No-nonsense, no-frills potato news stories from around the world
NAPSO and Spud Smart will host a practical webinar, Seed Storage: Protecting Quality from Harvest to Planting, on February 20 at 10:00 AM PST. The session brings together experienced seed and storage professionals to discuss the decisions that most affect seed performance, from field and harvest conditions to storage design, disease control, and monitoring. For growers and storage managers, it offers timely, actionable guidance to safeguard planting-ready quality this season.
A-Insights is hosting a webinar for food manufacturers on February 19, 2026, focusing on five critical trends impacting growth and strategy ahead of 2026. Presenters Shaun Wilken and Eralp Calhan will guide discussions on issues like weight-loss drugs, trade wars, and regulatory pressures. Attendees will gain insights on market signals, risk management, and growth opportunities, making it crucial for industry stakeholders, including the potato value chain. Registration is open online.
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.
Co-hosted by Spud Smart and NAPSO, the Mid-Storage Health Check webinar on December 17 will give potato growers and storage managers practical tools to catch problems before losses build. Experts Sastry Jayanty and Amanda Gevens will explain how to interpret CO₂ and humidity readings, spot early disease and bruising, and read condensation patterns, helping participants turn mid-season store checks into targeted, confident decisions that protect quality, margins and customer trust.
The 2nd European Wireworm Research Network Workshop is scheduled for 9 October 2025, focusing on innovative solutions for managing wireworm pests impacting European crops. The online event will feature four thematic sessions on biology, control methods, economic assessments, and varietal interactions, encouraging discussion among scientists, agronomists, and policymakers. The workshop aims to foster collaboration and develop integrated pest management strategies to mitigate crop losses caused by wireworms.
The revised RUCIP 2025 framework aims to enhance transparency, legal clarity, and efficiency in Europe’s potato trade, effective from October 1, 2025. This updated version, created through collaboration among industry experts, introduces modern practices and arbitration processes. Key improvements include clearer definitions in contracts, faster resolution methods, and better communication standards. A supportive webinar for stakeholders is scheduled for October 17, 2025, to guide the transition to these updated rules.
On July 1, Europatat held a webinar addressing the threat of Phytophthora infestans to Europe’s potato sector, featuring experts and stakeholders discussing resistance challenges and regulatory updates. Highlights included calls for coordinated efforts to monitor pathogen evolution, improve resistance strategies, and implement supportive EU policies to enhance farmer resources. Urgent collective action is essential to ensure affordable potato products and farmer livelihoods amid growing pressures from late blight.
The North American Potato Storage Organization (NAPSO) hosted a webinar titled “The Final Countdown: Smart Storage Strategies for Late Season Potatoes,” offering valuable insights for growers facing critical storage challenges. Presentations by Eric Evans and Dr. Sastry Jayanty emphasized key practices for quality preservation, including environmental control, sprout management, and minimizing damage. Upcoming NAPSO events promise further expert discussions on potato storage innovations and techniques.
The World Potato Congress invites the global potato community to a webinar celebrating the International Day of the Potato, focusing on its impact on rural development and food security. Experts from various regions, including the Andes, China, and West Africa, will share insights on the potato’s role in enhancing smallholder livelihoods and food systems. This tri-lingual event promotes discussion on sustainable agriculture and nutritional well-being.
The World Potato Congress will host a webinar titled “The Ecosystem Elements of Potato Sustainability”, led by John Mesko, CEO of the Potato Sustainability Alliance. The session will focus on sustainable potato farming practices and the importance of collaboration with supply chain partners. Farmers are encouraged to adopt environmentally-friendly methods that also support profitability.
The North American Potato Storage Organization (NAPSO) successfully hosted its third webinar, attracting 120 attendees interested in potato seed storage and disease management. Experts shared strategies on best practices, handling, and disease prevention. NAPSO aims to reach more industry professionals, emphasizing collaborative learning. Future webinars will continue to focus on effective storage management strategies, and resources are available on NAPSO’s website.
The North American Potato Storage Organization (NAPSO) will host a webinar, “Storing for Success: Protecting Potato Seed & Preventing Disease,” on February 24, 2025, at 10am PST/1pm EST. Featuring experts Kasia Duellman and James Alford, the session will cover seed storage, shipping practices, treatment methods, and crucial planting considerations. Attendees can join via Microsoft Teams by contacting NAPSO for registration details.
The World Potato Congress Inc. is hosting a webinar on January 15, 2025, focusing on an Early Warning System designed for sustainable management of potato late blight, a significant threat to farmers globally. The session will present findings from a multi-country study, emphasizing early warning systems, practical applications, and good agricultural practices. Ivette Acuña B., an expert in agricultural engineering, will lead the discussion, offering vital insights for industry professionals.
In a recent webinar, Dr. Rowan Herridge, a Research Fellow at the University of Otago in New Zealand discussed innovative potato breeding techniques, highlighting the challenges posed by potatoes’ tetraploid nature. He explained traditional methods and introduced New Breeding Techniques (NBTs), including gene editing and F1 hybrid breeding, which enable enhanced disease resistance and genetic gains. These advancements, being developed at Otago University, promise sustainable improvements for New Zealand potato growers.
The Potato Association of America (PAA) will host a webinar on December 17, 2024, at 12:00 PM CST, focusing on “Tuber Skin Set Testing” using a torque wrench-based tester. The 30-minute session includes a live demonstration, expert insights, and a Q&A, offering essential knowledge for agronomists and researchers to enhance potato quality and storage efficiency. Registration details are available online.
The World Potato Congress Inc. will host a webinar on December 6, 2024, focusing on supporting smallholder potato farmers in Kenya. Led by Christopher Gasperi of FreshCrop Limited, the event will explore innovative strategies and support systems for enhancing farmers’ livelihoods through decentralized hub sites. Gasperi’s expertise and leadership have significantly impacted Kenya’s agricultural sector, aiming for sustainability and improved practices.
On November 4, 2024, the North American Potato Storage Organization (NAPSO) hosted its second webinar titled “Potato Storage: The First 45 Days,” attracting 168 participants. Experts Addie Waxman, Eric Evans, and Vijay Choppakatla discussed strategies for potato quality, sprout control, and disease prevention. The recording is available online. NAPSO also prepares for upcoming trade shows, continuing its commitment to the potato industry’s education and support.
In September, PotatoLink hosted an online training session on disease identification for the Australian potato industry, featuring experts Dr. Kasia Duellman (Univ of Idaho) and Dr. Len Tesoriero (Crop Doc Consulting Australia). The session covered common and emerging potato diseases, symptom recognition, and management strategies, including cultural and chemical control methods.
The North America Potato Storage Organization (NAPSO) will host a webinar titled “Potato Storage: The First 45 Days” on November 4 at 10 AM PST, aimed at potato farmers and industry professionals. The event focuses on crucial post-harvest storage practices and features expert speakers discussing temperature, humidity management, disease control, and sprout prevention. Registration is open via Emily Merk at contact@napso.info.
The North America Potato Storage Organization (NAPSO) hosted a webinar titled “Preparing for a Successful Storage Season” on August 19, 2024. Nathan Gelles of Decco Post-Harvest discussed sanitation and early storage management, while Todd Forbush of Techmark focused on factors affecting storage outcomes. Both emphasized best practices and proactive measures. The webinar, praised for its depth and clarity, is available on NAPSO’s website.
The North America Potato Storage Organization (NAPSO) will host its inaugural webinar on August 19, 2024, featuring expert presentations on “Field Selection for a Successful Storage Season” by Todd Forbush and “Storage Cleaning, Disinfecting, and Sanitizing” by Nathan Gelles. Founding members emphasize the importance of sharing knowledge to maintain potato quality and sustainability.
Join Dr. Sabrina Falquier on June 5, 2024, for a webinar exploring the essential role of potatoes in Culinary Medicine. This webinar will demonstrate their versatility, nutritional benefits, and cultural importance through a live cooking demonstration. Aimed at health practitioners, the webinar will provide practical dietary guidance using potatoes to create nutrient-rich, plant-forward meals suited for diverse patient needs. Sign up to learn how to integrate America’s favorite vegetable into patient care.
A-INSIGHTS announces a free webinar on March 28th, focusing on the frozen potato industry’s trends and forecasts. Analyst Mathieu Geuskens will explore 2023 supply-demand, 5-year projections, local initiatives’ effects, and sustainability practices. The online event aims to transform public data into growth opportunities for food businesses. Register to learn from A-INSIGHTS, a firm with over 15 years of sector experience.
In a recent webinar hosted by the World Potato Congress, Luciana Delgado analyzed losses in the potato value chain, emphasizing their impact on food security, economic growth, and environmental sustainability. Delgado presented the “Food Losses App,” a tool to assess and address food losses for farmers, aligning with Sustainable Development Goal 12.3. She emphasized the unequal impacts of food loss, the need for precise measurement, targeted interventions, and creating a business case for reducing losses at the producer level.
A groundbreaking trial in the UK will equip farmers with special rigs to train robots to detect and treat slugs in arable crops. The project, part of SLIMERS, aims to develop sustainable slug control strategies using advanced technology and biological agents. Farmers can participate in a webinar on January 10 and receive payment for their involvement. The initiative seeks to enlist farmers with a strong understanding of pest control and a willingness to embrace new technologies.
