News on The Potato Supply Chain from the United States

Recently the USDA has published a revised overview of the United States Potato Industry statistics for harvest 2010. This report contains a wealth of data on the production per state and utilisation, for which we refer to the report itself.

Potato late blight, that same disease that caused the Irish Potato Famine, resurfaced in Alaska this fall. This wasn’t the first time the disease, widespread in the Lower 48 and worldwide, came to Alaska. Plant pathologist Jenifer McBeath suspects it...

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...

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....

Food Bank of Alaska executive director Susannah Morgan called it one of those rare and glorious "all is right with the world"kinds of days. It's what happens when an active Rotary Club, 42 caring individuals and one generous potato farmer te...

Potato growers in Eastern Idaho are questioning the effectiveness of the USDA's efforts to contain the pale cyst nematode (Globodera Pallida), a small wormlike pest that endangers Idaho's potato export markets. Several U.S. trading partners, including...

Because of the research she does on many different issues important to the potato industry, University of Idaho potato specialist Nora Olsen is a rising star. Her work on a new inhibitor that prevents potatoes from sprouting while in storage is the la...

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...

Recently, The Salt had a chance to chat with Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. He's held the top post at USDA since January 2009. As a former Iowa governor, he knows a thing or two about farm country and he's been open about his struggles with weight....

The last two solar power generating stations of Gold Dust and Walker Brothers' Solar Initiative have been activated by Pacific Power and Light. The two solar stations are located at potato storage cellars outside of Merrill.

Double L is pleased to announce their participation in the American Farmer series, due to air this Fall 2011. Dates and show times to be announced. Double L, founded in 1975 in Idaho, was started by a potato farmer who sought to increase efficiency in...

To learn more about use of electronic technology among its clients, the University of Idaho Extension surveyed 80 university students and 135 potato farmers. It was found that the farmers were likely to use more technology than the students were. It...

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 ...

El Dr. Adam Drewnowski y sus colegas de la Universidad de Washington juntaron información proveniente de varios organismos dependientes del Departamento de Agricultura de los Estados Unidos (USDA) con el fin de determinar el valor nutritivo del potasio...

Today, the Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association (WPVGA) has ceremoniously “handed over the keys” of the Potato and Vegetable Storage Research Facility (SRF) to the University of Wisconsin–Madison (UW). The ceremony gives the WPVGA a cha...

The Lone Wolf Farms potato packing plant in Minto, ND is considered a total loss after a fire Sunday. The Minto Volunteer Fire Department responded to the blaze at the Lone Wolf Farms washplant around noon. No injuries were reported from the blaze. T...