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By Deborah Carl
LDS Church Takes Idaho's Surplus Potatoes for the Needy
BLACKFOOT, IDAHO -- The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
has developed a plan to aid needy people in the United States and
abroad and help Idaho potato growers. The fall 2000 potato crop was
so good that farmers took 10% off the market in an attempt to
stabilize prices. A surplus of potatoes is good news for consumers --
the price goes down -- but if you're a farmer, it means your hard
work won't make enough to pay the bills.
"This is a joint effort by potato growers from Idaho and the Church
of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to place this burdensome supply
of potatoes in the hands of those whose lives would be extremely
blessed by the receipt of the mere essentials of life," said Joseph
Wirthlin, area director of welfare services for the Church. Potato
Management Company growers have donated 16 million pounds of potatoes
to the Church which will use its packing facilities near Idaho Falls
to distribute 4.5 million pounds. Volunteers will sort, wash, and
pack the potatoes to be shipped to food banks and homeless shelters
throughout the United States.
The other 12 million pounds will be dehydrated at the Church's five
facilities in eastern Idaho and stored for humanitarian efforts. The
Church has also agreed to purchase dehydrated potatoes to ship to El
Salvador and other countries which have recently been devastated by
earthquakes.
Removing the surplus potatoes from the U.S. markets and feeding the
hungry provides a win-win situation. Farmers are currently receiving
1 cent per pound, while it costs approximately 5 cents per pound to
produce potatoes. To eliminate the surplus, farmers face two choices:
dumping the potatoes on fields to act as fertilizer or donating them
to charity.
Source:
LDS church will help distribute potatoes
Boise ID Statesman (AP) 13Mar01 D1
The Associated Press
LDS CHURCH AGREES TO TAKE POTATOES TO FEED HUNGARY
KIFI TV8 Idaho Falls ID 12Mar01 D1
By Local News 8 Staff
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