05/11/07 Promoting dehydrated potatoes for food aid

Farm and Ranch May 11, 2007 The USDA and US Agency for International Development recently held their annual conference on international food aid programs. Among those attending was the U.S. Potato Board promoting dehydrated potatoes for food aid to the Private Voluntary Organizations, PVOs, that receive and distribute the aid. John Toaspern, Vice President of International Marketing for the Potato Board, says that this year for the first time dehy processors also participated in the conference. Toaspern: "It helped the processors to better understand what this market is all about. It is a very complicated process of getting our product in. Some of the requirements, some of the issues are ones that they don't normally face in their commercial sales. So it was very helpful to them to better understand the program. On the flip side, it was really beneficial to meet with the PVOs and explain their product. We on the Potato Board understand the product and we can talk about but we certainly aren't able to discuss it as well as those that actually produce it and sell it everyday." It's only been in the past several years that dehydrated potatoes have been eligible for food aid programs and Toaspern estimates annual sales into the program have ranged from 550-thousand to 2.6 million dollars but could grow to perhaps about 5.2 million. 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.