INDUSTRY DIRECTORY
December 27, 2018
Articles, Seed Potatoes

Better, Stronger Potatoes through Hybrid Breeding

Potato breeding company Solynta has produced a hybrid breeding program for potatoes, which will allow the rapid selection and turnover of favorable traits.
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December 26, 2018
Articles, New Products

New Product: Motivo Harvest Power Conversion System

Motivo Engineering announced its latest patent for a vehicle in the form of a tractor that features a mobile power conversion and distribution system.
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December 24, 2018
Articles
Daniel D'Ambrosio

Maine Potato Growers Finding Alternate Sources of Farm Income

Jacob Buck’s family has been growing potatoes in Aroostook County, Maine, since 1958. Now Buck and his three brothers are taking the farm in a new direction in an attempt to make the 1,000-acre property support them and their growing families.
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December 24, 2018
Articles, Fertilizer

Best Practices for Soil Sampling

To maximize the accuracy of your test results, start by following these best practices for soil sampling.
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December 24, 2018
Articles, Fertilizer

Why Does Soil pH Matter?

Soil tests may show a buffer pH result, which indicates the amount of agricultural lime required to neutralize the hydrogen ions from the soil.
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December 22, 2018
Articles

Fertilizer Associations to Absorb IPNI

The members and the Board of Directors of the International Plant Nutrition Institute voted last week to undertake a major organizational restructure that will include the transfer of key scientific assets and programs to The Fertilizer Institute, Fertili
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December 21, 2018
Articles

Students Encouraged to Apply for Grow Ag Leaders Scholarship: $500,000 in scholarships available

$500,000 in scholarships available
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December 20, 2018
Articles

Northwest Growers Confident Market Will Lift

Potato growers in the Northwest are reporting good supplies as the end of the year approaches. They say yield was close to the average this season with decent growing conditions for the most part.
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December 20, 2018
Articles
Dave Bergmeier

Building a Lasting, Productive System

Several years ago, Rockey Farms began the process of using fewer chemicals and fertilizers, instead utilizing compost and cover crops.
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December 20, 2018
Irrigation, New Products

New Products: Tuctronics Irrigation Solutions

Tuctronics is a family partnership that has been engineering telemetry products for control and monitoring in agriculture for over 20 years, including its AgriNET cross-platform app.
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December 20, 2018
Articles
Kevin Yarr

Researchers: Climate Change Could Hit Potato Industry Hard: 'Some of the cultivars did not even form a tuber'

'Some of the cultivars did not even form a tuber'
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December 19, 2018
Articles

Kubota Names New President/CEO

Kubota Tractor Corporation announces the appointment of Harry Yoshida as the new president and CEO of Kubota Tractor Corporation and Kubota North America.
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December 19, 2018
Articles

Canada: Alberta Challenging P.E.I for Potato Crown: Better yields in West push harvest totals close to Eastern region that suffered rainy, chilly fall

Better yields in West push harvest totals close to Eastern region that suffered rainy, chilly fall.
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December 19, 2018
Articles

Irrigation Association Announces New Directors

These individuals started their three-year terms at the conclusion of the 2018 Irrigation Show and joined the 11 other members who are continuing their terms from previous years.
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December 18, 2018
Articles
Rand Green

Potandon Positions Itself as ‘the Healthy Potato Company’

The company rolled out its new corporate positioning as the Healthy Potato Company a year ago and with that also introduced a new proprietary low-carbohydrate potato variety branded CarbSmart.
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December 17, 2018
Articles

Alberta Growers Back Non-refundable Checkoff

Alberta potato producers have overwhelmingly voted to make their checkoff non-refundable.
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December 17, 2018
Articles, Fertilizer

Interpreting Phosphorus, Potassium Levels

Phosphorus and potassium are some of the most essential nutrients for a healthy crop. When testing your soil, it is important to analyze these nutrients to determine whether fertilizer is necessary to maximize yields.
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December 17, 2018
Articles

Lamb Weston Requests Tax Exemption for Idaho Plant

Lamb Weston wants to invest in its Twin Falls plant, and it’s asking the Twin Falls County Commission for a tax exemption.
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December 14, 2018
Articles, Irrigation

Putting a Dollar Value on Irrigation Benefits: Research shows the extra ag production from irrigation from the High Plains Aquifer in Nebraska is valued at up to $2 billion per year.

Research shows the extra ag production from irrigation from the High Plains Aquifer in Nebraska is valued at up to $2 billion per year.
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December 14, 2018
Articles, Irrigation

U.S. Groundwater in Peril?: Many rural parts of the U.S. rely exclusively on groundwater for agricultural and domestic use.

The U.S. groundwater supply is smaller than originally thought, according to a new research study that includes a University of Arizona hydrologist.
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December 14, 2018
Articles

Canada Potato Production Down 3 Percent

Because of difficult growing and harvesting conditions, about 6,000 acres of potatoes were left unharvested and are still in the ground.
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December 13, 2018
Articles

Ag World Raises Thousands for Charity: Ag World Golf Classic donates $91,487 to Ronald McDonald House Charities Inland Northwest

Ag World Golf Classic donates $91,487 to Ronald McDonald House Charities Inland Northwest
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December 13, 2018
Articles

Eagle Eye: Organic Demand Increasing

The company anticipates that the markets will gain steam after the first of the year and it’s already looking like there will be a tight supply in the summer, which should lead to healthy markets.
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December 13, 2018
Articles
David Nutt

Big Picture Look at Climate Change Impact on U.S. Ag

A new Cornell University-led study shows that Midwest agriculture is increasingly vulnerable to climate change because of the region’s reliance on growing rain-fed crops.
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December 13, 2018
Articles, Potato Storage
Kasia Duellman, Don McMoran, Debra Inglis & Kenneth Frost

High and Dry: Managing Fusarium dry rot in storage

Fusarium dry rot is caused by various species of fungi in the genus Fusarium, including F. sambucinum (the most prevalent species in the Pacific Northwest), F. coeruleum, F. avanaceum, F. equiseti and others.
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December 12, 2018
Articles
Heather Kennison

UI Grad Student Makes Progress in Pythium Leak Study

Andrew Hollingshead’s research project is focused around Pythium leak, a disease caused by a fungus-like pathogen that lives in soil. Potatoes get infected with it when they have an open wound or bruise.
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December 11, 2018
Articles

China Attempting to Grow Potatoes on Moon

The Chang'e 4 rover will actually plant potato and mustard seed and study any growth that occurs.
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December 11, 2018
Articles
Jim Offner

Foodservice Still Holds Growth Potential

Consumers are spending food dollars at foodservice at unprecedented rates, and the potato industry recognizes the opportunity, marketers say.
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December 11, 2018
Articles
Jim Offner

Health Attributes Drive Potato Sales

The best way to keep potatoes moving is to keep consumers informed, marketers say.
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December 10, 2018
New Products, Potato Equipment

Planting Equipment Buyers' Guide

Growers in most potato-growing regions of the U.S. are only now fully recovering from the 2018 harvest. But before you know it, it’ll be time to get the 2019 crop in the ground.
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December 07, 2018
Articles

N.D. Producer Discusses Farm Bill

U.S. senator John Hoeven says if Congress is able to pass it before the end of the month, this will be the first time since 1990 a new Farm Bill is passed within the year it expires.
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December 07, 2018
Articles
Christine Bradish

How Do Breeders Know What Parts of DNA Correspond to Traits?

In order to find the gene within a cell that control a trait, breeders collect data from the field, greenhouse and the lab.
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December 07, 2018
Articles, Fungicide
Margy Eckelkamp

Five Fertilizer Trends to Watch

With annual fertilizer sales totaling $180 billion—that’s three times more than crop protection sales, three times more than seed sales and more than two times ag machinery sales—the fertilizer industry is quite complex.
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December 07, 2018
Irrigation, New Products

New Product: Battery-Powered Seametrics Insertion Magnetic Flow Meter

Seametrics, a leader in magnetic flow meter technology for the agricultural industry, announces the release of the AG90 insertion-style, battery-powered magnetic flow meter.
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December 06, 2018
Articles, Potato Equipment

Tong Expands Project Management Team

Dave Clarke and Elliott Stones have been promoted to Tong Engineering's project Management team.
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December 06, 2018
Articles, Irrigation, New Products

New Product Contest Winners Revealed at Irrigation Show

The Irrigation Association is pleased to announce the winners of the 2018 New Product Contest at the Irrigation Show and Education Conference in Long Beach, Calif., Dec. 3-7.
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December 06, 2018
Articles, New Products, Potato Equipment

What's the Right Way to Buy a Tractor?

If you are thinking to buy a tractor this year, then there are some things you should consider beforehand. You might be having trouble if you are new to this and there are many options that come in a tractor which can confuse you.
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December 06, 2018
New Products

Sentera Precision Ag Solution Price Promotion: Take $600 or more off the industry leading sensors when ordered in 2018

Take $600 or more off the industry leading sensors when ordered in 2018
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December 06, 2018
Articles

IPC Hires Kahn as VP of Foodservice

The Idaho Potato Commission welcomes Alan Kahn as its new vice president of foodservice.
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December 06, 2018
Articles, Irrigation

Mecham, Strickland Join Valley in Leadership Roles

Valley Irrigation announces the hiring of Trevor Mecham as vice president of global technology strategy–irrigation, and Joe Strickland as vice president and general manager of North America irrigation.
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December 06, 2018
Articles
Alex Crockford

Wisconsin Seed Potato Outlook Optimistic

Acreage in Wisconsin's certified seed potato program has gradually increased since 2013, up 1,000 acres over that time period.
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December 05, 2018
Articles, New Products

Partnership Translates Farm Data into Financial Management

Rabo AgriFinance and Conservis will co-develop technology that makes it possible for U.S. crop farmers to connect their real-time field and management data with financial results.
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December 05, 2018
Articles
Joe Kertzman, Wisconsin Potato & Vegetable Growers Association

Seed Oat Processor Helps Potato Growers

What was once a quaint seed oat cleaning operation owned and operated by a lone potato farmer in Antigo, Wis., has evolved to become a sizable rotational crop specialist for almost every potato farm in Langlade County.
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December 05, 2018
Seed Potatoes, Smorgasbord

The Smorgasbord: Purple Pelisse

Purple Pelisse tubers are ideal for boiling or baking whole. The variety's chips retain their bright purple color and resist fading.
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December 05, 2018
Fungicide, Insecticide, New Products

Deeper Look: Nematode management primes potatoes for profit

Nematode management primes potatoes for profit.
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December 04, 2018
Grower of the Month
Tyrell Marchant, Editor

Happy to Be Here: Grower Ed Starkel of Polson, Mont.

Grower Ed Starkel of Polson, Mont., wouldn't want to be doing anything else more than growing high-quality seed potatoes in his beloved Mission Valley.
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December 04, 2018
Articles
James Isleib

Beginning Farmers Series Offered Online

This convenient, affordable online program from Michigan State University Extension is designed to provide an overview of potential farm enterprises and business skills for beginners.
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December 03, 2018
Articles, New Products, Potato Equipment, Potato Harvesting

Wada Farms Shows Off Restructured Harvest, Storage Systems

The operation went from two 10-row systems to one 16-row system for harvesting. They updated from two 6400 Spudnik harvesters to one 6640 harvester.
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December 03, 2018
Articles

Mexico Tariff on U.S. Frozen Fries Remains in Place

A formal signing of the new so-called USMCA trade agreement between the US, Canada and Mexico was signed last week, but Mexico’s 20 percent tariff on U.S. frozen fries remains in place.
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December 03, 2018
Articles, Potato Equipment

McCain Champion Grower Utilizes Lockwood Equipment

McCain Foods awarded Leavitt Farms, LLC of Limestone, Maine, its coveted Champion Grower title in August. Leavitt Farms is the proud operator of Lockwood Manufacturing potato equipment.
— Read More