News on The Potato Supply Chain from the United States

In the United States, House and Senate just approved COVID Relief and FY21 Funding Bills. The National Potato Council reviews what these bills mean for the US Potato Sector.

The World Potato Congress has announced its next webinar for Thursday, January 14, 2021 with Todd Forbush, Engineer with Techmark, Inc.

The United States Potato industry looks forward to productive relationship with returning Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Two University of Maine researchers, Greg Porter and Han Tan, are part of a team of plant geneticists and breeders working to develop tools that will help Maine scientists and farmers become more efficient in bringing novel, improved potato varieties to market.

US potato imports for the first quarter of the July 2020 – June 2021 marketing year were up 19% in total, according to a news release issued by Potatoes USA.

Record potato sales continued at US retail from July through September 2020. Total store potato sales increased by 13.6% in dollar sales and 10.6% in volume sales, compared to the same time frame in 2019.

Launching new research in support of Washington potato growers, Washington State University is partnering with industry leaders to study healthier, more sustainable, and productive soils.

U.S. potato exports for the July – September quarter were down significantly compared to the same period in 2019. This drop is a result of the pandemic's continuing impact on the demand in many markets, particularly in SE Asia and Central America, and the tight supplies of U.S. frozen potato products.

During the Idaho Potato Commission's (IPC) October meeting three new Commissioners representing the grower sector of the industry were sworn in.

In light of on-going developments with COVID-19 the organizers of the Potato Expo 2021 have decided to hold the event as a Virtual Experience, entirely online.

Tasteful Selections ranks No. 3941 on the 2019 Inc. 5000 with three-year revenue growth of 89 percent.

Vanmark, an industrial potato and produce processing equipment manufacturer, announces the promotion of Jason Davis to Vice President.

This year’s potato harvest was met with an unrelenting drought that diminished crops and tied up water resources for Aroostook County, Maine farmers.

US Fresh potato sales increased significantly from July 2019 through June 2020, and so did the number of households buying potatoes. Eighty-eight percent of households purchased potatoes on an average of 10 times during the 52-week period.

Since public health restrictions for COVID-19 were put in place, US potato sales at retail have been well above historical levels.

Last January we could never have predicted how the year would play out. In light of the impacts of COVID-19, we knew that the Potato Expo had to change.

The National Potato Council’s annual meeting, in previous years combined with the Potato Expo, will next year be combined with Potato D.C. Fly-in in late February

A WSU study has estimated the 2020 economic losses from potato production and processing in Washington. The demand shocks of COVID-19 resulted in a hit of roughly $1 billion dollars in gross state product.