06/27/07 IPC, 70 years old and going strong

PEMSLER "Potatoes are a huge business for our state which is why our license plates say "Famous Potatoes" on them." Seth Pemsler could only be talking about one state, Idaho. As a member of the Idaho Potato Commission Pemsler knows the economic importance of the spud. PEMSLER "Farm sales is about 600 million dollars. It's about the third highest of anything in the state. However, because so many of our products are processed into French fries the economic impact to Idaho is over three billion dollars a year." Pemsler represented the Potato Commission at the recent US Food Export Showcase in Chicago. For 70 years the Commission has marketed Idaho potatoes and today most of the world equates our state with the spud. The commission created the Idaho brand, seal and regulations that require a fresh potato from Idaho be labeled as such. PEMSLER "We represent growers, shippers, meaning the people who sell fresh potatoes and processors, meaning the French fry guys and the other frozen guys as well as the dehydrated people." The Idaho Potato Commission last month launched its first Internet video contest and Friday is the deadline for entries. The IPC is reaching out to spud lovers across the country, asking them to work their magic in front of the camera. Three Grand Prize winners will be awarded one thousand dollars each and their final video product will be shown this summer at SpudFest in Driggs. Today's Idaho Ag News Bill Scott