Potato Man of the Year
<p>Washington State Potato Commission Executive Director Christ Voigt, right, is congratulated by commission Chairman Frank Martinez, of Royal City, for recieving the Potato Man of the Year Award in Las Vegas over the weekend.</p>
LAS VEGAS - Eating nothing but potatoes for 60 days earned Chris Voigt the Washington State Potato Commission's Potato Man of the Year honor.
Voigt, the commission's executive director, received the award in Las Vegas over the weekend during the National Potato Council's Annual Meeting and Expo.
The Grower magazine jointly presents the honor with The Packer newspaper, in conjunction with the National Potato Council, said Vicky Boyd, The Grower's editor, on Tuesday.
The award is given to someone who goes above and beyond the call of duty to represent the potato industry, she explained.
"I said our recipient personified this definition," she recalled. "He sacrificed his body to do so."
"He really brought to the forefront how nutritious potatoes are," she said. "They are full of potassium, vitamin C and high in fiber. I think Chris got people talking about how nutritious potatoes are."
The media coverage on the diet was widespread, as shown by the thousands of Internet pages on which it is mentioned.
TV, print and social media were used to show how nutritious potatoes are.
Voigt also did interviews with Irish and British press, she said.
His diet was prompted by the USDA's move to remove potatoes from the Women, Infant and Children's Program.
"He mentioned he couldn't have done something like this without his family, as well as his ever-growing family of potato growers," Boyd said.
Voigt stated he was surprised to receive the honor.
Seed grower Maryls Bedlington, proprietor of Pure Potato in Lynden, received the Seed Grower of the Year Award.
Last year, Othello grower Allen Floyd was honored with the Potato Man for All Seasons award in Orlando, Fla., during the council's annual meeting and expo.