“Over the long term, it is more profitable to do the right thing for the environment than to pollute it.”

Aaron Feuerstein, CEO, Malden Mills

Safer Spuds

If you’re like most people, you want to munch your potato chips in peace. You probably don’t want to worry about what kinds of chemicals were used to grow the potatoes, whether the chemicals were applied safely, or whether the chemicals entered the environment around the potato fields.

Well, if your chips are made from potatoes grown by the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA), you can snack with confidence. That’s because Wisconsin potato farmers teamed up with WWF to cut their use of toxic chemicals on 80,000 acres of potato crops. So far, they’ve significantly cut their use of highly toxic chemicals by using more environmentally friendly pest management methods.

Reductions in toxic chemical use mean a safer work environment for farmers and their families as well as improved water quality in surrounding waters and decreased threats to beneficial organisms like bees and earthworms. And that’s good news for farmers, biodiversity, and snackers alike.