Cold Weather Slows Opening of Diversion Potato Storage's

With all the cold weather we have been having in Idaho the growers don't want to open the storage's they are diverting potatoes from.  “This is something we did not contemplate,” John Thompson, communications director of the Potato Growers of Idaho said.  With about 5 million cwt committed to go, the PMC hopes to have 2 million cwt out by next week. http://www.potatogrower.com/Front_Stories/news-current/news-current.cfm?id=356

PMC Initiates Donation Drive

"With this tremendous surplus of potatoes and the organization of PMC, there is no reason why anyone in Idaho should go hungry this winter," said James Hoff, Idaho Falls potato grower and chairman of the PMC Charitable Donations Sub Committee. "The biggest problem we have in our charity program right now is finding enough help to get the potatoes to the people who really need them."  To contact PMC if you can help and to view the press release go here: http://www.buypotatoseed.com/prframe.html

Latest from PEI

According to Potato Growers Online Hotline News, P.E.I. growers plan to divert 3 million cwt for which they will be paid $5/cwt by the government. These potatoes will be used for compost. go here: http://www.potatogrower.com/Front_Stories/news-current/news-current.cfm?id=355

At least two major Atlantic grocery chains have removed all United States potatoes from their Prince Edward Island stores Full story here: http://www.spudman.com/pages/news01_01/news_pei_pulls_us.html