USDA TO PURCHASE POTATOES

WASHINGTON, D.C. â?? Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns announced today that the Department plans to purchase up to 80 million pounds of frozen and dehydrated potatoes. On March 15, 2005, the Idaho Congressional Delegation wrote the Secretary requesting this action.The Delegation wrote in its letter, â??When growers have periods of unusually high yields and resulting low prices, the Section 32 program serves to stabilize their market and allow them to continue to survive in an already rigid marketplace where small changes in price or supply dramatically impacts their ability to compete.â??The potatoes will be purchased under the authority of the Section 32 bonus buy program and will be used for domestic food assistance and child nutrition programs. The purchase complements 100 million pounds of potatoes already purchased this year.A copy of the letter is available at http://craig.senate.gov/releases/usda_section_32.pdf.