. In 1972, the family’s deep roots in agriculture reignited when Dana’s son Jay revived the potato farming operation, with just 65 rented acres. When asked at what point in your life you knew you wanted to continue the family’s farming legacy, Jay said that “while growing up, I wasn’t overly encouraged to go into farming. The 1950s and 60s weren’t the easiest times for farming in Aroostook County, and I wasn’t completely sure farming was what I wanted to do. After high school, I decided to go to school for accounting, and once I graduated, I spent time working for a year, but was drawn back to agriculture. I still had a passion for farming, so I decided to go back.” Though in his role, he took a slightly different approach, shaping the farm into a business. He knew he had a good product and a great family to back him; it was time to find more good customers to continue their farm’s growth. To help Jay in his new venture, his brother David joined him a year later in 1973, and then his brother-in-law Bob joined them in 1980. Together, they led a transformative change for their operation. They expanded the farm to 600 acres and revolutionized their business model by pre-selling their entire crop to manufacturing companies, in turn laying the foundation for future growth.
In 1985, they partnered with Frito-Lay. This partnership is one of their longest-standing contracts, and where Jay learned the value of good customer support. An employee of the company shared a piece of advice he learned from a professor at Cornell University with Jay that he remembers and believes in until this day: “You can be a great farmer, but to be successful, you have to meet the needs and wants of your customers.” He has since used this advice to model his business plan and ensure continued success. By 1996, the farm had grown to 900 acres. Jay’s sons, Darrell and Wade, joined their father and uncles, marking the beginning of the fifth generation’s leadership in the business. Darrell states, “It was inspiring to grow up with three mentors (Jay, David, and Bob). They showed me the importance of having different attributes and how to be successful not only in farming but in business. I have never wanted to do anything besides farming. From the age of 8 or so, I started to become really interested in farming. It was around this age when Dad pulled me out of school for the first time to help with harvest, and from that point, I was hooked. I felt like I had transitioned from being a little kid because I finally had some responsibility. After that point, I was able to drive a tractor, and Dad let my brother and me farm on about five acres of land. It was at that point I knew I didn’t want to do anything else.”
To support the growth of their business, the McCrum family revitalized a longstanding processing operation in 2004 by acquiring the assets of Penobscot Frozen Foods, leading to the formation of Penobscot McCrum. This strategic merger brought together two Maine-based companies, establishing one of North America’s premier suppliers of premium, value-added potato products.
In 2004, David’s sons, Jon and Nick, and Bob’s son-in-law, Jason, joined the family partnership, each contributing unique expertise. Jon and Nick supported the Northern Maine farm production before Jon joined his father in Rumford. Meanwhile, Wade expanded JDR Transportation into what is considered an essential link in the company’s raw and frozen potato logistics chain. JDR transportation, a successful transportation company with 30 trucks and another 30 owner operators, works in tandem with the farm and Penobscot McCrum to deliver their products. Jason, with a strong background in finance, became the company’s Chief Financial Officer, as Jay continued to lead Penobscot McCrum, allowing David and Bob to begin their transition toward retirement and the fifth generation to step into their roles.
The family’s vision for the future remained strong. In 2019, plans were set in motion to build a new potato manufacturing plant. By June 30, 2020, production officially began at the state-of-the-art French fry facility in Washburn.
In March 2022, a devastating fire severely damaged the McCrum family’s Belfast manufacturing facility, originally acquired in 2004. Demonstrating their unwavering resilience and commitment to the industry, the McCrum team responded by investing in the future. On March 1, 2024, a new production line for formed potato products was successfully launched at the Washburn facility, marking a bold new chapter of innovation, growth, and continued leadership in the potato processing industry. The Washburn facility produces 150 million pounds of various products, ranging from traditional French fries to specialty cuts such as spud barrels, annually. Combined, the operations employ approximately 250 full-time year-round staff members who they consider to be family. “If you were to go around this office, I’m sure everyone would say the same thing, this family is salt of the earth people… the work ethic is the same as if they were on the farm… it is truly inspiring to work here and be a part of their family” said “uncle” Bob Buckley, and 3-year employee of the company.
Today, the McCrum family cultivates 5,000 acres of potatoes across the State of Maine, along with an additional 10,000 acres that they rotate to help further support sustainable agriculture. Their commitment to innovation, environmental stewardship, and quality has solidified the McCrum name as a cornerstone of the Maine potato industry.
The future looks bright as the sixth generation of the McCrum family begins joining the family in their operational ventures. To date, four family members have joined the team, each playing key roles in all aspects of the business. Ethan Birmingham, Bob’s son-in-law, joined us in 2016 and oversees the dispatch of transportation for JDR. Ben Buckley, Wade’s son-in-law, led the charge for the sixth generation, joining the team full-time in 2019. Ben works for JDR Transportation as well as the farming operation. Next, Dayna McCrum, Wade’s oldest daughter, joined the company full-time in 2021 as the Human Resources manager for all companies, working with all employees daily. “At first, I didn’t want to be a part of the farm or family business. My plan included moving away to school, getting a degree in business, and doing something unrelated,” Dayna said. Though in college, she decided to intern for the business. While in that role, she learned all sides of the operation, sparking a passion for manufacturing. She still wasn’t too keen on the idea of joining the family business and decided to work elsewhere upon graduation. Dayna stated that “I realized that every role I had led back to agriculture in some capacity, it was at that point I decided to join my family by working for the operation.” Soon after, Dayna, Nick’s oldest son, Lane McCrum, followed in Ben’s footsteps, joining the company in 2024 and working for both JDR and the farming operation. The McCrum family looks forward to growing their legacy with the same passion, resilience, and innovation that have guided them for more than 130 years.
It is evident when speaking with those representing three generations of the McCrum family that their love for their family and passion for agriculture have never wavered. It is truly inspiring to hear how they rely on one another to ensure not only continued growth in their business but in their passion for the agricultural industry, especially in Aroostook County, Maine.