News on Potato Varieties and Seed from Canada

CBC reports that the US border has again closed to Prince Edward Island seed potatoes after potato wart was found in two P.E.I. fields.

The Little Potato Company is introducing two flavor extensions to its best-selling Microwave Ready line - Smoked Salt and Roasted Garlic, Rosemary, and Thyme - and a new proprietary potato variety, Purely Purple.

The United Potato Growers of Canada report on the 2021 Harvest as it is in its final stages. Most provinces (with the exception of British Columbia) have enjoyed excellent harvest conditions without cool temperatures or wet conditions.

In New Brunswick’s potato belt, the spud is king, yielding two billion pounds of product for a $1.5 billion industry during the annual fall harvest. This year’s potato crop is bigger and better than 2020, thanks to warm weather and good rain over the summer growing season.

Weather patterns have continued to influence the outlook for the Canadian potato crop since UPGC’s last update. Eastern Canada (particularly PEI) has received record amounts of rainfall from the remnants of Hurricane Ida.

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

The United Potato Growers of Canada (UPGC) provide an update on the potato planting in Canada (May 27, 2021). Seeding in Western Canada is winding up, while growers in the Atlantic region are in full planting mode.

HZPC Americas announced that the company recently hired Jill Herold as a Key Account Manager. Jill brings over 18 years of experience in technical agronomy in potatoes, corn, soybean and other various crops, including several years focused on sustainability.

Three awards were presented to well deserving industry members at the Prince Edward Island Potato Board’s monthly meeting in March 2021. In addition, the award winners will be recognized at the PEI Board Annual Banquet in 2022.

HZPC Americas Corp. hired Aron Derbidge as Sales and Key Account Manager. According to a press release issued today, the company notes that Aron brings with him over 10 years of experience developing and marketing seed potatoes in the U.S. and Canada.

As winter weather dominates the country, customers are encouraged to Break the Ice with Polar White potato promotion

The World Potato Congress is extremely pleased to present its next webinar on Thursday, February 18, 2021, with Dr. Peter VanderZaag, a potato farmer in Canada and due to COVID-19, now an armchair consultant involved with numerous potato projects in Asia and Africa.

Wayne Townshend has been named chairman. Townshend has been on the board for five years serving as a seed director.

Two research scientists on P.E.I. have spent their summer trying to grow a better potato, more resistant to scab and greening, which are both costly problems for potato growers.

The smallest potato from the Carcross/Tagish First Nation garden harvest this year was the size of a pea. The spud might be tiny, but its ancestors travelled a long way to get here. The Lingít K'úntsx', or Tlingit potato, has been grown in Alaska for over 200 years.

Northern Farm Training Institute will test a range of potato varieties to see which do best in Northern Canada. This pilot project could approved earlier this month could improve food security.

Cavendish Farms’ new Potato Research Centre in New Annan, Prince Edward Island officially opened on September 17, 2020 with a ribbon cutting with Dennis King, Premier of Prince Edward Island, and company officials.

This fall RPE launches a new red-skin potato variety, RPE Golden Red. They will be available in a three-pound, poly light-blocker, bilingual bag.