6-25 IAN Potato War

 The potato state. That certainly sounds peaceful and productive does not? But behind closed doors, by the sound of things, it could be a cloak and dagger situation.

 A huge story in the Idaho Statesman last week indicated that a war was going on between farmers who are growing potatoes and the retail outlets who sell those potatoes. Apparently Associated Wholesale Grocers is accusing potato producers of inflating their prices while, and get this, the cloak and dagger part, if I am interpreting what I read correctly, Associated Wholesale Grocers is flying aircraft over fields and using satellite technology in order to determine just how many potatoes, potato growers are growing.  Remember that old kids game, one potato, two potato, three potato four? With everybody getting all charged up I called up Frank Muir, Executive Director of the Idaho Potato Commission and his comments were non comments: “We are not to make any comments about it, that is the legal counsel. We are not involved in it, we are not connected to United. This could go on for many years. It’s kind of funny,  every once in a while the story just pops up again and all of a sudden it in the news again. Nothing is new. The lawsuit has been going on for a couple of years now. The  Statesman picks it up and run the story and hand the Associated Press runs the story but it is really the same information.  (David) Maybe it’s a slow news day at the statesman. ( Frank laughter) that could be.”