Just in from Washington

United States Senators from Idaho  Welcome Great Big Idaho® Potato Truck  to the Nation's Capitol  Check Presentation Celebrates Mid-Point of  Seven-Month Cross Country Tour Washington, D.C., June 12, 2012—The U.S. Senators from Idaho, James E. Risch and Mike Crapo, today joined the President and CEO of the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC), Frank Muir, to welcome the Great Big Idaho® Potato Truck when it rolled into Washington, D.C. for a special appearance in front of the the U.S. Capitol Building.  In celebration of the mid-point of the truck’s seven-month cross country tour, to mark the IPC’s milestone 75th Anniversary, Senators Risch and Crapo joined Muir to present a $100,000 check from the IPC to Enid A. Borden, the President and CEO of the Alexandria, VA-based Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA). “We’re grateful that the IPC has chosen to support MOWAA with this generous donation,” said Borden. “Those of us who work in the field every day to ensure that no senior goes hungry, recognize that we cannot do this without the participation, support and patronage of organizations like the Idaho Potato Commission. On behalf of the millions of senior citizens we serve on a daily basis, I want to say thank you to the IPC.”  The IPC built the larger-than-life version of the vintage Idaho® potato postcard in celebration of its Diamond Anniversary. Weighing in at six tons, the Great Big Idaho® Potato Truck is traversing the country as a traveling ambassador for the great state of Idaho – the number one producer of potatoes in the country – to greet fans and to help raise both funds and awareness for Meals On Wheels. “This is a milestone year as we recognize an industry that has worked tirelessly to grow the finest potatoes available,” said Muir. “We know that our potatoes provide nourishment to millions of folks, but many don’t realize how important the potato industry is to Idaho. Idaho® potatoes generate more than $4 billion in revenue annually and employ more than 30,000 people. Agriculture and potatoes, in particular, are the primary reasons Idaho is among the most fiscally sound states in the nation.” The Great Big Idaho® Potato Truck made its national debut at the Famous Idaho® Potato Bowl in Boise last December when ESPN prominently featured it several times during the Game. Since then, the Great Big Idaho® Potato Truck has made appearances in cities across the country and at every venue, the most frequently asked question is “Is it real?”  We’ll never tell…you decide!