US: Maine lawmakers headed to potato country

Maine lawmakers are headed north to get schooled on potatoes. The Maine Potato Board is sponsoring the event — with lawmakers being bused to Aroostook County from Monday, July 13, to Wednesday, July 15 — to learn about the state’s potato farms and farmers. Tim Hobbs, director of development and grower relations, said lawmakers will be visiting the Maine Seed Potato Board’s early generation seed production facility in Masardis, where minitubers are grown in a hydroponic greenhouse. Other locations being visiting are LaJoie Growers, which supplies blue potatoes to Terra Chips; Pineland Farms in Mars Hill, which produces fresh refrigerated potatoes; and an equipment company, which his providing a technology demonstration. (Source: San Francisco Chronicle)