Since accepting the U.S. Potato Board “Salad Bar Challenge” initiative last April, the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee has chosen the first six of its 10 planned salad bars in state and regional schools, according to CPAC Assistant Director Linda Weyers.

Weyers told The Produce News in January that the first five Colorado recipients are the Mountain Valley School District in Saguache; the Sterling School District; Sanford School District; and two salad bars to the Durango School District. The sixth salad bar being donated by CPAC is to Gwinnett County Schools outside of Atlanta.

The six matches by the USPB chosen by CPAC are four to Durango, one to Sanford and one to the Lafayette School District, all in Colorado.

“The salad bars, which cost $2,900 each, will be in place by springtime,” she said. “The whole idea is to get youngsters to eat more vegetables, and these salad bars can be for either hot or cold dishes.”

The two new Mapleton School District salad bars were met with enthusiasm by students in spring 2015. Colorado Potato Administrative Committee donated the salad bars to launch the USPB Salad Bar Challenge, and more are being put into place this year. Photo courtesy of CPAC.Weyers said the challenge is in conjunction with the United Fresh’s “Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools” initiative, she noted.

Last spring the USPB, upon receiving final USDA approval for its FY16 budget, issued a nationwide challenge for the potato industry to sponsor 3,000 salad bar through 2020. CPAC kicked off the campaign by sponsoring two in the Mapleton School District in Denver as part of a pilot program. Ultimately the committee wants to see 100 salad bars donated by its members and USPB in Colorado.

The potato-friendly salad bars have seen good reception by kids, as evidenced by a video at unitedfresh.org. USPB advocates “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,” and said it’s critical that every segment of the industry participate.

Weyers said CPAC will purchase another four, with USPB set to match that number.

Weyers said Racheal Werner, marketing administrative assistant, is leaving the committee, and the hiring process for her successor was being planned. “We’re going to really miss Racheal, but we understand,” Weyers said. Werner will be working for a potato shipper in Monte Vista.

In the meantime, Webolutions digital marketing agency in Denver has been revamping the committee’s website, coloradopotato.org, and will roll out a new logo when the site goes live. The time frame is in January, Weyers said.

“All our new graphics will be added to our social media pages,” Weyers said. CPAC utilizes LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter.