SALEM — State Sen. Bill Hansell, R-Athena, expressed his thanks Tuesday, Feb. 28, to Oregon’s potato growers, who donated 36,000 pounds of produce to the annual Capitol food drive.

“Oregon’s potato growers play a very important role in Oregon’s agriculture economy,” Hansell said. “I am so grateful to the farmers who came together to make this significant donation to Oregon’s families in need.”

Oregon potato growers have made a similar sized donation to the annual food drive at Oregon’s Capitol building every year in recent memory, legislative staffer Jake Pelroy said. The food drive is an important opportunity each year for legislators and workers in the Capitol to support Oregonians experiencing food insecurity. It also provides friendly competition as the House and Senate compete to secure more donations.

“A unified effort goes into the drive,” Gary Roth, Oregon Potato Commission executive director Gary Roth said. “Donors definitely included growers from Umatilla and Morrow county area.”

The Capitol food drive has been going on for some time, Roth said. Whenever the commission is made aware of it, the OPC gets growers together to fill a truck.

“This is my fourth year on the commission,” Roth said. “The 18 tons this year could accord with previous years. The growers are happy to provide food security.”

Roth previously spent 25 years in the Oregon Department of Agriculture. He helped Morrow County food processors investigate the Japanese market.

“This substantial contribution from Oregon’s potato growers speaks to how integral a part of both our economy and our community these farmers are,” Hansell said. “Thank you to those farmers who were willing to donate their potatoes. We are grateful for your contribution to fighting food insecurity in our state.”

Oregon is the fourth highest potato-producing state in the country, Pelroy said. In 2020, the 2.7 billion pounds of potatoes grown in Oregon resulted in nearly $217 million in value at the farm gate and an estimated $571 million in economic value to the state after packing and processing. More than 7,000 Oregon full time equivalent jobs are the direct or indirect result of Oregon’s potato industry.