March 13, 2008
Name withheld

Steve,

We help out at a food auction, have for a number of years. Some of the food is out of date, some not, some damaged by bone head fork lift operators.

The guy that brings the food said there is going to be a shortage of potatoes right soon and the price of a 5lb. bag will be $ 5.00.
We are already on the new Calif. crop. Last years Minn. and N. Dakota crop should have lasted till this July.

The government changed the ruling on how much gas can be sprayed on the potatoes last fall. The gas kept the potatoes from sprouting. With less gas, they are now sprouting and stores can't sell them. We are talking millions of pounds here.

He checked with several warehouses and they said the same thing, also it was to be kept quiet as to not spread panic buying. These are huge warehouses that serve 100-300 stores.