02/22/05 Meeting on fresh spud cooperative

Washington Ag February 22, 2005 Some potato growers in Washington have been meeting with representatives of the United Fresh Potato Growers of Idaho, a cooperative formed last November aimed at stabilizing the supply and price of fresh potatoes. The Idaho group says its membership represents 90% of the fresh acres in that state and it wants other producing states to form their own cooperatives and then have a national umbrella cooperative. A steering committee has been organized in Washington. Pat Boss, executive of the Washington State Potato Commission, says while this activity is outside of what the Potato Commission is doing, it is monitoring what is going on. Boss: "Trying to make sure that the group up here can make a good decision or an informed decision that is going to do something that is going to help all the growers in our state get higher returns and higher prices." Washington fresh potato growers, packers and shippers are encouraged to attend a meeting to discuss plans to form a Washington State Fresh Potato Cooperative. That meeting will be held at the Best Western Lake Inn, formerly the Hallmark Inn, in Moses Lake, this Thursday, February 24th, from two to four p.m. I'm Bob Hoff.