Are potatoes considered a vegetable in the United States? The commission was tasked with solving an acute problem that has sparked a wave of protests by senators in rural states, AFP reports.

The roots of the debate go deep.

American health authorities, the potato lobby and elected officials in Congress have argued for years over the classification of this starchy food, which is one of the factors that determine the distribution of government subsidies.

According to 2019 data from the Department of Agriculture, Americans consume an average of 22 pounds of potatoes per year, nearly half of which comes in the form of frozen foods such as potato chips.

Health problem

Proponents of changing the classification consider it a public health problem, because more than 40% of the US adult population suffers from obesity.

Potatoes are high in potassium, calcium and vitamin C,” the senators said in a letter to the agriculture and health ministers released Thursday.

The classification change would lead to “confusion for consumers, restaurateurs and growers,” warn these elected representatives from states that are major potato producers: Idaho, Maine, Oregon, and more.

The debate also echoes the Reagan administration’s attempt to classify ketchup as a vegetable for American school meals. Then the protection of the parents led to a very quick abandonment of the project.

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