Potato News from Northern America

The 13 major US potato States held 263 million cwt of potatoes in storage December 1, 2014, down 3 percent from 2 years
ago.

The United States Potato Board (USPB) received an allocation of $4,998,892 in program year 2015 Market Access Program (MAP) funds from the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) at USDA. These funds will be used by the USPB to promote frozen, dehydrated, chip-stock, table-stock and seed potatoes in over 25 countries around the world.

Si es aprobado por el por el Congreso, las mujeres de bajos ingresos en Estados Unidos podrán por primera vez pagar por papas con vales subsidiados por el gobierno emitidos por el programa de nutrición infantil Mujeres, Bebés y Niños (WIC).

The Prince Edward Island Potato Board has elected a new executive during its December 10th Board of Directors meeting. Alex Docherty of Elmwood was elected the new Chairman of the Board, succeeding Gary Linkletter, who completed four years as Chairman.

Count the potato among the special interests rewarded in the massive spending deal Congress unveiled this week.

The reward being offered for information leading to the arrest of anyone who put sewing needles in Prince Edward Island potatoes has doubled to CAD 100.000

Snack Food Association CEO Tom Dempsey today urged Congress to approve legislation creating a federal standard for labeling food produced with genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

Tim Hortons Inc. (TSX, NYSE: THI) today announced the company's shareholders have approved the transaction with Burger King Worldwide, Inc. (NYSE: BKW) that will create a new global quick service restaurant leader, to be named Restaurant Brands International.

A simple potato extract may limit weight gain from a diet that is high in fat and refined carbohydrates, according to scientists at McGill University. The results of their recent study were so surprising that the investigators repeated the experiment just to be sure.

McDonald's Corporation today announced that global comparable sales decreased 2.2% in November.

Tamas Houlihan has been named executive director of the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) by the board of directors, effective immediately.

Prince Edward Island potato production has grown by almost five per cent this year following a good growing year and successful harvest.

Agricultural Research Service scientists have bred and released colorful new potato varieties. Some have relatively high levels of beneficial red-to-purple pigments called “anthocyanins,” and others have high levels of yellow-pigmented carotenoids

PepsiCo, Inc. (NYSE: PEP) has announced two leadership appointments to further strengthen the company's management team.

Alexia Foods, a line of premium, all-natural frozen potatoes, breads and side dishes, is introducing the latest stars of the table – new Alexia Premium Seasoned Vegetables and Rib Cut BBQ Sweet Potato Fries.

The lastest focus on Potato webcast provides an update on Potato Sprout Control, by Nora Olsen, Professor and Extension Potato Specialist at the University of Idaho

JBT Corporation, a global technology solutions provider to the food processing and air transportation industries, announced today it has purchased the assets of Wolf-tec, Inc.

Fry theft is prevalent across Canada, which is why McDonald’s Canada introduced today the Fry Defender, the world’s first French fry security system that helps stop fry theft.