News on Potato Varieties and Seed from the United States

NPPGA President Chuck Gunnerson presents the 2012 NPPGA MSA to Susie Thompson

February 26, 2012

Susie Thompson Wins NPPGA Meritorious Service Award

Asunta (Susie) Thompson is the winner of the 2012 NPPGA Meritorious Service Award. It was presented to her at NPPGA's annual banquet. This comes on the heals of winning a Meritorious Service Award from the National Potato Council in January. Dr. Thom...

February 26, 2012

US Potato research threatened by budget cuts

President Obama's budget proposal for Fiscal Year (FY) 2013 proposes cutting $700 million in the USDA's spending levels.The amount represents a 3 percent cut from FY 2012 USDA spending levels.

February 14, 2012

MSU Potato Lab looks to new colorful spuds to boost seed potato industry

A potato that's purple on the outside and yellow on the inside is one of four new varieties coming to Montana to help attract new markets for the state's $40 million seed potato industry, says Nina Zidack, director of the Montana State University Potato Lab.

February 04, 2012

US spud industry eyes a better fry

Researchers hope to find potato varieties that form less acrylamide, a naturally occurring chemical compound, when cooked.

December 14, 2011

National Fry Processor Trials identify lower acrylamide clones

The first acrylamide test results have become available from the Washington and Idaho National Fry Processor Trials (NFPT).

Potato Variety Management Institute (PVMI)

December 12, 2011

Industry officials in the US tout benefits of colorful spuds

Potato industry officials are touting the health benefits of three colorful new varieties developed by the Tri-State Potato Research and Breeding Program in the US.

November 30, 2011

PVMI board contributes $300,000 to potato breeding program

The PVMI Board has agreed to a $300,000 contribution to the Tri-State University Research and Breeding Program. The money comes from royalties collected this year. Combined with two returns of $100,000 each for the previous two years PVMI has generated...

November 10, 2011

Idaho growers eye BASF's new GM potato

More than a decade has passed since Jim Tiede was among the growers caught up in a debacle over the first U.S. genetically modified potato variety. Even today, the American Falls, Idaho, farmer copes with the fallout of planting Monsanto's GM potato N...

October 13, 2011

Klamath Basin Fresh Direct introduces fingerling potato Amarosa

Klamath Basin Fresh Direct, a cooperative of family farms specializing in high-quality organic potatoes, has recently come out with a new variety called the Amarosa. Hollis Baley, Marketing Manager at Klamath Basin Fresh Direct, describes the new fing...

October 07, 2011

University of Alaska pursuing first plant patent for potato variety

Golden birch trees marked the edge of Greg Kalal's fields, but the dentist-turned-farmer was more interested in hues beneath the soil on his land south of Mount McKinley. Among the thousands of colorful potatoes — from yellow German Butterballs to Mag...

October 03, 2011

Could new potato variety upset competitive position potato regions?

Will a newly discovered russet potato variety make the Red River Valley a yield contender with the Pacific Northwest? Carl Hoverson of Larimore, N.D., thinks so, and — as one of the key growers for the Simplot-processed potato plant in Grand Forks, N....

July 13, 2011

Simplot announces 'Innate' Technology to improve potatoes

The J. R. Simplot Company's Plant Sciences business announces Innate™ Technology, the all-native biotechnology platform for improving crops, leading to new, better and healthier foods.

June 10, 2011

Low acrylamide potato lines created by University of Wisconsin scientists

What do Americans love more than French fries and potato chips? The answer: Not much...

March 02, 2011

AmaRosa and Sage Russet released by Oregon State University

Two new potato varieties just released by Oregon State University are likely to catch the eye of Oregon's potato processing industry and the gourmet market.

February 24, 2011

Excitement cools for Premier Russet

The Premier Russet was one hot potato, but the high expectations did not materialize...

February 23, 2011

Cornell University releases Waneta and Lamoka: two new potato varieties for chips

Breeders at Cornell University are helping to feed the US appetite for the crispy snacks

Washington Oregon Potato Conference 2011

January 27, 2011

New Potato Cultivars introduced at Washington Oregon potato Conference

About 75 growers at the Washington-Oregon Potato Conference learned more about new potato clones and cultivars Tuesday afternoon from researchers based in both states.

January 03, 2011

Colored Potatoes Shown To Decrease Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Damage

In the first known study to address the effects of potato consumption on antioxidant status, oxidative stress and inflammation in humans, a team of research scientists worked with a group of Washington adult males to test the hypothesis that antioxidants from colored potatoes would decrease susceptibility to chronic diseases.