All eyes on the Year of the Potato

FLORENCEVILLE, N.B. - Whatever may befall the rich and famous in 2008, the humble potato will be less humble.

The United Nations has designated 2008 the International Year of the Potato, and McCain Foods Ltd., the largest producer of french fries in the world, is stepping forward to sponsor the observance.

"The United Nations General Assembly has declared that the potato should be a major component in strategies aimed at providing nutritious food for the poor and hungry," says the privately held company, based in Atlantic Canada-based global company, which has grown from its Atlantic Canada roots to have 20,000 employees on six continents and sales of more than $6 billion a year.