Latest News From Potatoes

Potandon welcomes Darin to his role as CFO of our company. Darin will be a key part of our Senior Management team as we move Potandon towards an even more significant role in the fresh produce sector.

Side Delights offers solutions for shoppers who want to continue eating at home with an elevated dining experience – two trends converging this summer.

Klamath Ore.-based Wong Potatoes Inc. will see a slight acreage decline based on water availability concerns, said Ron Settlemire, sales manager.

Burlington, Wash.-based Double-N Potatoes, a grower of premium, fresh-market colored potatoes in Washington’s Skagit Valley, expects similar acreage compared with last year, said Ryan Schols, chief financial officer.

2021 is a new year for potato growers, and that’s a good thing.

Record temperatures in late June brought triple-digit heat to much of Washington and Oregon, but industry observers said the potato crop enjoyed near-perfect growing conditions until then.

Side Delights is providing menu tips for event planners as party planning begins and consumers celebrate the return of the roaring twenties.

Potato states held 65.3 million cwt. in storage on June 1, up 13% from June 1 a year ago.

The Packer is seeking insight from Washington and Oregon potato suppliers for the July 5 special section on potatoes from the region.

Part 2 of The Packer's interview with Cary Hoffman, owner of MountainKing Potatoes and Schoenmann Produce.

In a fresh produce career that has spanned nearly 50 years, Cary Hoffman still finds passion for the action of fresh produce and the challenge of growing consumer demand for potatoes.

 As shoppers stock up for the grilling season, new national sales data indicates sales of fingerlings and smaller-sized gourmet varietal potatoes, both popular for backyard cookouts, remain on a solid, upward ascent.

Welcome to The Packer’s Fresh Take, a new column featuring advice and inspiration from leaders and innovators in the produce industry, in their own words.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominees to fill 57 producer and importer member seats and one public member seat on the National Potato Promotion Board.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announces a proposed rule to change the handling regulations issued under the federal marketing order for Irish potatoes grown in certain counties in Idaho, and Malheur County, Oregon.

North Carolina produce shipments dipped slightly from 2019, U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics reveal.

Strong demand for potatoes and potato products and tight domestic supplies continues to drive increases in imports for the current (July – June) marketing year.

Mondi has partnered with SILBO, a Polish leading producer of compostable packaging, to create a paper-based high-strength packaging for the Irish farm potato business Meade Farm Group.

January and February 2021 retail sales of potatoes were improved from a year ago, but March sales trailed the pandemic-fueled performance of a year ago, new statistics show.

The long wait to expand U.S. potato distribution and sales in Mexico may soon be over.

The Prince Edward Island Potato Board is excited to share with potato farmers and industry partners the launch of a new podcast, Spudchat.

Cal-Organic Farms will start shipping new crop organic red and gold potatoes to customers from its facility in Lamont, Calif.

The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service is extending deregulation to J.R. Simplot Company’s potato variety developed using genetic engineering, designated as Snowden Z6 (Z6 potato).

With planting season only weeks away, severe drought conditions are raising concerns about the 2021 Red River Valley potato crop in Minnesota and North Dakota.

Spring into the new season, full of warmer weather and new recipes in Tasteful Selections® second quarter of the “It’s the Little Things” Campaign.

Houston-based MountainKing is introducing new marketing support for its Butter Reds.

Idaho Falls, Idaho-based Wada Farms Marketing Group has added to the company’s national sales and marketing team.

Leading food and agriculture associations sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai communicating growing concerns over the rapid deterioration of the U.S.-Mexico trade relationship.

The Side Delights Network of family-owned farms is vigilantly integrating the next generation into the potato business.

Prissy Fletcher is overjoyed. The cabbage crop is thriving this year in St. Johns County, just south of Jacksonville in northeastern Florida.

Milt Carter is The Packer’s 2021 Potato Man for All Seasons.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture will conduct a referendum April 12-30 for Irish potato producers in Idaho and Malheur County, Oregon, to vote on whether to continue their federal marketing order.

During a Feb. 24 hearing of the Mexican Supreme Court, the justice who authored the draft ruling overturning a ban on the importation of U.S. fresh potatoes asked the court to postpone a vote.

Fourth-generation potato grower Dominic LaJoie of Van Buren, Maine has been elected as president of the National Potato Council, and to lead the grower-led organization’s executive committee.

Side Delights revealed recently released trend data on the growing focus on the health benefits of foods and the impact it has on consumer behavior.

The Mexican Supreme Court is considering the fate of Mexican imports of U.S. potatoes.

For potatoes sold at retail, 2020 was a very good year.

Chelsea, Mass.-based Arrowfarms companies Morning Kiss Organic and Gold Bell are introducing new, fully compostable paper bag potato packaging. 

Pummelos were finally knocked from their weeks-long run at No. 1 when strawberries took the top spot on PMG the week of Jan. 25.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has appointed 31 potato industry representatives to serve on the National Potato Promotion Board.

A Jan. 21 fire destroyed a dehydrated potato processing facility in Warden, Wash.

Just as quick-service restaurants use enticing menu board images to drive sales, retailers are relying on the same concept to capture the attention of shoppers seeking a suitable side dish.

Pummelo, oranges and strawberries carried the top three spots on PMG for the third week in a row, while lettuce rose three places to No. 4, and apples gained four spots to complete the top 5.

PEI Potatoes will be on the small screen once again this year, with a brand new message and commercial.

Side Delights shared the results from its New Year’s Instagram poll, not surprisingly leading with healthy lifestyle choices. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced the appointment of 31 individuals to serve on the National Potato Promotion Board.

Pummelos and oranges maintained the top two spots on PMG the first week of January, but strawberries rejoined the list at No. 3.

Retail fresh potato sales saw record growth of 12% in dollar sales and 8.2% in volume during the October-December quarter, according to Potatoes USA.

Potato sales at retail have been strong since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and a Potato Expo panel of suppliers and retailers agreed that momentum will likely continue through 2021.

Unity among agriculture advocates and growers is necessary to successfully navigate new public and private initiatives for climate change and sustainability.