News on Potato Cultivation from Idaho

The 58th Idaho Potato Conference will be held Jan. 21–22 in Pocatello, featuring panels, research updates, a trade show and sessions on soil-borne diseases, agronomy, storage and water issues. Registration is USD 40 before Jan. 14.

After years of effort, the USDA has officially deregulated a 120-acre field near Shelley, Idaho, from the state's pale cyst nematode (PCN) quarantine program, marking a major milestone in the fight against this potato pest.

Potato supply from Idaho is lower than it was at this time last year.

About 5,000 loaded-down semi-trucks of really nice Northwest french-fry-making potatoes are set to plop into cattle troughs or be destroyed. Dale Lathim is the President of the Potato Marketing Association of North America

Great news for potato producers: 1,4-dimethylnaphthalene (1,4- DMN), a naturally-occurring bio-control that enhances dormancy

The Mart Group, an Idaho potato packing operation has been awarded a USD 19.6 million USDA funding to construct a frozen potato processing facility. The investment is part of a USD 320 million effort to create better markets for agricultural producers and food businesses.

Floyd Wilcox & Sons Inc. dba Wilcox Fresh is excited to announce the acquisition of Southwind Farms located in Heyburn, ID. Wilcox Fresh was established in Rexburg, ID in 1948 by Floyd Wilcox shortly after his sons returned home from WW2.

Eagle Eye Produce had been harvesting new crop potatoes for several weeks before beginning harvest for its storage supplies the week after Labor Day. While it is still too early to know the overall projection for the crop.

Soiltech Wireless, a leader in remote crop monitoring and traceability from farm to transport and storage, has completed its seed funding round of USD 2.5 million. Homegrown Capital was the leader in this round along with Great North Ventures

Supplies of Idaho potatoes continue to be extremely tight and will likely gap before fresh crop potatoes come on later this summer.

Snake River Manufacturing, the parent company of Double L and SRM-Kodiak, continues to invest in Southern Idaho. Currently, Snake River Manufacturing is renovating the entire Kodiak corporate and manufacturing office in Burley, Idaho.

Double L Global (Manufacturing) promotes Byron Duffin to Brand President. Prior to Double L, Duffin was with Spudnik for 18 months. Byron’s involvement has helped to rebuild and strengthen the Double L Brand and company.

The hot, dry and smoky growing season has left some Idaho potato farmers bracing for a poor crop. For Randy Hardy of Oakley, harvest will likely be the worst of his career.

Eighteen years ago, the Idaho® potato industry was in crisis. Consumers were shunning potatoes due to the rising popularity of low-carb diets, the new consumer focus on buying local (locavore movement) was beginning to expand across the country and the Idaho® potato farm gate revenue was declining.

Potatoes in the United States and Canada are a commodity. When selecting varieties, the color of the skin tends to be the primary consideration. As the new managing director of HZPC Americas Corp, Jeff Scramlin sees opportunities to increase market share by highlighting the distinguishing characteristics.

Double L, a prominent manufacturer of farm equipment in the Intermountain West, announced today it has reached a definitive agreement to be acquired by a group of Idaho investors, creating opportunities for growth.

Given the unusual times of a global pandemic, the Idaho Potato Conference shifted from the annual in-person conference held in Pocatello to three days of virtual presentations.

Enabled by AT&T’s nationwide, highly secure LTE-M cellular network, the Soiltech Sensor precisely records and transmits data for soil moisture, temperature, humidity, location and impacts that may create bruising while crops are being grown, transported, and stored.