INDUSTRY DIRECTORY
August 31, 2017
Articles

Creamers Bred for Small Size, Big Taste

The Little Potato Company has built a business around the smallest potato in its family.
— Read More
August 31, 2017
Articles
Chris Koger

U.S. Potato Exports Hit Record Levels

The volume and value of all U.S. potato exports—including a 9 percent increase in fresh potatoes—hit record numbers in fiscal year 2017.
— Read More
August 31, 2017
Articles

Late Blight Found in Michigan: Late blight was found in potatoes in Montcalm County, Mich, Aug. 22. Conditions remain conducive for late blight in irrigated potato crops.

Late blight was found in potatoes in Montcalm County, Mich, Aug. 22. Conditions remain conducive for late blight in irrigated potato crops.
— Read More
August 31, 2017
Articles
Kathleen Thomas Gaspar

Organics Boost Colorado Potato Acreage

With the last of the 2016 crop reported to have shipped by late July and early August, Colorado’s San Luis Valley was prepping for new crop loads to go out the door just weeks later.
— Read More
August 31, 2017
Articles

Growers Host Farm Tour for EPA Staffers

The National Potato Council led a delegation of six EPA staff on a tour of Idaho potato fields during the week of Aug. 14.
— Read More
August 31, 2017
Final Countdown

Top 5: Utilization of U.S. Potatoes

How are people buying and eating these wonderful vegetables that come out of the ground? Potatoes USA has run the numbers, and we have them here for you.
— Read More
August 31, 2017
Articles
Chad Bybee, County Executive Director & Dana Rogge, FSA Public Affairs Specialist

Keeping Their Cool: Farm Service Agency’s farm storage facility loan program helps protect spuds

Farm Service Agency’s farm storage facility loan program helps protect spuds
— Read More
August 30, 2017
Articles
George Plaven

Acreage Reduction Means Better Prices for Oregon Growers: Early-season potatoes are being harvested in eastern Oregon, and so far, growers are encouraged by what they see.

Early-season potatoes are being harvested in eastern Oregon, and so far, growers are encouraged by what they see.
— Read More
August 30, 2017
New Products, Potato Equipment

New Product: Challenger MT700 Series Track Tractors: Next-generation track tractors add first-class technology, unsurpassed ride comfort and greater efficiency

Next-generation track tractors add first-class technology, unsurpassed ride comfort and greater efficiency
— Read More
August 30, 2017
Articles
Tyrell Marchant, Editor

Grow On: Bayer’s Grower Sustainability Initiative

With its new Grow On sustainability initiative Bayer Crop Science is helping growers keep the dialogue with buyers and consumers congenial rather than adversarial.
— Read More
August 30, 2017
New Products

New Product: Kuhn Krause Interceptor 8050

The Interceptor 8050 is Kuhn Krause’s high-speed tillage solution for controlling troublesome, chemical-resistant weeds and a whole lot more.
— Read More
August 30, 2017
Articles

Case Studies Show Economic Benefits of Soil Health Practices

Soil health practices such as cover crops and no-till can result in an economic return of over $100 per acre, according to a recently released set of case studies.
— Read More
August 29, 2017
Articles

Myanmar Grants U.S. Potato Market Access

The Myanmar Ministry of Agriculture formally approved U.S. seed and fresh potatoes for importation as of Aug. 21, 2017.
— Read More
August 29, 2017
Irrigation, New Products

New Product: Valley Irrigation Run Time App

With the launch of the new Valley Irrigation Run Time app, growers can now easily calculate their pivot irrigation cycle time and eliminate the need for handwritten calculations.
— Read More
August 29, 2017
New Products, Potato Storage

Storage Equipment & Chemicals Buyers’ Guide

We present to you this storage equipment buyers’ guide, with many of the industry’s leading innovations for making sure your crop leaves storage looking as good as it did coming in.
— Read More
August 29, 2017
Smorgasbord

The Smorgasbord: Yukon Nugget

Yukon Nugget is being touted as a higher-yielding replacement for Yukon Gold.
— Read More
August 28, 2017
Articles

Idaho Growers Projecting Slightly Lower Yields

Potato harvest is right around the corner, and it has been an intense season in eastern Idaho. The growing season has seen everything from snow and flooding to blistering sun and heat.
— Read More
August 28, 2017
Articles
Dominic Lajoie & Andrew Plant

A Little TLC: Soil maintenance and refurbishment

Soil maintenance and refurbishment
— Read More
August 28, 2017
Articles
Ivan Simko & Kathleen Haynes, USDA-ARS

Finding the Fighters: Maturity-adjusted resistance of potato cultivars to Verticillium wilt

Maturity-adjusted resistance of potato cultivars to Verticillium wilt
— Read More
August 28, 2017
Grower of the Month
Tyrell Marchant, Editor

Back in the Game: Central Oregon’s Madras Farms

Grower of the Month: Central Oregon’s Madras Farms
— Read More
August 28, 2017
Irrigation, New Products

New Product: Valley X-Tec Center Drive: Delivering the ultimate combination of speed and power

The new Valley X-Tec advanced DC drive motor uses FastPass technology and operates up to twice the speed of a standard, high-speed AC center drive motor.
— Read More
August 28, 2017
New Products

New Product: Sunflower SF6830NT Rotary Finisher

Sunflower introduces the SF6830 Series high-speed rotary finisher in a convenient narrow-transport version.
— Read More
August 26, 2017
New Products

New Product: Trelleborg Variable Inflation Pressure Wheel

The system is an autonomous complete wheel capable of self-adjusting the pressure of a harvester’s tire during operation according to its precise load.
— Read More
August 26, 2017
Articles
Kathleen Phillips

Texas Researcher Plans to Pack More Value into Crop

Isabel Vales plans to pack even more value into the commodity through traditional and molecular breeding at Texas A&M.
— Read More
August 26, 2017
Articles

BASF, Proagrica Offer Farm Management Interface

BASF and Proagrica have signed a development and operation agreement to bring one of the first farm management system interfaces to market.
— Read More
August 25, 2017
Articles
Jonathan Knutson

Red River Valley Crop Avoids Drought, Deluge

Red River Valley potato growers generally have avoided drought and deluge this growing season. That bodes well for the soon-to-begin 2017 harvest.
— Read More
August 25, 2017
Articles

NPC Awards Academic Scholarship

Adrienne Gorny, a fourth-year doctoral student in plant pathology and plant-microbe biology at Cornell University, is the recipient of the 2017-18 NPC academic scholarship.
— Read More
August 25, 2017
Articles

U.S. Potato Exports Top $1.7 Billion

U.S. potato exports increased 4.6 percent by volume for marketing year 2017 and 3.8 percent by value to a record $1,758,130,172.
— Read More
August 25, 2017
New Products

Brookside Agra Digester Program Returns Nutrients to Soil: Unique program utilizes H2OExcel and Advanced Bio Pro biological products

Unique program utilizes H2OExcel and Advanced Bio Pro biological products
— Read More
August 25, 2017
Articles

New Chinese Facility to Enhance Potato Research

The new International Potato Center-China Center for Asia Pacific facilities were formalized in a handover ceremony in Beijing on July 11.
— Read More
August 24, 2017
Articles
Kay Ledbetter, Texas A&M University

Radar Could Help in Early Harvest: Water savings, premium markets could be realized

Ground-penetrating radar might help the potato industry save water, according to Dirk Hays, a Texas A&M AgriLife Research plant geneticist.
— Read More
August 24, 2017

Dutch Company Develops Blight-resistant Potato

Solynta has developed a potato variety that it says is resistant to late blight and could greatly reduce the use of fungicides.
— Read More
August 24, 2017
Articles

Rhodes Joins IPC: Dave Rhodes named Northeast retail promotion director for Idaho Potato Commission

Dave Rhodes named Northeast retail promotion director for Idaho Potato Commission
— Read More
August 24, 2017
Articles

Vertical Agriculture Gaining Traction

With a rising global population, the ability to produce crops in small spaces in urban areas may prove to be a difference maker.
— Read More
August 23, 2017
Articles, Event Calendar

Nominations Open for Operator of the Year

AGCO Corporation last week announced the opening of nominations for AGCO Application Equipment’s 12th Annual Operator of the Year award.
— Read More
August 23, 2017
New Products

New Product: AGCO RoGator C Series Applicator : Exclusive LiquidLogic system provides effective cleanout, precise rates, greater control for on-target application and less product waste.

Exclusive LiquidLogic system provides effective cleanout, precise rates, greater control for on-target application and less product waste.
— Read More
August 23, 2017
Articles
Lukie Pieterse

Scientists Focus on Zebra Chip

For the past several years, many potato researchers in several countries around the world have been focusing on the problem of zebra chip disease of potatoes.
— Read More
August 23, 2017
Articles

Potato Waste May Be Useful for Ethanol Production

Researchers at Penn State have developed a novel approach to more efficiently convert potato waste into ethanol, which may lead to reduced production costs for biofuel and add extra value for chip makers.
— Read More
August 23, 2017
Articles

Syngenta Celebrates 150 Years in Vegetable Seeds

On July 1, Syngenta celebrated 150 years in vegetable seeds.
— Read More
August 23, 2017
Fungicide, New Products

Howler Fungicide Receives EPA Registration: Highly efficacious fungicide for specialty crops developed by AgBiome

Highly efficacious fungicide for specialty crops developed by AgBiome
— Read More
August 22, 2017
Articles
Jeremy Keefe

New Brunswick Lab Shares Progress

The Fredericton Research and Development Centre held an open house Saturday to show members of the public what goes into getting potatoes from the fields to their tables.
— Read More
August 22, 2017
Articles

Barham Joins Nufarm

Ken Barham has been named vice president of customer and brand marketing at Nufarm Americas.
— Read More
August 22, 2017
Articles
Kathleen Thomas Gaspar

CSS Farms Acquires Agri-Pack

CSS Farms’ recently acquired Agri-Pack LLC in Pasco, Wash., and its Northwest farming operations.
— Read More
August 22, 2017
New Products

PVY Ebook Available: Potato Virus Y: Biodiversity, Pathogenicity, Epidemiology and Management

Potato Virus Y: Biodiversity, Pathogenicity, Epidemiology and Management
— Read More
August 22, 2017
Articles

Sustainability Consortium Partners with Potato Sustainability Initiative : Mutual membership brings over 500 growers and key retail partners together to create more sustainable growing practices for potatoes

Mutual membership brings over 500 growers and key retail partners together to create more sustainable growing practices for potatoes
— Read More
August 22, 2017
New Products

New Product: Old Oak Farms Party Potatoes : RPE to make fingerling potatoes the unexpected crowd pleaser

RPE to make fingerling potatoes the unexpected crowd pleaser
— Read More
August 18, 2017
Articles
Laurie Bedord

DuPont Acquires Granular

DuPont has penned a definitive agreement to acquire Granular, Inc., a software and analytics tools provider that helps farms improve efficiency, profitability and sustainability.
— Read More
August 17, 2017
Articles
Lukie Pieterse

McCain Embraces Analytics

McCain Foods' chief information officer discusses how MicroStrategy, an enterprise analytics and mobility company, has enabled McCain to completely transform its business.
— Read More
August 16, 2017
Articles

Potato-bound Polyphenols: A Novel Method for Gut Health?

The ability of polyphenols to bind with different types of potato cells may provide a new means of delivering these healthy organic chemicals to the gut.
— Read More
August 16, 2017
Articles, Irrigation

Insurance a Big Part of Irrigation Management

When choosing an insurance provider for center pivot and linear irrigation coverage, it’s important to pick a company that knows and understands the irrigation business.
— Read More
August 15, 2017
Articles

Vive Enters Biopesticide Partnership with SDTC

Vive Crop Protection announces a new partnership with four biopesticide manufacturers to develop new and improved biopesticides, supported by Sustainable Development Technology Canada.
— Read More
August 15, 2017
Articles
Charlie Arnot, Center for Food Integrity

How ‘Big Ag’ Connects to Consumers Who Want Local

— Read More
August 14, 2017
Articles

Farm Bureau Presents Farm Bill Goals to Congress

Congress must counter a steep, four-year drop in commodity prices, Kentucky Farm Bureau president Mark Haney told the Senate Agriculture Committee last month.
— Read More
August 14, 2017
Articles

Trimble Names New Ag Manager

Trimble recently announced the appointment of Abe Hughes as the worldwide general manager for Trimble’s Agriculture Division.
— Read More
August 11, 2017
Articles
Lauren Abbate

Dry Weather Has Maine Growers Hoping for Rain

With abnormally dry and moderate drought conditions affecting the Maine over the last month, the Maine Potato Board says the size of this year’s yield will likely be down.
— Read More
August 11, 2017
Articles

G2 Innate Receives Canadian Clearance

Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency have completed their food, feed and environmental safety assessments of the second generation of Simplot’s Innate potatoes.
— Read More
August 10, 2017
Articles
Lukie Pieterse

Retailers See Sharp Hike in Mexican Fresh Potato Prices

Potato retailers are experiencing a sharp rise in the price of fresh potatoes in certain areas of Mexico.
— Read More
August 10, 2017
Articles
P. Nolte

What Makes Threatening Potato Diseases so Successful

Anaerobic bacteria pose unique challenges to potato growers.
— Read More
August 10, 2017
Articles
Ashley Nickle

Mexico Ag Dept. to Appeal Ruling against U.S. Potatoes

Mexico’s department of agriculture will likely challenge a court ruling in Mexico that orders it to continue to ban fresh U.S. potatoes from most of the country.
— Read More
August 09, 2017
Articles

National Soil Health Measurements to Improve Industry: The Soil Health Institute has endorsed 19 soil health measurements after three years of collaboration.

The Soil Health Institute has endorsed 19 soil health measurements after three years of collaboration.
— Read More
August 09, 2017
Articles
Matthew Lambert

Late Blight Found in Wisconsin

Late blight has been confirmed in Pierce County, Wis., according to University of Wisconsin Extension.
— Read More
August 09, 2017
Event Calendar, Seed Potatoes

Parkland Varieties to Host Open Day in Alberta

Parkland Potato Varieties will host its annual open day at the Crop Diversification Centre South in Brooks, Alberta, Aug. 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
— Read More
August 08, 2017
Fungicide, New Products

New Product: Orondis Ultra Pre-mix Fungicide: Fungicide pre-mix helps growers manage downy mildew and late blight in many vegetables and other crops.

Fungicide pre-mix helps growers manage downy mildew and late blight in many vegetables and other crops.
— Read More
August 08, 2017
Articles

NPC: Mexican Court Ruling Ignores Science

"The recent ruling by a district court judge in Los Mochis to continue the ban on U.S. potatoes in most of Mexico ignores science," says the National Potato Council.
— Read More
August 07, 2017
Articles
Carl J. Rosen & Peter M. Bierman

Optimizing Potato Fertilization on Irrigated Soils

When the supply of nutrients from the soil is not adequate to meet the demands for growth, fertilizer application becomes necessary.
— Read More
August 07, 2017
Articles

Updated Organic Production Guide Available

Cornell University has released an updated version of its guide for organic potato production.
— Read More
August 07, 2017
Articles
AP

Mexican Court Bans U.S. Potato Imports : Cites “food sovereignty”

A Mexican federal court has made an unusual ruling that bans the import of U.S. potatoes on the grounds the imports violate Mexicans’ right to food sovereignty and a healthy environment.
— Read More
August 07, 2017
New Products

New Product: Martin Senour Industrial Maintenance Coatings: Available at NAPA stores, these coatings are designed for multiple types of construction, equipment, agricultural and industrial applications.

Available at NAPA stores, these coatings are designed for multiple types of construction, equipment, agricultural and industrial applications.
— Read More
August 05, 2017
Articles
Hope Kirwan

Wisconsin Measures Aim to Prevent Crop Disease: Newly signed state laws require growers to use certified seed, speed response to disease

Newly signed state laws require growers to use certified seed, speed response to disease
— Read More
August 04, 2017
New Products

New Product: Bosche KSW Starch Scale

Bosche has developed the KSW starch scale to make it possible to determine potatoes’ starch content quickly and conveniently.
— Read More
August 04, 2017
Articles

Potato Growth and Irrigation Scheduling

Possibly no other major crop varies in its sensitivity to water stress based on growth stage than potato.
— Read More
August 04, 2017
Articles
Jill Loehr

7 Habits of Financially Successful Growers: How can farmers gain a profitable edge? Gary Schnitkey, U of I economics professor, outlines seven characteristics or practices of profitable farmers.

How can farmers gain a profitable edge? Gary Schnitkey, U of I economics professor, outlines seven characteristics or practices of profitable farmers.
— Read More
August 04, 2017
Articles
Lukie Pieterse

NPC Warns Against UK-Imported Potatoes

The National Potato Council has provided comments on the recent pest risk assessment for the importation of potatoes from the United Kingdom to the U.S.
— Read More
August 04, 2017
Articles
Dori Modney

Alberta Researchers Provide Psyllid Information

A Canadian monitoring program for potato pests has proven very valuable and offered good news for potato growers.
— Read More
August 04, 2017
Articles

Developing Best Practices for Cover Crops

Seeding small grain or legume “green” crops in early fall can help growers achieve more consistent yields.
— Read More
August 03, 2017
Articles

Volm Opens New Facility in Washington

Volm Companies has opened its new 90,000-square-foot facility in Pasco, Wash.
— Read More
August 03, 2017
Articles
Candace Krebs

Colorado Crop Promising; Demand Slightly Down

The Colorado potato crop looks excellent, but prices are stagnant, raising hopes that the Trump administration’s NAFTA renegotiation will make headway in opening greater access to the Mexican market.
— Read More
August 03, 2017
Grower of the Month
Tyrell Marchant, Editor

Wonderful Life: IGSA's 2017 Russet Aristocrat Kevin Webster

IGSA's 2017 Russet Aristocrat Kevin Webster
— Read More
August 03, 2017
Articles
Sarah Chambers

PCN Resistance Tested in UK

Experts in the UK are looking at the performance of potato crops hit by potato cyst nematode.
— Read More
August 03, 2017
Articles

McCain Appoints New CEO

McCain Foods has announced that it is appointing Max Koeune to the role of president and CEO, effective Nov. 1.
— Read More
August 02, 2017
Articles
Terri Queck-Matzie

Producers Favor Little Change in Farm Programs

Don’t screw up what we already have. That’s the word from the agricultural field to elected representatives in Washington concerning farm bill talks and budget proposals.
— Read More
August 02, 2017
Articles
Kathleen Thomas Gaspar

Washington Crop Looking Good

Last winter’s heavy snowfall and a wet 2017 spring put Washington potato growers in the fields later than the 2016 season, but reports indicate a good crop is coming in.
— Read More
August 01, 2017
Articles

Colorado State Receives Potato Research Grant

Colorado State University will receive $2.5 million in USDA funding to study the integration of new technologies to manage potato pathogens.
— Read More
August 01, 2017
Articles

Potatoes USA Offers New School Foodservice Materials

To help school foodservice operators serve potatoes at breakfast, lunch and beyond, Potatoes USA has developed a wealth of new assets and training materials.
— Read More
August 01, 2017
Articles
Forrest Laws

Senators Seek to Ban Chlorpyrifos

A group of U.S. senators has filed a bill that would require the EPA to ban chlorpyrifos, the active ingredient in Lorsban and other insecticides used in a number of row and orchard crops.
— Read More
August 01, 2017
Articles

U.S., Mexico Ag Secretaries Talk Trade

U.S. ag secretary Sonny Perdue met with Mexican secretary of agriculture José Calzada Rovirosa last week.
— Read More
August 01, 2017
Articles
James J. Ehrlich, Executive Director, Colorado Potato Administrative Committee

Busy Summer: Nothing says summer like potato industry events.

Nothing says summer like potato industry events.
— Read More