Potato News from Northern America

Tasteful Selections is eager to offer new black Take & Shake cups with gluten-free seasonings!

Inventure Foods, Inc. announced it has entered into a definitive asset purchase agreement for the sale of its frozen business including the Rader Farms® and Willamette Valley Fruit Company™ brands as well as certain related assets, rights and properties to Oregon Potato Company for $50.0 million in cash.

The Japanese government lifted on Tuesday an import ban on potatoes grown in Idaho, the largest U.S. potato producer, for the first time in 11 years after confirming a lowered risk of pest invasion, sources familiar with the matter said.

Key Technology introduces new features that enhance their vibratory conveyors – Iso-Flo®, Impulse®, Horizon™ and Marathon – for food processing and packaging lines.

Vanmark, a commercial potato and produce processing equipment manufacturer, recently rebranded and unveiled a new website.

Lakeside Farms Ltd. of Greenfield was named the 2016-2017 McCain Champion Potato Grower for Florenceville-Bristol, NB during the 44th Annual McCain Growers’ Banquet held August 23 at the Northern Carleton Civic Centre.

The spring weather in Oregon may not have been ideal, but potato farmer Tony Amstad, owner of Amstad Farms, is still pleasantly surprised with the size and quality of his early season potatoes.

Heat and Control®, a world-leading equipment manufacturer and supplier, will showcase the latest technologies from FastBack®, Spray Dynamics®, CEIA®, and Ishida® at Pack Expo Las Vegas 2017.

In a visit to the Nematode Quarantine laboratory at Cornell University last Friday, US Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, announced a commitment of $400,000 from the USDA for the upgrades to the facilities and equipment.

At the annual Idaho Grower Shipper Association convention, Frank Muir, President of the Idaho Potato Commission (IPC) revealed the marketing plans for the upcoming year.

Les Fermes LP Thériault & Fils of Drummond was named the 2016-2017 McCain Champion Potato Grower for Grand Falls during the 43rd annual McCain Growers’ Banquet held August 22 at Centre E.& P. Sénéchal

Online grocery purchases average 3.4% of total store sales for supermarkets offering the service. However, this number jumps to 5.2% of total sales for those retailers who have had the service for at least 4 years.

Exports of all United States potatoes and potato products reached a record $1,758,130,172 for the July 2016 – June 2017 marketing year. U.S. exports also achieved a record volume level of 1,712,364 metric tons (MT).

The National Potato Council (NPC) led a delegation of 6 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) staff on a tour of Idaho potato fields during the week of August 14.

Lay’s has come out with a Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Popper potato chip.

More than 300 people stopped by Fredericton Research and Development Centre's open house

Red River Valley potato growers generally have avoided drought and deluge this growing season. That bodes well for the soon-to-begin 2017 harvest.

Idaho Potato industry officials report yields are down significantly as Western Idaho growers have started with their early harvest of Russet Norkotahs for the fresh market.