Wal-Mart to feature spuds with

    WATERVILLE, Maine – The Maine Potato Board, Wal-Mart Supercenters, and the Bushwick Commission, a company that helps Maine farmers market their potatoes, have embarked on a campaign to bring the freshest tablestock potatoes to Maine consumers.
    Wal-Mart Supercenters across Maine will now feature 10-pound bags with the “Get Real. Get Maine!” logo.
The Maine Department of Agriculture and other farm organizations are urging consumers to increase their purchase of locally grown foods because purchasing those products makes economic sense, it keeps money working in the local community, and helps preserve Maine farms because the surest means of farmland preservation is to have profitable farms.
The campaign officially kicked off March 15 at the Waterville Wal-Mart Supercenter Store. On hand was Maine Commissioner of Agriculture Seth Bradstreet III.
“Consumer response to ‘Buy Local’ campaigns has been overwhelming. When given a choice between purchasing a Maine-grown product or its equivalent from ‘away,’ consumers are increasingly supporting Maine farmers,” said Bradstreet. “One of the biggest challenges for consumers devoted to buying local foods is determining which foods are grown locally. Finding products with the familiar ‘Get Real. Get Maine!’ logo ensures consumers they are purchasing products grown in Maine.”
Guerrette Farms, a grower and shipper based in Caribou, is one company that has contracted with the Bushwick Commission to supply potatoes to Wal-Mart. Brian Guerrette, president of Guerrette Farms, said he is excited about the promotion.
“The Wal-Mart program provides a needed boost to our business,” said Guerrette. “We believe Maine has achieved a reputation for good quality potatoes, and the consumer will appreciate finding Maine products on Wal-Mart shelves.”
“It’s important to Wal-Mart to support local growers and we’re proud to work with the Maine Potato Board to offer our customers this outstanding produce,” said Wal-Mart Vice President of Produce Ron McCormick. “Our customers get an exceptional quality product and the bonus of knowing it’s from their own backyard!”
The Maine Potato Board said the promotion confirms the quality of Maine product.
“We’re promoting the state of Maine, and we’re proud to offer some of the best potatoes in the country to an audience that has come to expect high quality and fair price,” said Donald Flannery, executive director of the Maine Potato Board.
Ken Gray of the Bushwick Commission markets potatoes for Maine farmers and helped organize the promotion with Wal-Mart. Gray helps determine what the Wal-Mart stores will need in any given week.
“Wal-Mart expressed the need for more high-quality, regionally-correct Maine produce,” said Gray, who is the fourth generation of the Bushwick Commission, which has been packing and shipping potatoes since 1934. “The ‘Get Real. Get Maine!’ campaign is a perfect fit for the Wal-Mart stores in Maine and creates a win-win situation for everyone. The campaign reinforces Wal-Mart’s commitment to supporting Maine agriculture, and it also gets more of our Maine produce in the marketplace and in front of the consumer.”
In addition, Bushwick and the Maine Potato Board are pleased to provide a donation to the Children’s Miracle Network. Wal-Mart associates and customers all across the country support 170 Children’s Miracle Network hospitals that provide the finest care, research, and community outreach to help millions of children with diseases and injuries of every kind. The donation shows the organizations’ commitment to the communities they serve.
In Maine, local Children’s Miracle Network donations directly benefit the affiliate hospitals and pediatric programs of Eastern Maine Healthcare Systems. These programs and services are available at the Barbara Bush Children’s Hospital at Maine Medical Center.