<p><strong>Washington, D.C.</strong> –Steve Crane, co-owner of Crane Brothers Inc., has been elected to serve as the National Potato Council's President for 2012 and will be leading the Executive Committee, according to a press release. Mr. Crane was selected at the National Potato Council’s 2012 Annual Meeting, held in early January in Orlando, Florida. The potato grower of Exeter, Maine, will host the NPC Board of Directors Summer Meeting being held July 11-13, 2012, in Bar Harbor, Maine. Both the Executive Committee and the Board of Directors include U.S. potato growers that are nominated by their state organizations, and chosen by their industry peers.<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Steve Crane, enters the new role with many policy priorities. One of the priorities this coming year will involve modifying the proposed Women, Infants and Children rule that bans participants from using WIC vouchers to purchase fresh white potatoes. In reference to the 2011 USDA proposal to limit potatoes in school meals, Mr. Crane states, “Last year, our industry was successful in beginning to shift public perception of the role of potatoes in federal feeding programs. Through our research, grassroots and communications efforts, we were able to get the message out that potatoes can be a part of healthful diets. Over the next 12 months, we must seize the opportunity provided by our success on fixing USDA’s school meal plans in order to achieve a similar result on the WIC issue.”<hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"> Another area of strong focus will be on the 2012 Farm Bill. Mr. Crane refelcts, "Our efforts on the 2012 Farm Bill will be critical if we are to ensure the continuation of long-term pest and disease research funding levels. This funding is important if we are to address new production challenges, whether they are caused by Zebra Chip, late blight or acrylamide."</p><hr class="legacyRuler"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding"><hr class="invisible minimal-padding">
