Where you will find no-nonsense, no-frills potato news stories from around the world.
Welcome, dear reader! I’m Lukie Pieterse, founder, editor and publisher of Potato News Today. I’m truly delighted to have you here and sincerely hope you find the content presented on this site insightful and relevant.
My mission here is simple: to deliver timely, accurate, and meaningful news about developments from across the potato world.
A lifelong commitment to potatoes
My journey in the potato industry spans around 40 years by now – serving as a farmer, consultant, writer, blogger and editor. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, I co-owned and operated a 2,500-acre farm in South Africa, where we grew, among other crops, drip-irrigated potatoes for major processors like McCain Foods, Frito-Lay, and Heinz.
In 1996, driven by a desire to offer a better future to my two young children – just little babies back then – I relocated with my family to Atlantic Canada. While I deeply cherish the opportunities this move has brought us, I often find myself reminiscing about my farming days. I miss them – no doubt – as I also miss my homeland that once was.
That said, Canada – and the many Canadians I’ve met over the years have been extremely good and welcoming to us as only Canadians can be – and for that, I will always remain deeply grateful to this wonderful country and its kind people.
From farming to global consultancy
After settling in Canada, I established a potato consulting business and have since been involved in numerous international projects and conferences across North America, Europe, and South America. Notably, I’ve collaborated with organizations such as the International Potato Center (CIP) in Peru, the World Potato Congress, and the United Nations’ FAO, and others. My focus has always been on promoting innovation, sustainability, and growth in the potato sector.
With a doctorate in Sociology, I bring a social science lens to much of my work – particularly in understanding the human side of farming, of technology adoption, and the remarkable resilience of potato farmers worldwide.
Pioneering online and print potato publications
My passion for sharing knowledge led me to contribute technical articles to various print publications, potato-focused websites, and more over the years. I served as editor for five editions of the World Catalogue of Potato Varieties, and co-founder and editor of print publications such as Global Potato News (published by Erling Verlag in Germany) and Potato Storage International (published by Crier Media in the UK).
In 1996, shortly after what might today be called the “birth” of the internet, I launched the very first online news portal dedicated to potatoes and potato production as such. That early effort eventually evolved into Potato News Today over the years, which today hosts close to 13,000 news stories, posts and articles related to the global potato industry.
For over a decade by now, Potato News Today has served as a vital resource for the global potato industry, reaching a readership spread across more than 120 potato-producing countries around the world. The site is visited daily by 1,000 people on average, and together with its affiliated social media channels, we now reach around 14,000 potato professionals around the world.
Potato News Today has always been – and still is – dedicated to delivering daily news stories, insights, and expert analysis on a wide range of topics which we believe to be critical to the industry, and I do my utmost best to keep up and do this on time and on target as best I can.
Engaging with the global potato community
Beyond publishing potato news stories online, I also co-founded the North American Potato Storage Organization (NAPSO), which is dedicated to advancing potato storage practices, with a strong emphasis on safety and technical innovation in the potato storage industry.
I’ve also been consulting for a potato company based in Saskatchewan, Canada for many years, covering a range of topics including breeding, storage, potato trends and the latest innovations in the industry.
Feel free to connect and collaborate!
If you have news or updates related to your potato farm, company, or organization, I warmly invite you to reach out. I’m always keen to share relevant stories with our global audience through Potato News Today and our four affiliated social media channels LinkedIn, TwitterX, Facebook and BlueSky
We also offer promotional opportunities for companies looking to engage with our extensive network of potato professionals. For details, please visit our advertising page or contact me directly – I’ll be happy to respond.
Thanks again for visiting here, and warm regards from the east coast of Canada! Feel free to get in touch?
Kindly,
Lukie Pieterse (DSc)
Editor & Publisher, Potato News Today
lukie@potatonewstoday.com
or
lukie5555@gmail.com
