The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1919-01-28
Would Have Law
Enacted to Compel
Potato GRADING
Idaho Falls Times)

Idaho Falls Times)
Compulsory inspection of all po-
tatoes shipped from the State of Ida
no will soon have its inning and is
supposed to go to bat at the session
of the present legislature.
The state farm bureau at its meet
ing at Twin Falls last week passed
resolutions endorsing compulsory
inspection and asking that the mat
ter be taken up at the legislature
with view of having law passed
to that end.
On Saturday last members of the
Bonneville county farm bureau met
in the B. w. and M. building and en-
dorsed the resolution passed at Twin
Falls. The local meeting was called
for the purpose of hearing the report
OF the committee sent to the Twin
Falls meeting. Abel Beasley, as
chairman of the committee read the
report. After considerable discus
sion the resolutions were adopted
with one dissenting vote. This ac-
ton on the part of the farm bureau
potato growers sanctions three
grades. They are No. 1 Fancy, No.
! and No. 2. The first two grades en-
brace the nice appearing potatoes
while the third grade takes in the
rough ones. Small potatoes will
not be permitted to be shipped. Tie
way it will work out is supposed tc
be about as follows. In a year when
potatoes are plentiful there will be
little demand for No. 2. When DO
tatoes are scarce the market will
take most anything. Advocates If
inspection claim many advantages
will be derived from its adoption TO
the grower. 1t will tend to create a
better grade Of potatoes and a bet
ter grade will demand higher price
and keener market. There is lit
tie doubt but what Idaho can grow
the best potatoes in the world. It is
just matter of grading them to the
quality the market desires, and STAN
dardizing them to that grade. Fol-
lowing Is copy of the resolutions
passed at the Twin Falls meeting and !.
adopted at the meeting held Satur-
day:
Your committee on recommends
tons for suitable legislation for the
protection Of the potato industry =
hereby recommends to this body that
q system Of compulsory inspection
Of all potatoes shipped from Idaho
be established and urge that inspec
ton be done at loading points.
We further recommend that the
inspectors be under the jurisdiction
Of an executive committee composed
Of the president of the state farm
bureau, the state director of farm
markets and the direcor OF agricul-
tural extension, University Of Idaho.
We further recommend that the
following grades for potatoes be es-
tablished:
No. l fancy potatoes shall consist
Of potatoes of a minimum size Of
eight ounces, and shall be smooth.
free from sunburn and frost injury
and shall contain not more than
three per cent of potatoes with de-
[ects including mechanical injury.
Grade No. shall consist Of pota-
toes equal to grade No. as estab-
ished by the U. S., Food administra-
ion except that a tolerance of five
per cent be permitted instead of
!hree per cent.
Grade No. 2 shall consist of good
'dible potatoes of the same or similar
variety, not smaller than will pass
through one and three-quarter
nch screen in the narrowest dia-
meter.
Potatoes not suitable for No. T.
Fancy shall grade No. 1. Potatoes
lot suitable for No. grade shall
srade No. 2. Potatoes not suitable
or Grade No. 2 shall be rejected.
We further recommed that the
IDAHO legislature be petitioned to
provide for a compulsory potato in
;pection and that the grades as here
n recommended be established and
unds provided for the enforcement
II these grades.
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