News on The Potato Supply Chain from Washington

August 12, 2015

Focus on Potato Webcast Addresses Fungicide Resistance

The latest Focus on Potato webcast, titled “Best Management Tactics and Fungicide Resistance in Early Blight and Brown Spot” highlights the importance of measures to mitigate fungicide resistance, particularly when applied and repeatedly used on a single site.

Potato field in Washington (Courtesy: Norm Nelson Inc. / The Packer)

July 22, 2015

Washington and Oregon Potato Growers Nervous about Hot and Dry Conditions

Fresh-market potato growers in Washington and Oregon may not know what their 2015-16 crop will look like until they start harvesting, which should be a week or two earlier than usual.

March 04, 2015

The Washington State Potato Commission hires new director of industry outreach

The Washington State Potato Commission has hired a new director of industry outreach, Matthew Blua

February 25, 2015

Tentative agreement US West Coast Ports - but effects may last

Columbia Basin potato processors slowed down during the West Coast port impasse, making fewer potatoes into french fries, hash browns and other potato products shipped around the world.

January 05, 2015

Washington-Oregon Potato Conference: a regionally popular, prominent event

Once again, the Washington State Potato Commission and Oregon Potato Commission have joined forces in the planning and execution of the 2015 Washington/Oregon Potato Conference, Jan. 27-29.

December 07, 2014

New Specialty potatoes: Delicious, Nutritious and Colorful

Agricultural Research Service scientists have bred and released colorful new potato varieties. Some have relatively high levels of beneficial red-to-purple pigments called “anthocyanins,” and others have high levels of yellow-pigmented carotenoids

Key Technology Introduces CIT Hyperspectral Imaging Module for ADR 5 to remove “Sugar Ends”

November 18, 2014

Key Technology Introduces CIT® Hyperspectral Module for ADR5 to Detect & Remove Sugar Ends from Potato Strips

Key Technology introduces hyperspectral imaging on its popular ADR® 5 automatic defect removal system for potato strips to detect and remove sugar ends.

September 28, 2014

Potato Virus S may break down Phytophthora resistance in potato

In a study published this summer, scientists of the Washington State University found that potato virus S (PVS) breaks down late blight resistance in potato.

August 03, 2014

Simplot outlines Innate marketing strategy

The J.R. Simplot Co. expects USDA approval for its genetically modified Innate potatoes within the next two months. Simplot Plant Sciences Director of Commercialization Kerwin Bradley outlined the strategy for marketing the potatoes at the Potato Association of America meeting in Spokane.

Chris Voigt, well know form his 20-potatoes-a-day diet

July 20, 2014

Washington potato director denies wrongdoing in republican primary

Chris Voigt, executive director of the Washington State Potato Commission, Moses Lake, is the focal point of a Republican primary election controversy involving the race between Clint Didier and his opponent Dan Newhouse.

Nelson Cox (left) / Jared Balcom (right)

June 25, 2014

Washington State Potato Commission Elects New Leadership

The Washington State Potato Commission (WSPC) has elected its new Executive Committee. Nelson Cox was named chair of the commission

February 21, 2014

Olympia Potato Day Event Educates and Celebrates the Washington State Potato

Potato growers from throughout Washington state visited the state’s capital this week as part of the annual Potato Day event held in Olympia, Washington

Washington & Colorado Food Banks Win Big With Super Bowl Bet

February 06, 2014

Washington and Colorado Food Banks Win Big With Super Bowl Bet

The Washington State Potato Commission and the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee (CPAC) made sure that food banks in their respective states are the true winners of this year’s Super Bowl.

January 08, 2014

Washington, Oregon unite to sponsor 2014 annual conference

Potato producers in the Pacific Northwest should once again mark their calendars for the upcoming 2014 Washington-Oregon Potato Conference to be held at the Three Rivers Convention Center in Kennewick, Washington

June 23, 2013

Fifty years of potato seed lot trials by Washington partnership

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the partnership between the Washington State Potato Commission (WSPC) and Washington State University (WSU) for potato seed lot trials.

World's largest potato display at chucks produce

November 11, 2012

New record setting potato display in Washington State

The Washington State Potato Commission (WSPC) is excited to announce that a new record setting display of potatoes will be on exhibit beginning November 11, 2012 at Chuck’s Produce and Street Market in Vancouver, WA. The display consists of 133,000 ...

February 15, 2012

Biobased approaches examined in fight against zebra chip

Thanks to investigations by scientists-turned-detectives with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and other agencies, potato growers in the western United States and abroad now know the identities of the pathogen-insect duo responsible for outbre...

October 20, 2011

Agri-Stor acquires Custom Chemical Company

Agri-Stor Company has acquired the assets and business operations of Custom Chemical Company - a full-service provider of potato sprout inhibitors, specialty post-harvest crop protection products and a Certified Dealer of Gellert® climate control systems