Recent potato war resolved…peacefully and with no collateral damage. I’m David Sparks and the olive branch will be extended next. You may recall recent reports on the Idaho Fry Company which offers a variety of French fried potato dishes that owner Blake Lingle believes is a heartier, healthier French fry recipe. The caveat is that even though it’s named Idaho Fry Company, the potatoes come from Idaho, California, and other states. Thus the problem.

 There was a trademark issue with the name Idaho being used in a business selling potato products that are not exclusively from the State of Idaho. Idaho Potato Commission President Frank Muir says “The word Idaho when it’s related to potato products in any of its forms is covered under a federal certification mark that the Idaho Potato Commission secured from the Federal Government back in 1966. As part of that certification mark, you are required by the Federal Government to protect it or you are obligated to lose it. So the Idaho Potato Commission asked the Idaho Fry Company to change its name. Idaho Fry came back with “We spent $7000 setting up the business with this name, that isn’t fair. Potato Commission said they’d reimburse the $7000…change the name already.

 New name…Boise Fry Company. Issue resolved.