Potato News from Idaho

November 09, 2011

Simplot plans New Potato Processing plant in Idaho, closing 3 existing plants

The J. R. Simplot Company is planning to build a state-of-the-art potato processing plant in Caldwell, Idaho, with site preparation anticipated to begin next May and start-up expected by spring of 2014.

October 27, 2011

2011 Idaho® Potato Crop Marks the 75th Anniversary for the Idaho Potato Commission

Milestone Year Kicks Off with a Tribute to the Farmers and State’s Rich Natural Resources. The 2011 Idaho® potato harvest season is in full swing and the 319,000 acres that will be harvested are expected to yield more than 12 billion pounds of potatoes.

October 01, 2011

Idaho Potato Cyst Nematode containment area to expand

Potato growers in Eastern Idaho are questioning the effectiveness of the USDA's efforts to contain the pale cyst nematode (Globodera Pallida), a small wormlike pest that endangers Idaho's potato export markets. Several U.S. trading partners, including...

August 03, 2011

Idaho Potato Commission sponsors 'Famous Idaho Potato Bowl'

The Famous Idaho® Potato Bowl was unveiled today as the new name for the Humanitarian Bowl which features a top selection from the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and the Mid-American Conference (MAC). The nation’s longest-running outdoor cold-weathe...

Northern Plains Potato Growers Associatiion

June 19, 2011

Big increase in potato acreage in the United States

United Potato Growers of America sponsored a conference last week in Bloomington, MN to discuss the transition from the summer to fall crop. The meeting was open to all growers and shippers including non-United members.

April 17, 2011

Tavern Traditions help operators to use social media to find customers interested in Tavern Heritage Food

New Lamb Weston Tavern Traditions™-brand Beer Battered Onion Rings, Fries, and Mozzarella Sticks allow foodservice operators to tap the heritage of the American tavern renaissance

April 06, 2011

Idaho Potato vodkas

The Koenig distillery is beautifully industrial--a steampunk's dream--and today all that gleaming, steaming, needle-twitching splendor is producing a glorious, colorless, odorless and seemingly tasteless liquid.

March 29, 2011

Seed Potato Performance: to cut or not to cut

Phil Nolte, University of Idaho Extension professor and seed potato specialist, knows that potato growers face a lot of tough decisions when it comes time to plant

December 15, 2010

Dehydrated Potato Flakes blamed for derailment

Union Pacific says the dehydrated potato flakes it was hauling caused a costly derailment at its biggest railyard because Idahoan Foods did not properly clean the wheels of its freight cars.

2010 United States Fall potato production by state in comparison to 2009

November 10, 2010

United States Fall Potato Production 2010 down 8%

After months of speculation to what extent the potato production in North America would be reduced, as of yesterday we have the official estimates from the USDA for the United States. The long anticipated report 'Crop production (November 2010)' published November 9, provides detailed information on the fall potato crop in the United States.

November 01, 2010

City of Burley awarded $499,000 to build infrastructure for new potato dehydration plant

Governor C.L. 'Butch' Otter announced that the city of Burley will receive nearly $500,000 in Community Development Block Grant funding for the cost of public infrastructure to support a new potato dehydration facility of Gem State Processing.

September 27, 2010

R.J. Andrus of Idahoan Foods Appointed Chairman of The Idaho Potato Commission

At the annual Idaho Grower Shippers Association’s Industry Breakfast held in Sun Valley, ID, Commissioner R.J. Andrus was appointed Chairman of the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) and Commissioner Jim Tiede was appointed Vice Chairman. Both Andrus and Ti...

Flavored french fries (Idaho Potato Commission)

February 21, 2010

No more 'Would you like fries with that'

It's time to bury that negative fast-food cliché, "Would you like fries with that?" In today's restaurant world, whether it's quick service or full service, operators are finding new ways to present and flavor fries, and customers are eating...

August 31, 2009

Idaho Potato Commission promotes new Idaho Grown Potatoes

For decades, the Idaho Potato Commission has primarily promoted russet Burbank potatoes. In fact, when anyone says "potato,"everyone immediately thinks Idaho."And, the IPC works tirelessly to ensure that all consumers -- including FS professionals -- unde...

Northwest Center for Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP)

August 04, 2009

Organic Potato Production at Idaho University Kimberly Research Farm: steep learning curve

The Northwest Coalition for Alternatives to Pesticides and the University of Idaho hosted an organic production field day at the Kimberly research farm in mid-July.At the Kimberly research farm, University of Idaho Researchers have dedicated an 11-acr...

Southern Idaho Potato Cooperative (SIPCO)

July 19, 2009

SIPCO Potato Growers seek investigation of Conagra Lamb Weston

Southern Idaho potato growers filed a request with the United States Department of Justice on Friday seeking an investigation into allegations that ConAgra violated anti-trust laws.The Idaho Office of the Attorney General confirmed that it relieved, si...

May 05, 2009

The University of Idaho wants you to have richly colored potatoes, even after storage

Harvest a red, yellow or purple specialty potato and its skin color will be shiny and bright. That’s paramount, because skin quality drives buyers to put a particular potato in their shopping cart. Store that potato for a month or two, and its skin co...

May 05, 2009

Idaho Potato Commission announces winners of the Potato Lover's Month Retail Display Contest

The most anticipated retail promotion of the year, the 2009 Potato Lover’s Month Retail Display Contest, proved to be yet another blockbuster hit for the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) with over 2,150 entries, an 11% increase in participation over 2008....