Monte Vista, CO — In a resounding “Game On!” answer to the United States Potato Board “Salad Bar Challenge” initiative laid out on April 15, the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee is funding 10 salad bars in state and regional schools and is aiming, with the help of its membership, to bump that number up to 100.

“We’re putting the challenge out to our growers to make it an even 100 salad bars in the state and area,” said CPAC Assistant Director Linda Weyers in mid-April.A youngster in Denver’s Mapleton School District is enjoying a healthy lunch that includes fresh fruit and vegetables from a salad bar sponsored by the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee. (Photo courtesy of the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee) “The whole idea is to get kids to eat healthy, and with salad bars we can encourage them to eat more potatoes as well.”

Weyers said the USPB, which received final USDA approval for its FY16 budget in mid-April, has issued the challenge nationwide.

“They are challenging the potato industry to sponsor 3,000 salad bars over the next five years, starting this season,” she said. “CPAC has already sponsored two in the Mapleton School District in Denver as part of the pilot program that started earlier this year. We were kind of the guinea pig for the project.”

The USPB has called for “potato-friendly” salad bars to be donated by the industry, and it in turn will match, “one-for-one, up to 300 each year for the next five years.”

A release from the USPB on April 15 said, “For the U.S. potato industry to realize the full potential of this program and what it can achieve by putting healthy potato dishes in front of school children, as well as improving the positive image of potatoes with this key group of influencers and future consumer decision makers, it is absolutely critical all sectors of the industry — from input suppliers and manufacturers, all the way through to the marketing chain — to step up and donate at least 300 salad bars this summer. It is the USPB’s intent for these first 600, in total, donated potato-friendly salad bars to be immediately put into use this fall for the beginning of the 2015-16 school year.”

Weyers said that potato companies who are part of the project receive signage, letting the youngsters know that the healthy and tasty food is being sponsored by companies in their home state. Working with the schools, CPAC is also able to track potato consumption, another plus of the project.

CPAC’s involvement with education comes to the fore in its scholarship awards, with the Doug Monter Scholarship for Boys in the amount of $7,000 awarded this year to Bradley Wakasugi, a graduating senior from Sierra Grande High in Blanca. The young woman who was crowned Spud Bowl Queen and given a year’s scholarship to Adams State in Alamosa is Taylor Hackett, graduating senior at Alamosa High. Weyers said nominees for Spud Bowl Queen are each provided a semester’s tuition to Adams State.

In addition, CPAC is working with Bette Blinde and the Colorado Foundation for Agriculture on a program to familiarize San Luis Valley teachers with the region’s rich ag economy and history. The 2015 Food, Fiber & More will take place over five days in June.

According to the foundation, the course is designed for teachers who have little or no agriculture background. They can receive two credits from Colorado State University for their participation, and they will be provided a variety of methods for using ag materials in their classrooms. The itinerary includes both classroom time and hands-on experience on area farms and ranches.

Weyers and Marketing Administrative Assistant Racheal Werner will additionally be focusing marketing efforts on the Colorado Proud campaign and media placements with Denver CBS affiliate Channel 4 during the fall, and the annual Potato Festival is in its planning stages for a September extravaganza.

“We’re also working on our annual dinner and golf tournament this summer,” Weyers said, and Werner continues to promote San Luis Valley potatoes through the social media outlets of Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and LinkedIn as well as CPAC’s website, coloradopotato.org.