News on Potato Cultivation from Northern America

AVR has named Farm Power Equipment Inc. its exclusive Ontario dealer, boosting local support, parts access & service for potato growers, effective immediately.

CF Industries and PepsiCo partner to cut potato supply emissions using certified low-carbon UAN fertilizer, maintaining yields while reducing footprint, starting with U.S. Frito-Lay farms and scaling to other crops.

Vive Crop Protection has announced the launch of Averland SM, a new in-season nematicide designed to provide United State growers with a more flexible and effective approach to managing nematodes and other pests in potatoes, and other crops.

LOCKWOOD Manufacturing becomes the first U.S. dealer for AVR Machinery, distributing its equipment in North Dakota and Minnesota via North Valley Equipment, expanding options for regional potato growers.

Potato growers in Colorado's San Luis Valley are facing a massive surplus of potatoes that they will have to dispose of, with estimates of over 100 million pounds that need to be destroyed.

Picture it: You’ve traveled three days — nearly 250,000 miles. You step off the space shuttle onto the powdery surface of the moon. You think to yourself, 'Man, fries would hit hard right about now.'

Farm Credit Canada (FCC) is expanding its Trade Disruption Customer Support Program to help agribusinesses, farm operators and food processors affected by rising fertilizer costs and energy prices.

Ben Sklarczyk, a third-generation Michigan grower and owner of Sklarczyk Seed Farm, was elected 2026 President of the National Potato Council. He plans to promote potatoes in nutrition programs, support fair trade, and boost grower policy engagement.

During Potato Lover's Month, NPGA is recognizing the growers who contribute to the region’s four key sectors: Fresh, Processing, Chip, and Seed. Each week in February, one sector is featured. This week, the spotlight is on the chip sector.

For more than 60 years, R.D. Offutt Farms has paired science with stewardship to grow potatoes the right way. This January, the company doubled down on that commitment, selecting Wadena County as the home of a new 90-acre potato research farm.

Dallas hosted the event amid political uncertainty, tariffs, strained trade ties and migrant labour crackdowns, while the Trump administration provided nearly USD 40 billion in farm aid, though none was specifically directed at potato production sector.

McCain Foods has released its 2025 Global Sustainability Report, sharing progress toward its sustainability commitments with the completion of a key pledge made in 2021, and outlines refreshed sustainability targets to 2030.

Jared Balcom, a fourth-generation potato grower from Pasco, Washington, has been named the 2026 Potato Person of the Year in recognition of his long-standing leadership and advocacy on behalf of the United States potato industry.

The World Potato Congress will host a webinar on Dec 10, 2025, where Dr. Christine Noronha shares research showing how crop rotation reduces wireworm damage in potatoes, highlighting her innovative pest management advances and key field results.

The 58th Idaho Potato Conference will be held Jan. 21–22 in Pocatello, featuring panels, research updates, a trade show and sessions on soil-borne diseases, agronomy, storage and water issues. Registration is USD 40 before Jan. 14.

Kroeker Farms announces a CEO transition: Wayne Rempel becomes Senior Advisor after decades of leadership, and COO Harwin Bouwman is appointed CEO effective Dec 1, 2025.

People rarely think of Washington when talking about potatoes. Yet much of what happens in the fields— from fertilizer prices to seed genetics— is shaped, directly or indirectly, by decisions made in the U.S. capital.

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.