News on The Potato Supply Chain from Colorado

Potatoes USA has launched a video campaign on social media to boost the image of potatoes by focusing on their performance-boosting benefits

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is seeking nominees to fill 56 producer and two importer member seats on the National Potato Promotion Board.

The Potatoes USA, 2018 Annual Meeting came to a close last week with the election of a new Board Chairman and Executive Committee.

August was a great month for retail potato sales in the United States, with all categories enjoying volume growth when compared to the same four weeks a year ago.

After a record export of potatoes and potato products from the United States in the period from July 2016 to June 2017, Potatoes USA reported that export in the month of July was up compared to July last year.

Exports of all United States potatoes and potato products reached a record $1,758,130,172 for the July 2016 – June 2017 marketing year. U.S. exports also achieved a record volume level of 1,712,364 metric tons (MT).

Chef RJ Harvey has joined Potatoes USA as the Global Foodservice Marketing Manager.

Colorado U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and Cory Gardner this week announced that Colorado State University will receive $264,600 in funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to study the spread of pathogens in U.S potato crops.

Potatoes USA announces nominations are now open for new Board Members for the 2018-2021 term. Fifty-eight members will be elected or re-elected to fill open seats and the seats of outgoing Board Members who are completing their second three-year term in March 2018.

Steve Gangwish of Watertown, South Dakota and Dan Moss of Declo, Idaho were appointed to the Potatoes USA Executive Committee on March 16, 2017

Jay LaJoie of Van Buren, Maine and Jason Davenport of Arvin, California were appointed to the Potatoes USA Executive Committee on March 16, 2017 and will co-chair the Industry Outreach Committee.

The Potatoes USA international marketing committee met prior to the Annual Meeting in Denver March 15 & 16. The committee heard how U.S. potato exports have grown 183% in the past 20 years and now account for close to 20% of production.

The Potatoes USA grower membership elected new leadership during its Annual Meeting held in Denver earlier this month.

The Potatoes USA Board Members for 2017 were sworn in during its Annual Meeting in Denver Colorado.

Potatoes USA has developed an updated new Nutrition Facts Label for fresh potatoes to meet updated FDA guidance.

Lindsey Dodgen is Potatoes USA’s newest team member, joining the team as the Assistant Marketing Manager supporting the Retail, Market Access, Seed, Reputation Management, and Industry Outreach Programs.

During the Potatoes USA Summer Meeting held in Seattle August 10, it was announced that the Alliance for Potato Research and Education (APRE) has been restructured in an effort to minimize overhead costs and expand research on potato nutrition.

There is good news for potato salad lovers just as the season for chilled potatoes officially heats up. New research published in the scientific journal Food Chemistry adds to the growing body of evidence that shows that cooking and cooling potatoes can significantly increase the amount of Resistant Starch (RS).