"Let’s get politics out of potatoes, and potatoes on the plates of Americans ..."

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The politics of potatoes is nonsensical
May 30, 2014

In the past, tomatoes (a vegetable-like fruit) — played a role in American politics. They were tossed, usually when rotten, at politicians who had fallen out of favor.

Those days are long gone, but fruits and vegetables are yet again involved with politics. In this case, it’s America’s most consumed vegetable — the potato — that’s at the center of a political skirmish.

Four years ago, the U.S. Department of Agriculture removed white potatoes from its list of foods approved in the WIC program, which provides nutrition for low-income pregnant women, infants and children under the age of 5. The reason given for the banning of potatoes was that kids already eat enough starch and need other fruits and vegetables.

Well, Big Potato (seriously, that’s the term used by potato haters) is not standing for it. The potato industry has rallied support in Congress to make it possible for potatoes to be on the menu for families in the WIC program.

Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, Washington state Democrats, have sided with spud lovers. They aren’t alone. Big Potato has support from a bipartisan group of 20 senators. The lawmakers want to see white potatoes included in the list of approved WIC foods.

While these senators are all from spud-producing states, their stand make sense.

Potatoes provide needed nutrition and are not unhealthy when they are consumed in moderation. Frankly, it’s generally not the potatoes responsible for unhealthy meals — it’s being deep-fat-fried or being slathered with butter, sour cream or bacon bits.

And even then, eating potatoes isn’t necessarily unhealthy in moderation.

Oddly, WIC policy does allow some white potatoes, those purchased from farmers’ markets.

“For whatever reason, over the last several years potatoes have been demonized by some folks that should really know better,” said Frank Muir, the president of the Idaho Potato Commission. “When they make a conclusion saying that people are already eating enough potatoes, that’s not science-based, that’s opinion.”

And it’s the politics of fruits and vegetables that’s behind this nonsense. States that have stakes in other fruits and vegetables are looking to boost sales. Government programs, funded with approval of politicians, are a great place to make inroads.

It’s not much different from pushing the airplane industry, which Washington’s two senators do — and do well.

Let’s get politics out of potatoes, and potatoes on the plates of Americans with the topping of their choice (in moderation, of course).
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