Potatoes and WIC

While the USDA has not officially clarified what "white potatoes" are for the purposes of their interim final rule, the National Potato Council and others are making the case that the exclusion of white potatoes for the new WIC fruit and vegetable vouchers - whether those "white" potatoes represent purple fingerlings and all colorful varieties or just "white" potatoes like round whites - is wrong and should be reversed.


I talked with Keeling today and he is sensitive to position that potatoes are in relative to the balance of the fresh produce department. He doesn't want to bring down the mood, as it were. Still, Keeling presents a powerful argument that the USDA's "fig leaf" - reliance on the Institute of Medicine report that recommended exclusion of "white potatoes" - may be clouding their better judgement. Keeling and the potato industry want to work behind the scenes to see if a farm bill fix or USDA revision will happen. If not, Keeling and the potato industry could call into question the USDA's fig leaf.