Potato News from the United States

Friehe Farms in Washington’s Upper Columbia River Basin combines teamwork and advanced technology to produce high-quality russet potatoes. Drones, GPS-guided planting, and climate-controlled storage enhance efficiency, while traditional four-year crop rotation helps maintain soil health.

Teton Valley Brands, the maker of Real Idaho Potato Chips, has announced the expansion of its executive team. The company has appointed Steve Marek as Vice President of Operations.

The North American Potato Storage Organization (NAPSO) is set to host its third webinar, titled "Storing for Success: Protecting Potato Seed & Preventing Disease," on Monday, February 24, 2025 @10am PST / 1pm EST.

Masser Family of Companies (MFC) has announced the newest team member to join their executive leadership team: Tiffany Readinger. She will serve in a newly created role, Vice President of Sales and Category Management.

Yum! Brands has announced it is moving 100 KFC jobs out of Louisville.

The success of the potato industry is built on growers’ ability to introduce new potato varieties that meet market demands. For example, when snack-size bags of potato chips were popularized, the industry responded by breeding smaller potatoes for smaller chips to fit into the bags.

National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles issued the following statement congratulating Brooke Rollins, who was confirmed today by the full Senate to serve as Secretary of the USA Department of Agriculture

TIPA, a global leader in compostable packaging innovation, is launching an advanced home compostable metallized high-barrier film. The solution addresses critical challenges in eco-conscious packaging for chips and salty snacks, offering enhanced functionality and durability in a biodegradable solution.

Convenience stores are intensifying their focus on foodservice offerings to drive foot traffic, in-store sales growth and frequency of repeat visits. Strong consumer interest in prepared foods, commissary and beverage options has led convenience stores, often referred to as c-stores, to compete much more aggressively with quick service restaurants and fast-food chains.

Idaho Steel is proud to announce the evolution of its flagship product, the Nex-Gem 4 former. Designed with innovation and quality at its core, the Nex-Gem 4 builds on the trusted features of its predecessor while introducing new capabilities that enhance efficiency, safety, and production capacity.

New N-FINITY technology gives growers flexibility when making on-farm nitrogen management decisions.

Researchers at North Carolina State University identified the South American Andes as the origin of the Irish potato famine pathogen, Phytophthora infestans

As the third largest potato-producing state in the nation, Wisconsin potatoes have an important story to tell about feeding families with sustainably produced Wisconsin potatoes.

PepsiCo, Inc. has announced that it has closed the acquisition of Garza Food Ventures LLC, dba Siete Foods, for USD 1.2 billion. Over the past two decades, PepsiCo has transformed its portfolio to include great-tasting convenient foods and drinks that are nutritious, enjoyable, and fit consumers' lifestyles.

Susie Thompson associate professor of plant sciences, has been named the inaugural Johansen-Thompson Endowed Professor in Potato Breeding at North Dakota State University. 

Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc., a leading global potato supplier, has announced its partnership with Atlas Agro for the procurement of locally produced, green fertilizers. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the appointment of 11 members to Potatoes USA’s Board of Directors. The appointees include nine producer members and one public member, who will serve three-year terms that expire Feb. 28, 2028.

Agristo is investing up to USD 450 million to build its first U.S. production facility in Grand Forks, North Dakota, driven by increasing demand for frozen potato products in North America.