News on Industry Associations from the United States

AFFI President and CEO Kraig R. Naasz issued the following statement today in support of an amendment to a Senate agriculture appropriations bill that blocks the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from limiting the amount of potatoes, corn, peas, li...

The Senate threw its support behind the potato Tuesday, voting to block an Obama administration proposal to limit the vegetable on school lunch lines. Agriculture Department rules proposed earlier this year aimed to reduce the amount of french fries i...

In a major victory, the United States Senate tonight unanimously approved a bipartisan amendment, authored by Senator Susan Collins, to the Fiscal Year 2012 Senate Agriculture Appropriations bill that would protect the flexibility of schools to serve h...

Sen. Susan Collins is a more gentle soul than your typical Republican Steering Committee regular, but there she was in the Capitol last week: Ms. Maine Moderate lunching with the “Sons of Jesse Helms” — all in the name of the potato. It was a jaw-drop...

Project Reinvent, the Idaho Potato Commission’s (IPC) popular foodservice advertising campaign, was the recipient of Produce Business’ 23rd Annual Marketing Excellence Award. It was one of 20 campaigns recognized by the magazine. Project Reinvent was ...

Ending a long stalemate, US Congress approved three new trade agreements Wednesday evening, signing off on deals with South Korea, Colombia and Panama in an attempt to increase U.S. exports and create thousands of jobs. Among the potential winners are...

Last year's potato prices in Idaho hit record highs, but left people with a fear that this year's crop would see a big price drop, and it did. The prices are definitely a lot lower than last year, but it would have been incredibly hard to match those ...

Although Red River Valley’s red potatoes are still viewed as a specialty item, demand is strong and grower-shippers expect it to remain so. The Packer’s 2011 Fresh Trends reported that 16% of consumers surveyed preferred to purchase red potatoes, whil...

The Idaho Potato Commission and the U.S. Potato Board announce Oct. 7 that an agreement has been reached to resolve the areas of concern regarding the board's "Potatoes: Goodness Unearthed"nutritional signature and retail program. The agreeme...

Doris Demers, the nutrition program director for York and Kittery schools, had a blunt response today when asked about proposed federal guidelines limiting white potato servings as part of the federally funded school lunch program. "It's ridiculo...

Over two and a half tons of french fries were served at the annual Potato Bowl French Fry Feed at University Park in Grand Forks on Thursday evening September 22, 5,010 pounds to be exact! This breaks the old record by 120 pounds set in 2008. Sco...

The following statement is from Randy Hardy, Vice President of Trade Affairs for the National Potato Council (NPC) and owner of Hardy Farms, a potato growing operation in Oakley, Idaho, on the transmission by the Obama Administration of the pending fre...

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has appointed William Kitchen to the Michigan Potato Industry Commission. The Michigan Potato Industry Commission works to foster and promote an economically sustainable potato industry in Michigan. "William's backgroun...

PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2011 was 'a ringing success', according to show owner/organizer PMMI. 'Record-breaking only begins to describe it' boasts the headline on packexpo.com.

It takes a village to break a world record. That’s what happened on Saturday, Sept. 24 when potato farmers, business owners, mechanics, welders, engineers, trucker, as well as school, college and Job Corps students, civic groups members and even som...

Mark Szymanski has joined the National Potato Council as director of public relations. Szymanski brings more than 10 years of combined experience in communications, new media and regulatory affairs to the NPC. He will lead the association's media outre...

Potatoes were the lowest cost source of dietary potassium, a nutrient identified by the 2010 Dietary Guidelines as lacking in the American diet. The high cost of meeting federal dietary guidelines for potassium, 4,700 mg per person per day, presents a ...

Sen. Susan Collins, who hails from Maine's potato country and picked potatoes as a girl, is working to restore some respect for the humble spud, which is on the verge of being virtually banished from the nation's school lunch programs. New guidelines ...