News on The Potato Supply Chain from Northern America

The combined complementary footprint of Simplot Grower Solutions and Pinnacle stores will grow to more than 200 locations across North America.

Overall, U.S. potato imports declined slightly during the first quarter (July – September) of the July 2019 – June 2020 marketing year compared to the previous year, dipping 12% in volume and 2% in value.

Sander Dagen raised an exceptional seed potato crop this year. That makes it sting even more as he is forced to abandon approximately 80% of his acres because he cannot harvest them.

As of November 12, 2019 seed potatoes from Montana and Colorado can be used in the Pacific Northwest chipping and tablestock export programs for South Korea.

US Farmer cooperative NORPAC Foods filed a motion in bankruptcy court Friday afternoon to sell its Quincy, Washington, plant for USD 93.5 million to Oregon Potato Company.

The focus for Potandon Produce LLC at the New York Produce Show this year will be on the health benefits of potatoes, and particularly of some of Potandon’s proprietary products.

Earlier this week, Potato Processor McCain Foods (Canada) announced the company will invest CAD 80 million towards the creation of a new Formed Potato Specialty production line to expand its existing french fry plant in Grand Falls, NB.

A research team has identified a virus infecting Phytophthora infestans, the pathogen causing late blight in potatoes and tomatoes, that appears to increase the pathogen's ability to cause the disease.

Frost last week ended Manitoba’s potato harvest, leaving thousands of acres undug.
It’s the second year wet soils prevented potato farmers from getting all the crop off before heavy frost ruined it.

Yield10 Bioscience, Inc. announced that it has signed a research agreement with Boise, Idaho-based J. R. Simplot Company, to evaluate three novel yield traits in potato.

As potato harvest starts to wrap up across the Northwest, how does the 2019 crop look?

Potato processing plants in Manitoba and Alberta may not run at full capacity this winter. About 20,000 acres of potatoes were in the ground in Manitoba as of the middle of October, and growers needed two weeks of favourable weather to harvest the crop.

Anaheim, Calif. – The 2019-2020 Produce Marketing Association (PMA) Board of Directors took office October 17th during PMA’s 2019 Fresh Summit Convention & Expo in Anaheim, California, USA.

Consuming potato puree during prolonged exercise works just as well as a commercial carbohydrate gel in sustaining blood glucose levels and boosting performance in trained athletes, scientists report.

President Donald Trump formally signed the U.S.-Japan-Free Trade Agreement on Oct. 6. This agreement locks in tariff benefits with Japan that were previously negotiated under the Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement but lost when the U.S. failed to ratify

World Potato Congress recently announced that Greg Donald has joined its Board of Directors. Greg Donald has been the General Manager of the PEI Potato Board since 2009.

Spudnik Equipment Company has reached an agreement to buy STC Trailers, according to a recent press release. Terms were not disclosed. Both companies are headquartered in Blackfoot, Idaho. The acquisition will go into effect Jan. 1, 2020.

Side Delights® announced today a cutting-edge virtual reality (VR) video and podcast-based program that invites consumers to step into our potato fields and experience for themselves why our potatoes are 'Grown Where it Matters'.