The University of Wyoming’s James C. Hageman Sustainable Agriculture Research and Extension Center (SAREC) recently donated nearly 12,000 pounds of potatoes to the Food Bank of Wyoming as part of its fourth annual potato harvest, Oil City News reports.
This event, a collaboration between SAREC, the Food Bank of Wyoming, and UW Extension’s Cent$ible Nutrition Program (CNP), aims to boost food security by supplying fresh produce to communities across the state.
The potatoes, grown as part of outreach efforts at SAREC, are distributed statewide to food pantries at no cost, making fresh, locally sourced produce more accessible to Wyoming families.
“We had another successful year at the SAREC potato harvest… We filled the Food Bank of Wyoming truck with potatoes for statewide distribution through local food pantries,” said Mindy Meuli, director of CNP.
Once harvested, the potatoes are transported to the Food Bank of Wyoming’s distribution points, where they reach communities quickly through the food bank’s express delivery routes. Nearly all of this year’s harvest has already been distributed to communities statewide.
Volunteers are vital to the harvest’s success, according to Brian Lee, a research scientist at SAREC.
“Without volunteers, these potatoes don’t get bagged,” he said.
Lee noted the support from SAREC staff, CNP employees, UW students, 4-H families, and members of the Wyoming Women’s Center who contributed to the harvest.
The annual event also offers educational opportunities for local elementary school students, fostering a deeper understanding of agriculture and community service. For hunger relief organizations, the donation not only increases available food but also enhances the variety of nutritious options. Potatoes, which have a relatively long shelf life, are a key produce item as the season changes, and CNP assists food pantry patrons by offering recipes and resources on safe potato storage and preparation.
Since the project began in 2021, over 42,000 pounds of potatoes have been donated to hunger relief efforts statewide. Rebecca Travers, program manager for the Food Bank of Wyoming, expressed gratitude for the continued partnership.
“We’re beyond grateful for the collaboration with CNP and SAREC. It keeps fresh, local produce accessible across Wyoming,” Travers said.
