11/28/05 Wash & Oregon Fresh Potato Coop mtg

Farm and Ranch November 28, 2005 The Washington & Oregon United Fresh Potato Cooperative is holding its first annual meeting tomorrow, November 29th in Pasco, Washington. One of the speakers at the meeting will be Albert Wada of Idaho, Chair of the United Potato Growers Cooperative of America, who will discuss United of America's plans and programs for 2006. The creation of state cooperatives and the national umbrella cooperative is credited with helping reduce potato acreage this past year improving grower prices. Washington & Oregon cooperative CEO Dave Long says they had phenomenal success. Long: "We participated in a buy down with Idaho and bought down 26-thousand acres in that state. We think we are a key to that 69-thousand acres that was cut throughout the United States. Those were all fresh acres that were not planted." And looking ahead to 2006. Long: "For this coming year we want to maintain the acre base that we have now but we also want to attract new members both growers and packers." So not only are current Washington-Oregon United Potato Coop members invited to attend the annual meeting but so are those interested in becoming members of the coop. The meeting tomorrow, November 29th is in Pasco at the Red Lion from two to five p.m. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.