News On French Fries and Potato Specialties from Maine

McCain Foods has agreed to acquire Penobscot McCrum LLC, expanding its North American operations. The deal adds McCrum’s modern Washburn, Maine, facility to McCain’s network, strengthening supply, innovation, and support for local farmers.

There aren't many farms in Maine that can boast they've been owned by the same family for more than 130 years. One of those is the McCrums.

The Penobscot McCrum potato factory in Belfast will not be rebuilt after a massive fire destroyed the facility one year ago.

Potato processor McCain Foods is building five solar facilities in Maine, that it says will help power the production of french fries in Easton, one of its largest plants.

McCrum: 'This project with Kiremko and Idaho Steel was a big project for our family. Trust with Kiremko and Idaho Steel has grown from day one. Our family considers them as partners now.'

The McCrum's, a 6th generation farming family, just opened North America's newest fry processing plant in Washburn, Maine

Don Flannery, executive director of the Maine Potato Board, said that poor harvests elsewhere in North America would create a 'strong demand' for Maine-grown potatoes.

Penobscot McCrum is planning to build a new potato processing plant at the site of a long-closed potato factory in Washburn, Maine.

The Top 10 Potato Growers for the McCain Foods Easton, Maine French Fry plant were recognized at the annual McCain Grower Barbecue at the Presque Isle Inn and Convention Center in Presque Isle last month

Pineland Farms Potato Company, Inc. (PFPC), located in Mars Hill, Maine confirmed the signing of a Stock Purchase Agreement with Bob Evans Foods (BEF)

Flewelling Farms, Inc was awarded the title of Champion Grower for season 2015-2016 of the McCain Foods - Easton potato processing facility.

Representatives from McCain Foods are excited about a new project under way in Aroostook County that has some farmers planting their usual acreage of potatoes right on top of a bed of winter rye, barley or oats.

The $7.5 million expansion project at Pineland Farms Naturally Potatoes in Mars Hill, Maine is nearing completion.

When Leah Cook and her family moved to the St. John Valley 15 years ago and took up organic gardening and raising animals on their Grand Isle farm, she said more than one resident dismissed them as “hippy farmers.”

Rodney McCrum, president and chief operating officer of Pineland Farms Naturally Potatoes, says he is dedicated to growing the company he started with a dozen other potato farmers in 1995.

Naturally Potatoes broke ground on a seven-and-a half-million-dollar expansion to its Mars Hill, Maine potato processing plant. The expansion is in addition to a one-million-dollar packaging line upgrade that is nearly completed.

Farmers in Aroostook, Maine brace for a tough year as processors pay less and reduce orders by as much as 20 percent.

Cavendish Farms potato farming operations in Presque Isle, Maine are being suspended indefinitely.