News on Potato Cultivation from the United States

Just when some potato growers in the Red River Valley were beginning to make some progress with the harvest, Mother Nature stepped in and slammed the door.

Heartland Farms, Inc. announced today that Danielle Golden has joined the farm to further develop their growing portfolio of regional and national accounts.

Potato psyllids have been reported in specific fields in western and central North Dakota. At this point populations are not widespread.

Organic produce is in record-high demand, selling more than $11 billion worth in 2015 alone. To meet the demand, RPE, Inc., has been continually expanding its organic program.

The red potato harvest has begun at Black Gold Farms’ operation in Winamac, Indiana, a potato farm focusing exclusively on red potatoes for the fresh market.

The heart of "Potato Country" in northeast North Dakota was devastated by baseball size hail that lasted up to 35 minutes last Tuesday night.

According to the University of Minnesota Extension 'Spudbug' Newsletter, it is shaping up to be a Colorado Potato Beetle (CPB) year in the Red River Valley.

Late blight is a potentially destructive disease of potato and tomato crops worldwide that can result in significant losses if detected too late, diagnosed incorrectly, or if not treated properly.

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

Entomologist Ada Szczepaniec at Texas A&M AgriLife Research is addressing the concern of growing resistance of potato psyllids to the neonicotinoid classification of insecticides.

Colorado based Strohauer Farms are trying out a couple more fingerling varieties this season - adding to an already impressive line-up of specialty potatoes - as they continue to see growth in the fingerling potato segment.

Earlier this year, Marquart farms launched New York Chips, a new Potato Chip line made from 100% New York Potatoes and cooked in avocado oil

Potato growers in Maine are cautiously watching the actions of the EPA as it reviews federal regulations for a popular insecticide (Imidacloprid - an effective insecticide against the Colorado potato beetle) that can be harmful to bees.

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted federal registration of the new, non-fumigant nematicide Velum® Prime offered by Bayer CropScience's for use on potatoes.

A little-understood bacteria is bringing back the older potato disease Blackleg and is threatening the reputation of Maine seed potatoes

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 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.

In October JetBlue Airways, New York's Hometown Airline™ and TERRA® Real Vegetable Chips, part of The Hain Celestial Group, Inc., revealed the T5 Farm -- a blue potato farm and produce garden at Terminal 5 (T5) at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport.