News on The Potato Supply Chain from Northern America

Maine marked its 206th birthday on March 15, 2026, celebrating its admission as the 23rd state of the United States in 1820. While blueberries symbolize the state, potatoes remain a vital part of Maine’s agricultural heritage and economy.

The Idaho Potato Commission board approved an increase to its budget for the fiscal year ending August 31, following strong potato production in 2025 and continued momentum in the market.

Potato producers in the Red River Valley of Minnesota and North Dakota are facing delays in securing seasonal workers through the H-2A visa program, raising concerns about potential impacts on the 2026 crop year.

The World Potato Congress Inc. is now calling for Expressions of Interest (EOI) from parties interested in hosting the 15th and 16th World Potato Congresses to be held in 2030 and 2032.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced this week that it has reached an agreement with its Mexican counterpart allowing fresh Canadian potatoes to be exported to Mexico for consumption or processing.

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.

Researchers at Lethbridge Polytechnic, Alberta, Canada, potatoes are testing if short-wave infrared hyperspectral imaging can be used to assess Total GlycoAlkaloid (TGA) levels in potatoes.

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.

The Little Potato Company, the number one little potato brand in North America, is kicking off a year-long 30th anniversary celebration with the unveiling of a new anniversary logo.

Tom Wild of Wild Seed Farms Inc., Antigo, Wisconsin, and Gary and Lynda Bula, owners of Gary Bula Farms Inc., Oxford, were inducted into the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) Hall of Fame

Grimmway Produce Group’s Cal-Organic Farms launched a year-round organic bite-size potato line with gold, red, medley, fingerling, and novelty nibbles in mesh packs, expanding convenience. Orders start March 9 after debut at SEPC Southern Exposure.

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.

GB Potatoes has named the first cohort of its new Potato Industry Development Programme, with 14 early and mid-career professionals completing the initial phase of training from 2–4 February.

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.

Eleven additional states can export fresh table-stock and chipping potatoes to South Korea, according to a Jan. 23 agreement announced by the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

Michigan State University Extension will host a free six-session 2026 Regenerative Agriculture Winter Webinar Series in February. The virtual program will share practical strategies to improve soil health, water quality and farm resilience.

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.