Idaho Congressman Mike Simpson has successfully added an amendment to the 2013 Agriculture Appropriations bill in the House to include fresh potatoes in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. WIC provides supplemental nutritious foods to low-income at-risk pregnant women, infants and young children; it provides things like infant cereal, iron-fortified adult cereal, vitamin C-rich fruit or vegetable juice, eggs, milk, cheese, peanut butter, dried and canned beans and peas and canned fish. The program also offers tofu, fruits and vegetables, baby foods and whole-wheat bread.

Simpson, in a news release, said, “Fresh potatoes have been excluded from the WIC program despite their widely known nutritional value. This important amendment corrects the unfair exclusion on fresh potatoes and allows participants to make smart wholesome food choices for their young families.”

Simpson is a member of the House Appropriations Committee, which approved his amendment and the full bill yesterday; the bill now awaits consideration by the full House.