News on Energy and Environment

NewCold has unveiled its newly-completed expanded deep frozen storage and distribution centre which, says the company, is now the largest of its kind in the United Kingdom.

Researchers with the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture will lead a new DARPA program of $7.5 million to use potato plants as a new, revolutionary sensor platform to detect environmental threats to deployed troops and civilians.

Customers of McDonald's in Europe might find that their favorite fries are shorter than usual. Blame the weather: smaller potatoes result in shorter fries.

British potato chip maker Walkers is being inundated with mail deliveries of its own packaging. Empty bags are mailed to Walkers to hold the company accountable for its packaging waste and to pressure the company to come up with a better design.

The problem for North Carolina’s sweet potato farmers is knowing whether the drenching rains unleashed by hurricane Florence will have the same effect as being inundated by a flooded pond or creek. Some sweet potato fields received as much as 30 inches.

Dutch potato starch manufacterer Avebe has announced that the advance payment for potatoes delivered is being increased to 67 euros a tonne and that the full result of the cooperative will go to the members.

Los cultivos fueron sembrados hace tres meses, aproximadamente. Y aunque la CAR reconoce que en la zona históricamente se ha desarrollado la agricultura, hace un llamado para que no se toquen zonas protegidas.

Brent Bucks of knife manufacturer FAM explains how potato chips processors can increase revenues despite the low quality crop

The heatwave in Germany is also affecting the harvest of potato varieties needed to make potato chips. Due to the extraordinary weather conditions, the potato chips will be smaller this year.

The Emsland Group, a potato processor with seven production plants throughout Germany, explains the supply challenges they are faced with as a result of the extreme drought in Germany and other parts of Europe.

Wada Farms announced this week it has entered into a strategic partnership with organic potato packer Genesis Organics located in Southern Idaho.

Nearly one-third of the world’s farms have adopted more environmentally friendly practices, while continuing to be productive (sustainable intensification), according to a global assessment by 17 scientists in five countries.

Some 20 specialist exhibitors will show practical solutions for organic potato cultivation at Potato Europe 2018 exhibition – Demonstrations of mechanical weed control to feature at the event this year

The warm and dry weather of recent months has caused a commotion in the potato sector in Northern Europe. This is why representatives of both the Dutch and Belgian potato sectors came together to discuss the situation and to voice their concerns.

The North-Western European Potato Growers (NEPG) conclude that the potato production this year in North-Western Europe will be much lower than average and that quality issues will be a main challenge.

Research at the James Hutton Institute has identified genetic variations which can help protect potato crop yields at high temperature, potentially providing potato breeders with a valuable tool in their quest to create varieties resilient to heat stress

The extreme heat and drought is a disaster for the upcoming potato harvest. And for processors too: in Belgium, potato chips manufacturer Roger&Roger (Croky) temporarily halts production of some its flavours to manage the lack of potato supply.

J.R. Simplot has acquired a license for CRISPR-Cas9 and related gene editing tools. This provides Simplot with another avenue to add desirable traits to fruits and vegetables, including potatoes.