Latest News from the IPC

Tips from Idaho Potato Commission’s Nutrition Expert, Riska Platt, R.D. * Eating out is fun. But as a dedicated “Foodie”, you eat out one or several times a week and the fun part needs to be balanced with good sense. Find a way to eat what you like, without going overboard. It will help if you decide ahead of time what you plan to order.

BOISE, ID, June 2, 2004 - A national contest that started May 1st has attracted over 400 entries to date and winners are being announced on www.idahopotato.com weekly. The contest, which solicits and recognizes America’s best fitness and nutrition tips, is being conducted by the Idaho Potato Commission entirely via the website.

For close to 70 years, the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) has been the national authority on the world’s best-loved potato: the Idaho Potato. The IPC consists of nine members - respected individuals who work within the industry – representing growers, shippers and processors. These individuals are nominated by their peers from the Idaho Potato industry and then a finalist is selected to serve by the Idaho state governor. Supporting the members is a full staff based in the IPC headquarters in Boise, ID.

BOISE, ID, April 20, 2004 - Starting May 1st, Americans can log onto www.idahopotato.com to pick up healthy lifestyle tips from fitness icon and Idaho Potato spokesperson Denise Austin, AND enter a national contest seeking America's own best fitness and nutrition tips.

EAGLE, ID, FEBRUARY - With the buzz about the Idaho Potato Commission's (IPC) 14th Annual Potato Lover's Month Retail Display Contest - including matching prizes for category managers, an Ad Manager Overlay Program and more than $150,000 in cash and prizes - chances are, you've already jumped on board with an innovative entry. But, if you somehow missed the boat, there's still time to tune in and get a new 5-inch portable TV, free just for entering the contest.

Eating out is fun. But as a dedicated "Foodie", you eat out one or several times a week and the fun part needs to be balanced with good sense. Find a way to eat what you like, without going overboard. It will help if you decide ahead of time what you plan to order. Better yet, use the Internet to get the restaurant menu in advance and pre-order what you want - this helps you stick to your gameplan.

The 2004 harvest has been excellent. The weather this year provided ideal growing conditions (versus last year's drought conditions). Ample rain and favorable growing temperatures in Idaho have created uniformly large and smooth potatoes with consistent shape.

Potatoes have long been lauded as America's favorite comfort food. Fortunately for potato lovers and health-conscious people, they also happen to be one of the best sources of complex carbohydrates and thus function as a great energy food.

Make a Plan * Call a family meeting and have a frank discussion about your family's physical fitness health * Ask family members for suggestions on how the whole family can shape up individually and together * Prepare a plan of action and display it in high traffic areas. We keep ours on the refrigerator * Plan should include fitness "log" that will allow individuals to note dates, activities, length of exercise, who exercised with whom and feelings about the exercise

BOISE, ID, January 2004 - The Idaho Potato Commission announces the beginning of a new era in "marketing" potatoes: a national campaign devoted to educating Americans about the importance of complex carbohydrates (like those found in Idaho Potatoes) and the critical role they play in fueling working muscles. A key component of the campaign is a national deal with Denise Austin, widely regarded as America's most popular exercise guru and host of her daily Lifetime Network program.