News on The Potato Supply Chain from Northern America

Losses in the United States' number one vegetable crop, potatoes, aren't only due to pests or drought, they’re due to damage in the handling and storage of potatoes as well. Understanding the wound-healing process in potatoes may help reduce these losses.

The Potato Leadership, Education and Advancement Foundation (Potato LEAF) is pleased to announce Thilani Jayakody, as the recipient of its 2021-22 Academic Scholarship.

Exports from the U.S. were impacted by reduced demand and shipping problems starting in January 2020; this reduced demand carried through the end of 2020.

Greater understanding of the biology of one of the most destructive plant viruses to potato crops will be the focus of a research hub at the University of Maine.

The potato crop in Canada in mid-August appears to have good potential in many - though not all - regions to meet the needs of industry and to rebound after reductions.

From July 2020 - June 2021, potato sales in the United States increased in dollars by 3% but declined slightly in volume by 0.3% compared to the previous July-June marketing year.

All-yellow flesh potatoes continue to rise above russets, reds and whites in the critical metric of retailer volume sales, an encouraging sign for grocers as growers ready for their upcoming fall harvests.

Québec Parmentier today announced the acquisition of two potato production companies, Les Fermes Petite Nation and Les Pommes de terre du Témiscamingue.

Manipulating RNA can dramatically increase the yield of potato plants, as well as increasing drought tolerance, announced a group of scientists from the University of Chicago, Peking University and Guizhou University.

The 1,4GROUP - an Idaho based manufacturer of sprout inhibitor for potatoes - is considering building a $35 million chemical processing plant in Ascension Parish, Louisiana.

With the rise of precision agriculture solutions, the farming industry has become increasingly tech savvy. Many growers and producers have embraced GPS-enabled tractors, variable-rate fertilizer applications, and smart platforms.

Timely rains and continued warm weather has Prince Edward Island's potato crop a week to 10 days ahead of schedule, says the P.E.I. Potato Board.

The National Potato Council today welcomed Ethan Keller to serve as the organization’s Program Coordinator. The recent Ohio State University graduate will support the execution and implementation of NPC’s programs to engage and inform its membership.

The United States pressured Mexico on Wednesday to allow genetically modified crops into the country and to open up access to U.S.-grown potatoes. Trade talks were held Wednesday in Mexico City.

The World Potato Congress Inc.'s (WPC) Board of Directors is very pleased to announce Mr. Willie Jacobs as its newest International Advisor from South Africa.

You may have read last week that Mexican Agriculture Secretary Víctor Villalobos Arámbula is expected to travel to Washington, D.C. in early August to meet with his American counterpart, USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack.

Pulling out all the stops to showcase their favorite spuds, retailers nationwide fought hard for the highest honors in the Idaho Potato Commission’s (IPC) 30th annual Idaho® Potato Lovers Display Contest.

The potato crop in Canada is in varying stages - from emergence to touching between rows. Potato growers everywhere are optimistic for the good growing conditions needed to move this crop in its early life stages.