04/08/05 New cooperative donates spuds

Farm and Ranch April 8, 2005 Food banks across the state of Washington and northern Oregon are receiving donations of russet potatoes to distribute to the needy from the oversupply of members of the newly-formed United Fresh Potato Growers Cooperative of Washington and Oregon. Allen Floyd is the chairman of the cooperative, which was formed to help fresh potato growers stabilize prices. Floyd: "We have a little bit of oversupply in the state of potatoes and we thought a good way to reduce our supplies and also help the needy and get a little attention was just to donate them. So we as a new group got together and came up with the idea that we'd donate to Portland, Seattle, Tacoma. Then they would distribute to all over the state from these major points. So hopefully every city in the state is going to benefit from these loads of potatoes. We are sending out five semis all together." Ten packing sheds, two in Oregon and eight in Washington, are packing the spuds at no cost. The United Fresh Potato Growers Cooperative of Washington and Oregon is paying for half the trucking costs. Northwest Harvest is paying the other half. Shelley Rotondo, executive director of Northwest Harvest says they are extremely grateful for the donation of the United Fresh Potato Growers Cooperative of Washington and Oregon, which will allow them to provide clients with a fresh, healthy and nutritious food item. That's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report. Brought to you in part by the Washington State Potato Commission. Nutrition today. Good health tomorrow. I'm Bob Hoff on the Northwest Ag Information Network.