Latest News From Potatoes

After a year of strong fresh potato prices, Washington potato marketers are looking at a favorable new crop outlook and strong demand for both processing and fresh potato supplies.

War, drought and a global pandemic aren’t exactly all the horsemen of the apocalypse, but three out of four are bad enough.

Wisconsin potato grower Dick Okray was presented an Industry Award for his contributions to the potato industry at the 11th World Potato Congress in Dublin, Ireland on May 31.

In this video, Eagle Eye Produce is putting the spotlight on Dylan Jones with its “Grower Spotlight” series.

North Carolina’s potato growers will deliver big volume of fresh and chipping potatoes this summer for a relatively short marketing period.

The National Potato Council is welcoming the news that the first shipments of U.S. fresh potatoes crossed into Mexico beyond the previous 26-kilometer border restriction on May 11.

Raleigh, N.C.-based L&M Companies has an ample supply of Carolina produce commodities in the months ahead, company leaders said.

Denver-based Potatoes USA has announced that nominations are now open for new board members for the 2023-2026 term. 

It’s been said that potatoes and onions are the nuts and bolts of the produce department. Looking at prices at Walmart, these two core commodities have seen price spikes from mid-January to mid-April.

Consumers are spending more on potatoes as they continue to find occasions to cook and celebrate at home, according to a news release.

U.S. potato stocks on hand on April 1 were up 3% from year-ago levels, according to a new USDA report.

Denver-based Potatoes USA, the marketing and promotion board for the potato industry, elected new leadership during its annual meeting on March 9.

U.S. and Mexican agriculture officials have agreed that U.S. fresh potato access will expand in Mexico by May 15.

Bradford, Ontario-based Gwillimdale Farms has announced the debut of a brand new and fully automated potato grading system that has created room for a new line of No. 2 potatoes called Conscious Consumption.

Officials with the Eagle, Idaho-based Idaho Potato Commission participated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony of the new Seed Potato Germplasm Laboratory. 

To the dismay of U.S. potato leaders worried about the spread of potato wart disease, the USDA has announced that Canada is expected to resume exporting Prince Edward Island table stock potatoes to the U.S.

There’s an urgent need to set the record straight on the nutritional value of white tubers. This and other hot topics were part of Potatoes USA's recent annual meeting in Denver, Colo.

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The National Potato Council's Washington Summit from Feb. 28 to March 3 provided an opportunity for potato growers to visit with representatives in Congress about industry policy priorities. 

The next farm bill is coming into focus for the National Potato Council and other specialty crop groups.

Some Red River Valley potato marketers could finish a little earlier than usual this year, said Ted Kreis, marketing and communications director for the Northern Great Plains Potato Growers Association.

February is a good time for retailers to show their love for potatoes. 

2021 U.S. fresh potato exports soared 13% in value and 19% in volume compared with 2020, USDA numbers say.

Potatoes ranked only behind bananas among fresh produce items most frequently purchased, according to The Packer's 2022 Fresh Trends survey.

In planning for Easter and Mother’s Day promotions, Side Delights is providing potato pairings and secondary display suggestions to help increase spring holiday grocery sales.

Potato sales continue to perform well at retail compared with pre-pandemic conditions, says Kayla Dome, global marketing manager for retail at Potatoes USA.

Shutting down U.S. fresh potato industry expectations for expanded access in early 2022, the government of Mexico has raised new hurdles to access.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture today announced the appointment of 33 individuals to serve on the National Potato Promotion Board.

Potato-producing states held 198 million hundredweight, or cwt, in storage on Feb. 1, down 3% from the same date a year ago, according to the USDA. 

The USDA is terminating the marketing order regulating the handling of potatoes grown in Washington state.

Potato prices have shown a big increase in the past year, and potato marketers anticipate a firm market for the balance of the storage season.

Potato sales in 2021 were up compared with pre-pandemic levels of 2019, but fell short of 2020 sales, according to a new report from potato farming marketing organization Potatoes USA. 

It may be a small victory for Prince Edward Island exporters, but the USDA has opened Puerto Rico for PEI fresh potato shipments.

Potato prices grew by 10.9% compared to 2020, growing five times faster than the previous two years, according to Potatoes USA data from IRI.

ANAHEIM, Calif.- The latest crop protection tool is man’s best friend.

On November 29, 2021, during a routine delimiting survey, the USDA confirmed the detection of pale cyst nematode (PCN) in one potato production field located in Bingham County, Idaho.

MountainKing is spicing up several of its gourmet varieties by partnering with Tajín Clásico Seasoning to offer shoppers a free sample of the top-selling dry seasoning in 1.5 lb. bags of its potatoes.

Potato growers facing post-harvest diseases now have a new option for protection during storage.

Nearly two years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent restrictions that gashed the foodservice operators, speakers at the Potato Expo said there are both optimism and caution about what is next.

Potato and onion brand Side Delights is kicking off 2022 with plant-based products that give shoppers convenience and a way to reduce food waste, according to a news release.

Ongoing pandemic- and climate change-related shocks may require suppliers to invest in supply chain resiliency over efficiency in the years ahead.

The Potato Leadership, Education, & Advancement Foundation on Jan. 5 announced the results of its inaugural fundraising campaign at the 2022 Potato Expo.

The following statement was issued Dec. 16 by Kam Quarles, CEO of the National Potato Council (NPC): 

Export opportunities for U.S. fresh potatoes into Mexico are set to expand significantly within the next few months, U.S. potato industry leaders believe.

A big potato industry reunion is right around the corner.

Potatoes USA’s Market Access Program (MAP) funding from the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) increased for the 2022-2023 marketing year.

It’s always summer in sun-drenched Key West, Florida, where a seven-day resort getaway for two awaits the winner of the Idaho Potato Commission’s 2022 Idaho® Potato Lovers Display Contest sweepstakes.

Fresh potato prices in late November were well above late 2020 levels while shipments of potatoes were lagging below year ago-levels, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics.

The Packer received this letter to the editor from the Canadian Horticultural Council and the Canadian Potato Council in response to a recent opinion article.

It is again time to honor a well-deserving member of the potato growing community by nominating them for the Potato Person of the Year or Potato Person for All Seasons award.

For the second time in under 12 months, the North American potato industry received news that no one wanted: more detections of the devastating potato wart disease found in fields in Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada.