b"People, Product NewsFrozen Potato Sales To serviceindustryasawhole.The Aggressively pursuing trade oppor-Foodservice Improve At The End prevalenceatquick-servicerestau- tunitiesinMexico,China,Japan,Of 2020 rants and the success of these mod- and other TPP countries.els during the pandemic will contin-The coronavirus outbreak had a sig- ue to contribute to a quicker recov- Including a complete agriculturalnificant impact on the foodservice ery in the potato industry.labor solution in any viable immi-marketplace.Shelter-in-placedirec- gration bill that can be enacted dur-tivesandmandatorybusinessclo- Thoughwinterweathertypically ing this Congress. suresresultedinnever-before-seen affectsfoodservicetrafficinthedeclinesinindustrysalesandvol- starting months, frozen potato vol- Strengthening investments in agri-ume. Given that frozen potatoes are ume is still expected to decline 6% cultural research and ensuring thatalmostubiquitousinfoodservice, JanuaryMarch of 2021 compared healthy,affordablepotatoesarethiscategoryalsoexperiencedsig- to the same time in 2020. treated equitably with other vegeta-nificant negative impacts. blesthroughtheappropriationsForquestions,contactKendra process.Afterexperiencingthelargest [email protected] com.Enhancing the industrys compet-half of 2020, totaling a loss of over itiveness through reforms of trans-850millionpoundsofsalesof Growers Virtually Stand Up For portationregulationsandmakingfrozenproductstofoodservice Potatoes On Capitol Hillnecessaryinvestmentsinroads,through June 2020, as reported by commercialseaportsandrelatedTechnomic, a modest improvement The2021NPCExecutive intermodalfacilitiesinsupportofof303millionpoundsoccurred Committee hosted the virtual 2021 ourdomesticandinternationalOctoberDecemberof2020.This PotatoD.C.Fly-In,Feb.24-27, shipments. improvement is due to limited-ser- which brought the industry togeth-vicerestaurants,suchasquick-ser- er to fulfill the councils mission to Attendees also had the opportunityvicerestaurants,experiencingless Stand Up for Potatoes on Capitol to hear directly from industry cham-impact than other segments.Hill.pionsSenatorSusanCollins(R-Maine)andSenatorJimRisch(R-The total frozen potato volume loss The event included a record-break- Idaho), as well as key staff membersin 2020 was 20%, almost 1.5 billion ing 161 growers and industry part- fromtheSenateAgriculturepounds, with the largest declines in nerswhojoinedtheirstatepotato CommitteeJacqlynSchneider,beyondrestaurants(down43%in organizationstovisitwith46 DeputyStaffDirectorandPolicy2020vs2019)andfull-service Members of Congress to communi- Director,andMarthaScottrestaurants(down34%in2020vs cate the industrys policy priorities. Poindexter,RepublicanStaff2019). Director. In addition to thanking Members ofDespitethelossatfull-serviceand Congress for their role in supporting In addition, Senior Election Analystbeyond restaurants, frozen potatoes familypotatogrowersbydirecting at the Cook Political Report, Davidarestilloutperformingthetotal more than $250 million in federal Wasserman,joinedtoprovidehisfoodserviceindustry,meaning aid to the industry throughout the expert analysis of the current politi-frozenpotatoesareexperiencinga coronavirus pandemic, policy prior- cal environment and what it mightslower sales decline than the food- ities included:mean for NPC's policy agenda.26 POTATO GROWER APRIL 2021"