News Release

Diversion meeting arranged with USDA

BLACKFOOT, ID — Representatives from Potato Growers of Idaho and grower associations from Oregon, California, Colorado, Wisconsin and Maine are scheduled to discuss a potato diversion program with Mike Dunn - USDA Assistant Secretary of Marketing and Regulatory Programs on Monday, November 20 in Washington D.C.

There appears to be strong support among growers from throughout the U.S. for a program that will help divert the surplus in this year's crop to non-food uses. The grower groups hope a diversion will be effective in moving the surplus out of traditional food channels to encourage a moderate price increase. It is further expected that a diversion will get rid of the surplus so that it does not carry over to next year and continue to burden the market.

A common perception seems to be that this surplus was created solely by an acreage increase. But acreage is only one small piece of a complicated puzzle. In Idaho in 1990 growers planted 403,000 acres of potatoes and harvested a crop with an average yield of 295 hundredweight per acre. This year, there were 413,000 acres planted - only a 2.5 percent increase. But because of an exceptionally mild growing season and various new crop protection tools that are now available, production this year skyrocketed to 369 hundredweight per acre.

The role of government is well established in administering relief and moderating the effects of national and local disasters such as floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, drought and other acts of nature that cause undo hardship, disrupt the economy or cause pain and suffering. This oversupply of potatoes in Idaho and the nation is just such a disaster.

Idaho's congressional offices are reporting a fairly steady stream of calls and other correspondence from growers. We encourage producers to keep the pressure on. It will take a concerted grassroots effort in order to push this program through. Growers and industry representatives are encouraged to contact their congressmen and encourage them to support a potato diversion program.