News on Industry Associations

Potatoes New Zealand became the 14th partner organisation to join the Government Industry Agreement for Biosecurity Readiness and Response.

Leading Australian vegetable industry body AUSVEG has announced the appointment of James Whiteside as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective Friday 9 December 2016.

AHDB Potatoes' first provisional estimate of total production in Great Britain for the 2016 crop year is 5.22 million tonnes, down 5% from 2015. Average yields for GB are estimated at just under 45 tonnes/ha, down 8% on last year.

New South Wales potato grower Geoff Moar has been re-elected to the position of AUSVEG Chair and Queensland vegetable grower Belinda Adams has been elected to the position of AUSVEG Deputy Chair following a Board meeting held on Thursday 24 November in Sydney.

Elizabeth Avery was appointed President of SNAC International during the International Board of Directors meeting on September 29. She will begin as President on January 16, 2017 and take over the roll of CEO on July 1, 2017 from outgoing-CEO Tom Dempsey after the six-month transition period.

United Potato Growers of America announced today that its executive board has unanimously chosen Mark Klompien as the organization’s next president and chief executive officer, replacing Jerry Wright.

Northern Plains Potato Growers Association (NPPGA) has launched a new website, one entirely dedicated to promoting potatoes grown for the fresh market and branded as Red River Valley Potatoes. Fittingly, the new web address is RedRiverValleyPotatoes.com.

AHDB Potatoes has pledged to work closely with the seed potato sector and Scottish Government to ensure that the industry maintains a low level of the bacterial disease blackleg.

Jim Cruickshank OBE, one of the most well respected seed producers in the UK, is this year’s winner of the British Potato Industry Award, organised by AHDB Potatoes.

As a result of the late potato harvest in the North-western European countries (BE, DE, FR, NL, UK), the potato growers organisation NEPG has decided to postpone publication of its annual yield estimates till the third week of November.

Als gevolg van de late aardappeloogst in alle NEPG landen (BE, DE, FR, NL, UK) is besloten om de bekend making van de officiële NEPG oogstverwachting cijfers uit te stellen naar de derde week november.

Improving safety practices and achieving a safer working environment is a priority for all the EU starch producers. Starch Europe announces today the winners of this year’s safety awards.

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries of Jamaica announced they will be expanding the Irish potato programme to new planting areas for the 2016/17 crop year.

INTERPOM | PRIMEURS, the leading indoor trade fair for the potato, vegetable and fruit sector in Europe, shows strong growth in 2016, featuring 310 exhibitors and all stand space fully booked.

Potatoes USA sponsored a U.S. demonstration plot at the Panama-hosted Latin American Potato Congress (known as ALAP).

According to a Deloitte spokesman South Australian fresh produce company the Mitolo Group had taken control of all South Australian-owned farms of bankrupt Oakville Produce, as well as packaging businesses in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney - as of September 23.

Prince Edward Island recaptured the unofficial record for the largest potato display, with a 140,000 pounds display at the Superstore in Charlottetown last Thursday.

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