Potato Industry Fights Back

Potato Industry Fights Back

DENVERThe U.S. Potato Board(USPB) launched a Healthy Potato Nutrition Campaign in response to thecrunch the potato industry has felt in recent U.S. consumer trends related tothe low carb craze. The campaign will fund research on the health benefits ofpotatoes and will allocate monies toward industry marketing.

In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)announced in July the USPB received $2.9 million for the fiscal year 2004allocations under the Foreign Agriculture Services (FAS) Market AccessProgram (MAP). This funding, up five percent from 2003, doubles the resourcesUSPB uses to drive usage of U.S. potatoes and potato products, to gain improvedmarket access, and to enhance export opportunities for U.S. potatoes.

Additional funding was approved for a third year of consumeradvertising. The decision added $1 million to the FY06 (July 2005-June 2006)nutrition campaign, which brings the total USPB investment in it to more than $6million in just over two years.

In FY05, the USPB diverted $1 million from domestic andinternational marketing programs to launch the multi-tiered campaign andmaintain its momentum. We cant sacrifice these critical marketing programsagain, said Kraig Knutzen, USPB chairman. They are vital to expanding demand for U.S. potatoes.

The USPB Administrative Committee allocated half of thecampaigns new funding from USPB marketing programs and half from USPBreserves. We look at the Boards reserves as the rainy day fund.Knutzen said. Well, its raining, and the Boards leadership agrees thatwe must use the reserves to make a major impact for the industry. In all, theUSPB has invested $1.6 million from reserves into the Healthy Potato NutritionCampaign since February 2004.

As part of the program, potato manufacturers are highlightingpotato benefits on new labels to help combat the low carb craze. Wada Farms, apotato grower located in Idaho Falls, Idaho, has begun using new labels thatread: No fat or cholesterol! Potatoes can reduce the risk of high bloodpressure and stroke, and Low in calories!

Program-specific information about the USPBs internationalmarketing efforts is available online (www.uspotatoes.com).