News on Industry Associations

The AHDB Potatoes ‘Next Generation’ tour kicked off in Yorkshire last month, visiting two progressive Yorkshire based potato processing businesses.

The potato industry in Prince Edward Island has opted to increase the value of the reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the iindividual(s) responsible for the deliberate insertion of metal objects into potatoes up to $500,000 until August 15th, 2015.

New branding and a proposed new way of working for the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) was formally launched at the Cereals event in Lincolnshire earlier this month.

A Tasmanian potato grower - known for her innovative use of the vegetable - has been announced as a keynote speaker at this year's National Horticulture Convention in Queensland, later this month.

AHDB Potatoes launched its first ever ‘Next Generation’ programme, a series of 9 business and technical days that - for a selected few - will provide exposure to the whole supply chain.

In the latest Consumer Category Report of the Potato Council, one of the topics addressed is the online sales of fresh potatoes - including actual growth, comparison to competitive products and grocery in general as well as future opportunities

Each year, large quantities of ware and seed are exported from the United Kingdom to the Canary Islands. Potato Council’s head of seed and export, Rob Burns, updates on the current difficulties affecting this long established trade agreement.

The Premier of Western Australia, Colin Bartlett, reportedly told The West Australian that it was time for rules that dictated the varieties, quantities and price of potatoes grown in Western Australia - and the Potato Marketing Corporation - to go.

Potatoes New Zealand Inc. has won funding from the Ministry of Primary Industries for a major research project aimed at improving crop yield, more specifically, the impact of crop rotations on soil borne diseases and soil quality.

Southern Idaho Potato Cooperative growers have agreed to a contract that slightly reduces potato prices but requires processors to accept at least 90 percent of their 2014 acreages with individual farms.

Settlement negotiations are apparently ongoing in the federal potato price-fixing case that wholesalers, retailers and consumers filed six years ago against United Potato Growers of America and others.

The Potato Marketing Corporation of Western Australia has announced plans to take legal action against Galati, who owns a chain of grocery stores called the Spudshed as well as being one of the state’s largest growers.

The United States Potato Board (USPB) is pleased to announce Caitlin Mueller as Meeting Planner and Renee O’Brien as Assistant Marketing Manager, effective April 1, 2015.

In response to changing consumer trends and a constantly evolving market, the Snack Food Association (SFA) plans to go beyond the snack aisle and reach out beyond its core membership base to attract new members who serve the broader snacking occasion.

Late last week, the Potato Council published its annual GB Potatoes Market Intelligence report, wrapping up all key information about the GB potato market in order to inform decision-making and provide answers for common questions about the industry.

This week, the Wisconsin Spudmobile - Wisconsin’s traveling billboard - is in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, for the annual Wisconsin Public Service (WPS) Farm Show at the EAA Grounds.

AUSVEG has welcomed the signing of a work and holiday Memorandum of Understanding between the Australian and Vietnamese governments, which could assist Australian vegetable and potato growers fill labour shortages during peak harvesting times.

North Dakota, potato grower Carl Hoverson was elected Chairman of the United States Potato Board (USPB) at the organization's 2015 Annual Meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado.