Potato News from Idaho

The US federal government has given the final OK to three more types of potatoes genetically engineered by Boise’s J.R. Simplot Co. to resist Phytophthora - the pathogen that caused the Irish potato famine.

University of Idaho has hired a new director for its nuclear seed potato program and plans to build additional facilities to help her expand production.

Following an online potato recipe contest ('Fully-Loaded Idaho Potato Cook-off'), Kenmore awarded Crystal Schlueter’s unique and easy-to-make recipe for Mashed-Up Kimchi Reuben Tater Bombs with Sweet Onion & Gochujang Aioli the grand prize.

Boyd Foster of Vista Valley Ag in Ririe, Idaho, received the prestigious 2016 Environmental Stewardship Award during the National Potato Council’s (NPC) 2017 Annual Meeting

Do you know the Top 6 potato varieties grown in the United States? We created an overview based on the USDA data for the 2016 fall potato crop.

The Idaho Potato Commission is on a roll! Tomorrow they start airing the latest installment in their series of commercials starring the Big Idaho® Potato Truck, now in its sixth(!) year.

Idahoan Foods introduces its proprietary processing method to the unflavored mashed potato category with the launch of new Idahoan Signature Russets Mashed Potatoes.

The Idaho Potato Commission recently appointed Ritchey Toevs of Toevs Farm as Chairman and Lynn Wilcox of Wilcox, Floyd & Sons as Vice Chairman.

Idaho Supreme Potatoes, Inc. - a manufacturer of dehydrated potato flakes - sustained some significant damage in a fire last week

When reviewing the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) website analytics for the past year (August 2015-August 2016), IPC staff wasn’t surprised to find that Dr. Potato (alias Don Odiorne, Vice President-Foodservice) had garnered 959,328 page views, nearly 50% of all www.idahopotato.com views.

The University of Idaho is negotiating a partnership with the International Potato Center in Lima, Peru, involving the sharing of scientific expertise and providing UI’s potato program better access to a vast gene bank.

In the United States, the 13 major potato producing states held 52.2 million cwt of potatoes in storage June 1, 2016, down 7 percent from June 1, 2015.

The University of Idaho is leading a $3.2 million project to combat microscopic worms (nematodes) that threaten potato production.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration found an Idaho frozen food manufacturer failed to safeguard employees and was unprepared to respond to a potentially lethal release of 1,300 lbs. of anhydrous ammonia on Dec. 1, 2015.

Vanmark Equipment has announced that Kris Hearst has been promoted to General Manager of the Vanmark Boise operation.

Sources say the 2016 Southern Idaho Potato Cooperative contract will include new langcode mandating a minimum of two years of alternate crops between potatoes.

Idaho® potatoes are a significant source of potassium - an essential nutrient that many Americans do not get enough of on a daily basis.

Idaho State University researchers have found high-tech cameras mounted on drones flying 60 meters above potato fields can effectively detect individual diseased and stressed plants.