News on Food Trends from the United States

Donald Trump has chosen ex-Georgia-governor Sonny Perdue as Secretary of Agriculture.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) today announced the availability of $1.85 million in funding for regional potato breeding research to support the development of superior-performing varieties that can be brought to market as soon as possible.

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

Potato Expo 2017, held January 4-6 in the city of San Francisco, featured one of the highest number of attendees and exhibitors, the second annual Spud Nation Throwdown Chef Cook-Off, and optimism over the future of the potato industry.

At the National Potato Council’s (NPC) 2017 Annual Meeting January 6-7 in San Francisco, Dwayne Weyers of Aspen Produce, LLC, in Center, Colorado, was elected to serve as NPC’s 2017 President and to lead the council’s Executive Committee.

Earlier this month Amazon introduced its new grocery store concept Amazon Go. Amazon Go is a new kind of store with no checkout required.

The National Potato Council (NPC) has added Kam Quarles as Senior Director of Public Policy.

Lindsey Dodgen is Potatoes USA’s newest team member, joining the team as the Assistant Marketing Manager supporting the Retail, Market Access, Seed, Reputation Management, and Industry Outreach Programs.

Monsanto Company (NYSE: MON) announced that at a special meeting of shareowners held on December 13, shareowners of the company approved the merger of Monsanto with a wholly owned subsidiary of Bayer Aktiengesellschaft.

Agribusiness giant J. R. Simplot is seeking receivership over two of its vegetable suppliers, claiming mismanagement of the $400-million-grossing companies threatens 2,000 jobs and could end in bankruptcy without court intervention.

Pepsico is a company pulled in two different directions. Chief executive Indra Nooyi has vowed to turn the maker of Fritos, Cheetos, Lay’s and Pepsi into a health juggernaut. But while consumers say they want to eat healthy, often what they really want is chips.

Last week Snyder’s-Lance, Inc.announced that the Company had signed a definitive agreement to sell its Diamond of California® culinary nut business to Blue Road Capital.

Seven of Lamb Weston's thirteen processing facilities in the United States achieved ENERGY STAR® certification from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

In September, McDonald's approved two relatively new potato varieties for the production of their french Fries. They only allow seven varieties now, four of which were developed by the Tri-State Program

Consuming high amounts of four major saturated fatty acids - found in red meat, dairy fat, butter, lard, and palm oil - may increase risk of coronary heart disease, according to a new study.

Can the nutritional value of potatoes be improved? That is the question USDA research geneticist Kathy Haynes has been asking for nearly 30 years. Her quest for the answer has led her to breeding a more nutritious potato, similar to the papa criolla types found in South America.

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.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy announced the inaugural class of the US Food Loss and Waste 2030 Champions. These Champions pledge concrete steps to reduce food loss and waste in their operations 50% by 2030.