News on Health and Nutrition from the United States

Black Gold Farms, Grand Forks, N.D., will start the harvest of red potatoes in Texas soon. The company will be harvesting the potatoes for about a month, starting in early May in Pearsall, Texas, according to a news release.

Studies show that 70-80% of people research a company online before making a purchase. Shoppers search to find information about their potential food purchases in addition to the companies that produce it and what they stand for.

With coronavirus severely affecting the potato supply chain, a farm in Idaho is giving away about 2 million potatoes so they don't go to waste. First come, first served.

As of April 13, the novel coronavirus pandemic that originated in Wuhan, China late last year had been attributed to over 119,000 deaths worldwide, of which more than 23,000 have been recorded in the United States and more than 10,000 in New York alone.

While food manufacturers supplying to foodservice are suffering from lost revenue and layoffs, companies primarily serving retail customers are faced with exactly the opposite. One example is potato processor Idahoan Foods.

The utilization of U.S. grown potatoes increased by 3.3% in volume in 2019 compared to 2018, an increase of 1,183 million pounds.

Last week Lamb Weston presented its Fiscal Third Quarter 2020 Results. The company withdraws its Fiscal Year 2020 Outlook due to Uncertainty from the COVID-19 Pandemic’s Effect on Global Restaurant Traffic and Consumer Demand.

Reyco Systems normally supports the food industry exclusively, but now hospitals across Idaho have asked the Caldwell-based company for help in the fight against the new coronavirus.

The last few years have proven that snacking in the U.S. has become a lifestyle, with consumers snacking across the day. At the same time, COVID-19 is having an immediate impact on consumers’ food and beverage purchase and consumption behaviors.

Snack Industry's Full Equipment Supply Chain Trade Show Remains in Charlotte, Rescheduled for 2021; New 'SNX' Education and Collaboration Forum Rescheduled to March 2022.

The National Potato Council joined 30 agriculture organizations and businesses yesterday calling on the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) to include agricultural businesses in the Economic Injury Disaster Loan program.

Potatoes USA, the marketing and promotion board for the U.S. potato industry, elected its new leadership during its 48th Annual Meeting on March 11. The newly elected Chairman and Executive Committee will lead the 99 board members through 2020-2021.

On March 27, the House passed by voice vote S. 3548, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a $2 trillion bill with significant benefits to the U.S. potato supply chain.

The Idaho Potato Commission will seek the attorney general's guidance on a funding request by a recently formed association of growers.

Mahi Pono is planning to start commercial potato production on Maui, Hawaii after successful test crop. The company donated nearly 30,000 pounds of red, white and yellow potatoes of their test crop to local food banks.

Produce Marketing Association (PMA) announced Dr. Max Teplitski has accepted the role of Chief Science Officer for the association. Dr. Teplitski will lead PMA’s science, technology, supply chain and sustainability efforts when he joins the organization.

TOMRA Food has just introduced the TOMRA 3A, a vision sorter for the separation of a range of Foreign Material from unwashed potatoes. The TOMRA 3A will be showcased for the first time in North America at Potato Expo 2020 in Las Vegas

If you are living in Michigan or nearby, Purple potato chips could be on shelves at a grocery store near you this holiday season, thanks to a collaboration between Michigan State University researchers and Traverse City-based Great Lakes Potato Chip Co.