Feb 19, 2019Idaho bill would create negotiating period for potato growers, frozen processors
A bill introduced in the Idaho House of Representatives would create an annual negotiating period between a state potato grower association and frozen potato processors.
House Bill 121, introduced Feb. 11, would designate the period between Oct. 31 and March 15 as the time frame when a grower association can negotiate pricing of raw potatoes with frozen processors.
The bill is in response to a 2017 situation where a processor negotiated pricing individually with growers, reported Brad Carlson of the Capital Press. Dan Hargraves, executive director of the Southern Idaho Potato Cooperative, told the Capital Press one processing company gaining a pricing advantage is bad for the whole potato market.
According to the bill, if a grower association and processing company fail to reach an agreement during the designated time period, processing companies would then be free to negotiate directly with individual growers.
The bill has been referred to the Agriculture Affairs committee for review. No vote has been scheduled.
