No-nonsense, no-frills potato news stories from around the world
Late-winter shipping is where months of careful storage can be lost in minutes. This Storage Season Essentials installment outlines a practical handling playbook – choose stable pile zones, check pulp temperature, temper without triggering condensation, slow conveyors, reduce drop heights, and log decisions. It explains why cold, drier tubers bruise more easily and how winter pacing prevents blackspot, shatter bruising, skinning, and often costly claims before trucks leave the yard.
Potato processors already drive on-farm change through contracts and incentives – yet animal-welfare-linked outcomes remain largely outside potato procurement. This article proposes a practical solution: a paid, optional “Humane Addendum” added to existing grower programs, built around 3–5 measurable practices such as predator-safe rodent control, wildlife-aware field operations, durable habitat features, amendment sourcing integrity, and byproduct protocols. Success depends on clear payment triggers, lightweight verification, grower-led governance, and transparent reporting.
Michigan potato growers, along with those from ten other states, have gained expanded access to the South Korean market for table stock and chipping potatoes, as reported by Michigan Farm News. This development marks a significant milestone after a 19-year effort, previously allowing only certain states access. The National Potato Council estimates the fresh potato market in Korea could grow substantially, enhancing export opportunities under the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement.
Quebec potato growers approach new technologies based on economic and structural factors rather than philosophy. Key influences include clear ROI, alignment with operational constraints, and local proof. Common barriers to adoption arise from complexity, upfront costs, and potential unintended consequences. Successful technologies emphasize simplicity, support, and measurable results. While sustainability engagement is rising, skepticism persists when policies are misaligned with agronomic realities. Collaborative research partnerships foster better adoption by respecting farmers’ operational constraints.
A University of Idaho team is innovating agricultural fungicide development through computer molecular modeling. With a focus on potato diseases, they have screened under 60 compounds and identified 15 effective candidates, aiming to introduce novel fungicide classes targeting specific fungal proteins. The project, supported by state and federal grants, could offer growers new crop protection solutions and generate substantial royalties for the university.
Uneven airflow creates microclimates that drive late-season storage problems – persistent warm spots, localized condensation, CO₂ pockets, and eventual breakdown. This fourth Storage Season Essentials article explains what dead zones look like, why they become rot zones, and how short-circuiting, leaks, and changing resistance weaken distribution mid-season. It provides a practical weekly airflow audit, a print-friendly checklist table, and common myths that lead to costly over-ventilation and missed warning signs.
Late-winter warm spells can turn routine ventilation into a condensation trigger when moist air meets a cold pile and cold building surfaces. This Storage Season Essentials article explains dew point in practical terms and provides a step-by-step decision workflow for managing warm-spell risk. It highlights what condensation really looks like, where it forms first, what to do – and what to avoid. A print-friendly checklist table supports consistent, calm ventilation decisions.
The Fruit and Vegetable Growers of Canada (FVGC) is spotlighting a potential shift in how potato varieties could be selected in the years ahead: not only for yield, quality, storability, and disease profile, but also for how efficiently they use nitrogen. Early multi-province research suggests that nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) may become a key selection trait for potato varieties. Recent findings indicate newer cultivars could outperform older ones in yield while requiring less nitrogen.
This Storage Season Essentials article is a follow-up to PNT’s January 21, 2026 feature, “The storage baseline that saves crops: 10 measurements every potato facility should track mid-season.” It translates those measurements into a practical 60-minute weekly audit that helps storage managers spot drift early – widening temperature gradients, condensation risk during warm spells, dead zones, CO₂ creep, developing hotspots, and unnecessary drying. A downloadable-style checklist table supports consistent, calm decision-making.
Mid-season potato storage success is rarely luck – it’s disciplined monitoring. This Storage Season Essentials article outlines ten practical measurements that act as an early-warning system for shrink, rot, bruising, and spring quality issues. It explains why temperature profiles, supply air and plenum conditions, RH and dew point, CO₂ trends, fan run logic, static pressure, outside air context, walk-through checks, and consistent logging matter. A “common scenarios” guide shows how to respond sensibly.
Potatoes, essential to American cuisine, have a deep-rooted history in Pennsylvania and over 30 other states, playing a vital role in agriculture and nutrition, as highlighted at the 2026 Pennsylvania Farm Show. Nathan Tallman, CEO of the Pennsylvania Co-operative Potato Growers, emphasized the crop’s evolution through technology and consumer preferences, showcasing hundreds of potato varieties and numerous recipes that celebrate potatoes’ importance.
National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles expressed that current government aid is inadequate for specialty crop growers facing high input costs and low market prices. He noted that while the USDA is making efforts, the resources available fall short, with specialty crops needing around $5 billion amid expectations of receiving only $1 billion. Industry groups are collaborating with Congress to seek more support linked to upcoming legislation.
FPS Food Process Solutions, in collaboration with GEM Equipment of Oregon, has introduced the GEM VersaFry, an innovative fryer designed for the snack and appetizer market. The VersaFry emphasizes safety, durability, and precision frying capabilities, accommodating various food products. Key features include an adjustable conveyor, easy sanitation access, and oil temperature management. This fryer aims to deliver low ownership costs and exceptional support within major food processing plants.
Urschel will attend the California League of Food Producers Food Processing Expo in Sacramento, California, February 4 – 5, 2026, showcasing two cutting systems for food processors: the DiversaCut 2110A Dicer with built-in discharge conveyor and the KRONEN GS 10-2 Slicer. Urschel says the DiversaCut supports continuous, high-capacity slicing, dicing, stripping and shredding, while the KRONEN unit offers gentle, adjustable cutting and washdown-friendly stainless design.
FPS Food Process Solutions is expanding globally, targeting the food manufacturing and technology market. In January 2026, FPS MEA will open a logistics center in Morocco, while GEM Equipment in Oregon is renovating its facility, expected to be completed by Spring 2026. Other expansions include locations in Brazil, China, and Europe, enhancing FPS’s capacity to innovate and advance food manufacturing by the end of 2026.
Thirty years after launching an early potato-industry website in 1996, Lukie Pieterse reflects on how the World Wide Web evolved into today’s always-on digital world – and how the potato community grew with it. The piece traces the shift from scarcity to information overload, arguing that trust, accuracy, and usefulness matter more than ever. At its core is a human story: friendships, mentorships, hard seasons, and a new generation inheriting both powerful tools and bigger responsibilities.
Lamb Weston Holdings, Inc. is closing its Munro, Argentina plant to consolidate production at a modern facility in Mar del Plata, enhancing operational efficiency and profitability. Approximately 100 affected employees will receive severance. Additionally, a production line in the Netherlands will be temporarily curtailed. These moves align with the company’s Focus to Win strategy, focusing on market prioritization and strengthening customer partnerships.
The National Potato Council says its Executive Committee unanimously approved a December 19, 2025 resolution asking the U.S. Trade Representative to launch a Section 332 fact-finding investigation into Canadian potato trade practices. NPC points to British Columbia’s more-than-40-year measure limiting U.S. potato exports – mainly from Washington – and says recent enhancements have caused millions in reported losses. The council also cites Midwest grower concerns about subsidies.
Lamb Weston reported Q2 FY2026 net sales of $1.618 billion, up 1%, with net income rising to $62.1 million and diluted EPS at $0.44. Volume grew 8% as price/mix fell 8%, leaving constant-currency sales essentially flat. North America volumes improved enough to restart curtailed lines, while International profitability declined amid higher costs and Argentina start-up expenses. The company reaffirmed FY2026 guidance and raised its quarterly dividend 3% to $0.38.
Recent testing by the University of Idaho Extension shows that 75% of Idaho potato fields are infected with the pathogen Spongospora, which causes powdery scab, impacting U.S. potato marketability, especially in exports to Mexico. A new two-year project funded by a $130,000 Specialty Crop Block Grant aims to develop management strategies against these diseases. Researchers will evaluate various control measures, including irrigation management and fungicides, to mitigate the spread and effects of powdery scab and PMTV.
In 2025, Canadian potato production declined by 0.9% to 125.8 million hundredweight due to drought in Eastern Canada, particularly affecting Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. Alberta remained the largest producer, with a 6.9% increase in seeded area, marking the highest level since 2007. Despite favorable harvest conditions, average yields fell to 321.2 hundredweight per acre nationally, influenced by Eastern drought impacts.
In 2021, Dr. Andrew McKenzie-Gopsill at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) repurposed an old potato vine crusher to combat weeds through harvest weed seed control, preventing seeds from growing. Initial lab tests in 2022 showed a 60-95% reduction in weed seed germination, and subsequent field tests in 2023 confirmed these findings, with volunteer canola germination reduced by 26%. This effective tool offers farmers a solution as weed resistance to herbicides increases.
MustGrow Biologics Corp. reported that its TerraSante biofertility product significantly enhanced potato yields, size, and quality in farming trials in Washington State and Idaho. A farmer noted a value increase of approximately US$5,000 per acre against a US$180 cost for the product. Results also indicated improvements in soil health, with yield increases between 26% and 40% observed in previous US trials, confirming TerraSante’s effectiveness.
Agristo’s establishment of a processing plant in Grand Forks is anticipated to significantly benefit North Dakota’s potato industry and local economy. Tom Nilson, a potato farmer, is optimistic about this partnership, which marks Agristo’s first U.S. facility. The plant will utilize Red River Valley potatoes for frozen products, including french fries and hashbrowns. Despite the excitement, Nilson feels the pressure of this pivotal business transition.
The World Potato Congress Inc. will host a webinar, “Crop Rotation for WireWorm Control,” on December 10, 2025, featuring Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada entomologist Dr Christine Noronha. The session will highlight how crop rotations can reduce wireworm pressure, protect potato quality and fit into integrated pest management strategies. Noronha will share multi-year research findings and practical guidance for growers and advisors.
