News on Food Trends from the Americas

Newly-elected PSA executive committee with CEO John Mesko during the winter board meeting at Potato Expo in Austin, TX. From L to R: Shane Sampels, Mike Wenkel, Tracy Shinners-Carnelley, John Mesko, Ritchey Toevs.

February 04, 2024

Potato Sustainability Alliance Elects Executive Committee

The Potato Sustainability Alliance’s (PSA) Board of Directors selected new executive committee members at its winter board meeting held last month month during the 2024 Potato Expo in Austin, Texas.

February 02, 2024

Perú: lluvia y granizo perjudican la cosecha

Distintas regiones de Perú se han visto afectadas por lluvias y granizadas que desmerecieron la producción. Los pequeños productores son los más afectados.

LAS CIFRAS de importaciones para 2023 respecto a 2022 disminuyeron un 32%. Cortesía de Catalina Olaya

February 02, 2024

Colombia: preocupación de productores por tendencias del mercado

La tendencia del consumo de papa es a la baja en Colombia y preocupa a los miembros del sector productivo que deben lidiar también con problemas de costos y el clima.

Working in the lab, Northwestern alumnus Bill Yen buries the fuel cell in soil.

January 26, 2024

This dirt-powered fuel cell can become a perfect power supply for agricultural sensors

A Northwestern University-led team of researchers has developed a new fuel cell that harvests energy from microbes living in dirt.

New potato-threatening pathogens reported for first time in Pennsylvania, US

January 25, 2024

New potato-threatening pathogens reported for first time in Pennsylvania, United States

Researchers of the Pennsylvania State University identified potential threats to the local potato crop by collecting potato stems or tubers that exhibited symptoms of black leg or soft rot from 26 potato fields. They were able to isolate, culture and identify 456 samples of bacteria infecting potatoes.

DOWNS CropVision: a new potato Sorter in the US Market with AI-Powered Mobile Precision

January 24, 2024

MAT-Harvesting brings DOWNS CropVision - a potato Sorter with AI-Powered Mobile Precision - to the US Market

The DOWNS CropVision®, a new optical sorter for unwashed potatoes, is now available in the United States Market via MAT-Harvesting.

January 24, 2024

McCain Foods Releases 2023 Global Sustainability Report

The progress McCain Foods is making towards its sustainability commitments was announced with the release of the company's annual Global Sustainability Report, which includes results from the past Fiscal Year.

January 22, 2024

Colombia: el sector productivo llama a defender la industria nacional

Entrevista al presidente de la Federación Colombiana de Productores de Papa: "Consumir papa pero que se colombiana".

The COTX08063-2Ru potato clone by the Texas A&M Potato Breeding Program is being touted as the best chance for Texas to enter into the french fry market. (Courtesy: Texas A&M AgriLife)

January 11, 2024

Texas A&M Potato Breeding Program highlights market, varietal expansions

Advances, including Texas french fry variety and nutrition qualities, to be discussed at National Potato Expo in Austin.

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine -- January 4, 2023 -- Mario Andrade, assistant professor of potato breeding and genetics at the University of Maine in Orono, stands in a potato field at the Aroostook Farm in Presque Isle during the September 2022 harvest. Andrade too

January 10, 2024

New head of breeding program wants to save Maine potatoes from climate change

DNA science is gaining ground in agriculture, and researchers are using it to develop potatoes that will thrive in Maine’s changing climate.

Local. El ayudante en uno de los locales, especializado en la salchipapa y papipollo, fríe la papa. (Cortesía: Amelia Andrade)

January 08, 2024

Ecuador: aumentan los precios debido a baja en la oferta

Aumentan los precios de la papa en Ecuador debido a baja oferta. Sector gastronómico se ve especialmente afectado.

Harvest Eye, a device with a screen and a rectangular object with text Description automatically generated

January 05, 2024

Potato Expo 2024: HarvestEye to showcase machine learning potato insights at Austin show

Machine-Learning driven crop insights tool, HarvestEye is set to showcase its refreshed 2.0 system at North America’s largest potato industry trade show Potato Expo.

Frito-Lay's U.S. Snack Index Predicts 2024 Trends Amidst an Increasing Time Crunch

December 27, 2023

Frito-Lay US Snack Index Predicts 2024 Trends

The fifth annual US Snack Index confirms what many of us are feeling – there are simply not enough hours in the day. A lack of time to prepare, eat and enjoy meals – especially among parents and younger generations – will blur the once-clear line between 'snacks' and 'meals' in 2024.

December 26, 2023

Brasil: aumentan los precios pese a un aumento en la oferta

En Brasil la semana pasada los volumenes de venta de papa aumentaron, a pesar de un aumento paralelo en el volumen ofertado.

A, Virus particles visualized in the transmission electron microscope (TEM); scale bar equals 100 nm. B, Electrophoretic migration pattern of nucleic acid extracted from purified virions of the virus coded SB26/29.

December 22, 2023

Potato rugose stunting virus, a newly characterized potato virus

In the 1990s, a previously uncharacterized disease of viral aetiology was observed in cultivated potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) in Southern Peru.

December 22, 2023

Michigan Winter Potato Conference attendees can tour nearby facilities

As part of the 2024 Michigan Winter Potato Conference in East Lansing, attendees get a tour of nearby facilities. There are four options from which to choose.