wfn.org | Colorado Potatoes on Their Way to North Korea

[CAROL_FOUKE.parti@ecunet.org (CAROL FOUKE)]

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA
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COLORADO POTATOES ON THEIR WAY TO NORTH KOREA
U.S. RELIEF AGENCIES LAUNCH POTATO PROJECT FOR FAMINE RELIEF

48NCC4/28/99          FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 28, 1999, DENVER, Colo. -- Today 100 metric tons 
of Russet Nugget seed potatoes from the San Luis Valley in 
Colorado are being loaded onto a Tower Airlines 747 at 
Denver International Airport en route to North Korea. This 
shipment of seed potatoes is part of a larger initiative 
newly launched by a consortium of eight U.S. humanitarian 
relief and development agencies, including Church World 
Service.  These U.S. seed potatoes will help increase potato 
production in North Korea. 

The loading of the seed potatoes began at 2:00 PM MDT 
Wednesday afternoon. The plane, contracted on behalf of the 
United States Agency for International Development (USAID), 
is due to depart around 5:00 PM MDT. 

This initiative consists of a total of 1,000 metric 
tons of seed potatoes that have been purchased by eight U.S. 
relief agencies and will be distributed on farms throughout 
several provinces in North Korea. Additionally, a 100,000 
metric ton food-for-work program, with commodities provided 
by USAID and the United States Department of Agriculture, 
will both support the seed potato initiative and be targeted 
to the neediest areas of the country. The 100,000 metric 
tons of food marks the first bilateral aid given by the 
United States to North Korea. 

Since 1995, Church World Service, the humanitarian 
response ministry of the National Council of Churches,  has 
provided more than $2.8 million worth of rice, corn, barley, 
beef, cooking oil, antibiotics, blankets, and other 
assistance to alleviate the famine related suffering in 
North Korea.

Agencies involved in this undertaking are Church World 
Service, Adventist Development and Relief, Amigos 
Internacionales, The Carter Center, CARE, Catholic Relief 
Services, Korean American Sharing Movement and Mercy Corps 
International.

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