U.S. 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.”

(From left) IPC President/CEO Frank Muir, U.S. Senators Mike Crapo and James E. Risch, and MOWAA President/CEO Enid Borden.

The Great Big Idaho® Potato Truck made a special appearance at the nation's capitol in Washington, D.C.

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!

Fun Facts

 

• The Great Big Idaho® Potato measures 11.5-feet tall, 28-feet long and 12-feet wide and is welded onto a 48-foot long flatbed trailer.

 

• The Great Big Idaho® Potato would take more than 10,000 years to grow.

 

• The Great Big Idaho® Potato is 1,102 times heavier than the largest potato ever grown, which weighed 11 pounds.

 

• The Great Big Idaho® Potato would take 2 years and 9 months to bake.

 

• Pass the gravy! The Great Big Idaho® Potato would make 30,325 servings of mashed potatoes.

 

• For those that prefer ketchup, it could easily make more than 1.5 million average-sized French fries!

 

The Tour
To find out when the Great Big Idaho® Potato Truck will be in a city near you, please visit www.bigidahopotato.com. The website provides in-depth information about the Truck, the IPC’s partnership with Meals On Wheels and is updated regularly with tales and photos from the road. After the Truck’s cross-country tour, it will be back on its home turf in Idaho to celebrate the 2012 harvest at Shelley Spud Days as well as to participate in other events around the state.

The Great Big Idaho® Potato Truck was created and built by Chris Schofield and Sharolyn Spruce of Weiser, Idaho. With the help of a few specialized contractors, they spent an entire year designing and building this incredible vehicle. The Kenworth Sales Company and Western Trailer, both based in Boise, also aided with the construction.

About the Idaho Potato Commission
The Idaho Potato Commission is a state agency that is primarily responsible for expanding the markets for Idaho-grown potatoes through advertising, promotion and research. The Commission also protects the use of the "Idaho® potato" and "Grown in Idaho®" seals, which are federally registered Certification Marks that belong to the IPC. These Marks ensure that consumers are purchasing potatoes that have been grown in the state of Idaho. For more information, visit www.idahopotato.com.

About Meals On Wheels Association of America
The Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) is the only national organization and network dedicated solely to ending senior hunger in America. MOWAA is the oldest and largest organization composed of and representing local, community-based Senior Nutrition Programs in all 50 states as well as the U.S. territories. MOWAA’s vision is to end senior hunger by 2020. To obtain more information about MOWAA or to locate a local Meals On Wheels program, visit the MOWAA website at www.mowaa.org.

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