03/07/08 Growers seek to serve up potatoes for WIC program

Farm and Ranch March 7, 2008 WIC is the abbreviation for the federal Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. The program for women and children at nutritional risk has about 8.2 million participants across the nation. Chris Voigt, Executive Director of the Washington State Potato Commission, says the USDA recently implemented a new rule which allows WIC participants to purchase fresh fruits and vegetable with their vouchers, but potatoes were left out. Voigt and eight potato commissioners were among those in Washington D.C. last week working with the state's congressional delegation to get potatoes included. Voigt: "The Institute of Medicine did a report for the USDA and they were very vague about why they left potatoes out. They sort of hinted about the carbohydrate content, but one of the things we shared with our delegation were the simple nutritional labels, comparing potatoes to many other fruits and vegetables. Of course we compared to Washington apples. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Apples have more carbohydrates than potatoes and then if you look at the vitamin and mineral content potatoes are way more nutritious. So it is kind of puzzling. It was a real eye opener for our delegation." Voigt says the initial focus is to try and get language in the farm bill to include potatoes in the WIC program, but if that isn't successful growers will continue to work with the USDA on the issue. Because of the low cost of potatoes and their nutritional value, Voigt is optimistic. Voigt: "We are thinking we will hopefully get some good news later this year." 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.