News on The Potato Supply Chain from the Americas

Potato growers in Eastern Idaho are questioning the effectiveness of the USDA's efforts to contain the pale cyst nematode (Globodera Pallida), a small wormlike pest that endangers Idaho's potato export markets. Several U.S. trading partners, including...

After the wet weather Maritimers experienced from spring until mid-August, this might take some by surprise: a little bit of rain would be welcomed just about now. Bill MacKendrick, a Department of Agriculture employee in O’Leary, said the current con...

Aunque la biodiversidad ecuatoriana de papa menciona 400 variedades nativas identificadas, no más de seis se siembran comercialmente en la Sierra y de estas el 1,5% utilizando semilla certificada . En buena parte esto explica el bajo promedio del rend...

Because of the research she does on many different issues important to the potato industry, University of Idaho potato specialist Nora Olsen is a rising star. Her work on a new inhibitor that prevents potatoes from sprouting while in storage is the la...

It takes a village to break a world record. That’s what happened on Saturday, Sept. 24 when potato farmers, business owners, mechanics, welders, engineers, trucker, as well as school, college and Job Corps students, civic groups members and even som...

Mark Szymanski has joined the National Potato Council as director of public relations. Szymanski brings more than 10 years of combined experience in communications, new media and regulatory affairs to the NPC. He will lead the association's media outre...

Recently, The Salt had a chance to chat with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. He's held the top post at USDA since January 2009. As a former Iowa governor, he knows a thing or two about farm country and he's been open about his struggles with weight....

Double L is pleased to announce their participation in the American Farmer series, due to air this Fall 2011. Dates and show times to be announced. Double L, founded in 1975 in Idaho, was started by a potato farmer who sought to increase efficiency in...

The last two solar power generating stations of Gold Dust and Walker Brothers' Solar Initiative have been activated by Pacific Power and Light. The two solar stations are located at potato storage cellars outside of Merrill.

To learn more about use of electronic technology among its clients, the University of Idaho Extension surveyed 80 university students and 135 potato farmers. It was found that the farmers were likely to use more technology than the students were. It...

Sen. Susan Collins, who hails from Maine's potato country and picked potatoes as a girl, is working to restore some respect for the humble spud, which is on the verge of being virtually banished from the nation's school lunch programs. New guidelines ...

Potatoes were the lowest cost source of dietary potassium, a nutrient identified by the 2010 Dietary Guidelines as lacking in the American diet. The high cost of meeting federal dietary guidelines for potassium, 4,700 mg per person per day, presents a ...

El Dr. Adam Drewnowski y sus colegas de la Universidad de Washington juntaron información proveniente de varios organismos dependientes del Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA) con el fin de determinar el valor nutritivo del potasio...

Today, the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) has ceremoniously “handed over the keys” of the Potato and Vegetable Storage Research Facility (SRF) to the University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW). The ceremony gives the WPVGA a cha...

The Lone Wolf Farms potato packing plant in Minto, ND is considered a total loss after a fire Sunday. The Minto Volunteer Fire Department responded to the blaze at the Lone Wolf Farms washplant around noon. No injuries were reported from the blaze. T...

The Idaho Potato Commission's (IPC) popular comic book themed Retail advertising campaign was the recipient of Produce Business' 23rd Annual Marketing Excellence Award for the fourth consecutive year. This action-packed campaign, delivered both as ad...

The Fabula fields of Cameron Farms, Hampton, Prince Edward Island show good yields with excellent quality. The yellow-fleshed potato, Fabula, has made a splash in the potato marketplace. Although different from Yukon Gold, it is starting to gain a fo...

Trends in potato prices are key indicators for potato farmers to keep track of. But average potato price trends can be calculated in a number of different ways. PEI now has become the first jurisdiction in Canada to adopt two new measures - fresh weig...