The Potato Grower of Idaho (PGI) annual Grower of the Year awards and fundraising auction will take place Jan. 21 at the Red Lion Hotel in Pocatello, at 5:00 p.m. This year the event will be held in the hotel ballroom instead of the pool foyer to allow for better acoustics and sound.
The fundraiser and awards will be held in conjunction with the reception sponsored by Spectra Productions. The reception and silent auction begin at 5:00 p.m. A live auction will be conducted by Rexburg auctioneer Gale Harding.
Following the fundraising auction, the Grower of the Year and Seed Grower of the Year awards will be presented by the Potato Grower magazine. Everyone associated with the Idaho potato industry is invited to attend this fun evening.
Funds raised in the auction will go to the Idaho Potato Political Action Committee. The purpose of this committee is to help political candidates who are friendly to agriculture with their campaign costs.
Congress recently passed legislation to require the Women Infants and Children (WIC) program to allow the use of potatoes. This helps remove a false and negative stigma about the use of potatoes. Industry involvement was the only way that this successful change was achieved. Funds raised at this event allow the industry to be involved in order to affect change beneficial to the potato industry.
Donated items that will be auctioned include a ski trip, tractor rentals, crop protection products, and much more. Door prizes will be given away throughout the evening.
For any questions or to make donations for the auction please contact Martha Dance at pgimd@cableone.net or Keith Esplin at pgike@cableone.net or by phone at (208) 243-1824.