CASPER, Wyo. — 10,920 pounds of potatoes were harvested from the University of Wyoming’s James C. Hageman Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension Center this season to help feed families facing food insecurity.
This was the second year the center harvested potatoes as part of a partnership with two UW Extension programs, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Cent$ible Nutrition Program and the Food Bank of Wyoming, UW said on Wednesday. Food Bank of Wyoming will work to distribute the potatoes statewide.
“SAREC is glad to collaborate with the Cent$ible Nutrition Program and many local volunteers to make this happen,” Brian Lee, a research scientist at the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension Center, said. “This continues to be a good program for the state and local communities. We appreciate all of the help from the SAREC staff growing and harvesting the potatoes, and we look forward to continuing this in the future.”
The harvest is an increase from 2021, when about 6,500 pounds of potatoes were harvested. Food Bank of Wyoming will distribute the potatoes to its partners around the state, including food pantries and mobile food pantries that aim to reach rural communities.
On Sept. 24, over 30 volunteers helped bag the potatoes that were harvested from a Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension Center field near Lingle, according to UW. Volunteers included UW students and faculty, master gardeners, church youth groups and inmates from the Wyoming Women’s Center.
“It is wonderful to see people coming together to serve all of the communities across Wyoming,” Samantha Maxwell, programs representative at Food Bank of Wyoming, said in UW’s release. “With the severe challenges communities are facing to provide for their families, we are thankful for UW Extension, SAREC and CNP striving to help fight against hunger.”
The Cent$ible Nutrition Program works with local food pantries to provide recipes and resources for cooking and storing potatoes safely, UW noted. The program aims to offer hands-on cooking, nutrition and physical activity opportunities to income-qualifying families.
“The potato harvest is a natural partnership between CNP and UW Extension Agricultural Experiment Stations, like SAREC,” Mindy Meuli, Cent$ible Nutrition Program director, said. “This is an incredible opportunity to connect locally grown food from SAREC to the families CNP serves in Wyoming.”
Rachel Bailey, director of the Food Bank of Wyoming, said the potatoes will help as families deal with higher inflation and fuel prices.
“With higher inflation and fuel prices, many families are seeking food assistance for the first time, so these potatoes will be a welcome addition to our distributions to Hunger Relief Partners this fall,” she said.
