News on Research from Northern America

Potato Growers of Alberta (PGA) announced today the release of its landmark study on the economic impact the potato industry in Alberta. The report, entitled The Alberta Potato Industry – Growing Success in 2022 outlines the significant growth of Alberta’s potato industry in recent years and documents its economic impact on our economy.

The NPC 2023 Annual Potato Yearbook highlighting progress on NPC’s national legislative, regulatory, and marketing priorities. The Yearbook also features updated US and world potato production and consumption stats, grower and industry contact information, position statements, and program overviews.

PepsiCo, Inc. announced a collaboration with the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, an organization dedicated to guiding and building the future of artificial intelligence.

Authorization from the PMRA, following a thorough review of the company’s extensive data dossier, indicates a mutual understanding of the composition, potential and low risk of the RNAi technology.

New numbers from the P.E.I. Potato Board show that on Prince Edward Island the acreage of cover crops grown before potatoes has doubled.

The Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) was declared the Grand Champion at the National Agri-Marketing Association’s (NAMA) award show held on April 26 in St. Louis, MO for its public relations campaign Frites by Idaho.

The 2023 Canadian Produce Marketing Association Convention and Trade Show (CPMA 2023) held last week in Toronto is CPMA’s biggest show in its history with over 4200 people attending the event.

In 2014, Charlottetown-based research scientist Bourlaye Fofana was looking for a way to make plant products healthier by adding the antioxidant selenium.

New research has found that four in 10 parents report having only three or fewer family dinners per week, leaving 42% feeling 'worried', according to a new poll of 2,000 US parents.

The device has the potential to transform the way that farmers detect and manage plant diseases, leading to more efficient and sustainable agriculture practices.

At the Annual General Meeting on March 13th, CEO of Kroeker Farms in Manitoba, Wayne Rempel was elected as the new Chair of the United Potato Growers of Canada (UPGC) after serving several years as the Secretary.

Ontario Potato Board, Potatoes New Brunswick join the United Potato Growers of Canada (UPGC) as the representative of their potato grower members, giving the organisation a truly national reach.

The National Potato Council (NPC) installed its 2023 roster of Executive Committee members at the organization’s annual Washington Summit.

In addition to its annual Hall of Fame induction, the Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) presented several other annual Industry Awards during a banquet on February 8, 2023, in Stevens Point.

The Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) Board of Directors has elected Randy Fleishauer as its President for 2023.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) scientists have discovered that selenium, a micronutrient and anti-oxidant activates genes in potatoes that boosts the plant's immunity and helps in the prevention of late blight.

USDA’s Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) recently announced funding (USD 6.8M) for Potatoes and Pests – Actionable Science Against Nematodes (nicknamed PAPAS).

The governments of Canada and Manitoba are investing CAD 98,970 (USD 74,193) through the Canadian Agricultural Partnership (CAP) to upgrade the University of Manitoba's Horticulture Storage Facility so it can conduct innovative potato research