Farming Smarter is wrapping up harvest for its research potatoes, and next, those potatoes are being donated for a good cause. Roughly 20,000 pounds of potatoes will be given to the Interfaith Food Bank. Farming Smarter uses the potatoes in the summer to research new growing techniques. Now, instead of having the potatoes go to waste, they’ll go to people and families in need. It’s a big help ahead of Thanksgiving, with the Interfaith Food Bank serving about 3,000 clients per month between all its programs. “It’s been ongoing for many years now,” said Taylor Doyle, Lethbridge Interfaith Food Bank marketing and communications co-ordinator. “And we’re so grateful, as we’re in the middle of a food security crisis—we are just seeing more and more people coming through our doors.” “One of our staff members has a connection with the Interfaith Food Bank,” said Lewis Baarda, Farming Smarter research program manager. “And the first year we were harvesting, he said, ‘Well, what are we doing with all the leftover potatoes? You know, I think the food bank could use them.’” This is the third year Farming Smarter has donated potatoes to the Interfaith Food Bank. Almost 50,000 pounds of potatoes have been donated in that time.
