News on The Potato Supply Chain from the United States

Farm life always agreed with Brian Mahany from his early days working the fields on Sundays with his family. While he may have thought about other career choices in agriculture, he said he always came back to the farm.

The North America Potato Storage Organization (NAPSO) proudly hosted a comprehensive and insightful webinar on August 19, 2024, titled 'Preparing for a Successful Storage Season.'

The MyPlate National Strategic Partner Team recently recognized Potatoes USA with the Gold MyPlate Champion Achievement for actively participating in the MyPlate national strategic partnership and promoting MyPlate to important audiences.

United States' seed potatoes are a unique commodity for their exceptional quality, multiple varieties and stringent certification process. That was the message participants took away from the biannual Seed Symposium, hosted at Potatoes USA’s Denver headquarters in July.

In an examination of the genetic material found in historic potato leaves, North Carolina State University researchers reveal more about the tit-for-tat evolutionary changes occurring in both potato plants and the pathogen that caused the 1840s Irish potato famine.

Potatoes USA, the national marketing, research, and promotion board for the potato industry, elected Shelley R. Olsen as Chair of the Board at its annual meeting. Potatoes USA also announced its Executive Committee members to lead the organization through 2024-2025.

Farmers in the southeastern United States struggle with the invasive guava root-knot nematode, a microscopic roundworm, which infects and damages a variety of crops, particularly sweet potatoes.

In October 2023, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack launched the Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP) to build demand for American food and farm exports in high-potential markets around the world.

McCain Foods is embarking on an expansion of its network of Innovation Hub farms across North America.

Nutrien Ag Solutions announces the acquisition of Suncor Energy’s AgroScience assets, which consists of several patented and patent pending technologies in the area of biocontrol.

Kip Yeates, Vice President of Fresh Operations at potato company Wada Farms, highlights the success of their partnership with Ellips in enhancing potato grading efficiency and quality consistency, exceeding initial expectations and paving the way for future advancements in AI-driven grading technology.

Washington State's potato farmers are leading the charge in sustainable agriculture. They harness the state's rich resources to produce high-quality crops while preserving the environment for future generations.

Scientists have discovered that calcium plays a significant role in enhancing the resistance of potato plants to bacterial wilt. This disease causes worldwide losses of potatoes costing USD 19 billion per year.

The Potato Sustainability Alliance (PSA) announced the release of its 2023 North American Potato Sustainability Assessment Report, communicating sustainability results gathered from 420 growers representing 589,120 potato acres across the U.S. and Canada. 

The Schroeder Brother’s Farms in Antigo, Wisconsin, founded by Eric Schroeder’s family in 1879, has been around long enough to have its own potato museum on site.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced the appointment of 32 members to Potatoes USA’s Board of Directors.

'The customer is always right', that’s the motto of potato packer O.C. Schulz & Sons. This North Dakota company understands the importance of customer satisfaction and the act on it

From backyard BBQs to campfire cook outs, potatoes should be the MVP of summer time outdoor cooking adventures. They are versatile, delicious, easy to prepare, and the perfect complement to any summer dish.