Potato official calls Newhouse pick, great!

Farm and Ranch February 20, 2009 The governor’s selection of State Representative Dan Newhouse to head up the Washington State Department of Agriculture was certainly welcomed by the state’s potato industry. Chris Voigt, Executive Director of the Washington State Potato Commission explains. Voigt: “Oh, it looks great! Representative Newhouse I think is wonderful addition as a Director of Agriculture. Actually we are proud to say the Potato Commission gave him the Legislator of the Year Award when he was the winner of that a couple of years ago.. So we are pretty proud and happy to have Dan Newhouse as our new Director of Agriculture.� The governor’s marching orders for the new director to expand markets for Washington agricultural products and work with the Department of Ecology to find new sources of water are part of the potato industry’s agenda as well. Voigt: “Marketing, opening up new markets for our products and water for our crops are probably the two most important issues. So the governor did a great job in not only picking the right person but also in kind of laying out the agenda of what they new person needs to accomplish. So it couldn‘t be a better scenario for the potato industry.� Newhouse’s appointment as Agriculture Director was effective Wednesday. The Sunnyside Republican has a 600 acre farm where hops, tree fruits, grapes and alfalfa are produced. 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.