INDUSTRY DIRECTORY
March 30, 2020
Articles

NPC Welcomes Ag Benefits in COVID-19 Relief Bill

On Friday, the House of Representatives passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, a $2 trillion bill with significant benefits to the U.S. potato supply chain.
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March 30, 2020
Articles
Hannah Sparks

Potato Industry Works to Meet Demand During Lockdown

Potato farmers and distributors are working around the clock to keep tater-loving Americans full on the hearty vegetable, as millions take to their kitchens — some for the first time — to cook for themselves.
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March 30, 2020
Articles
Jim Offner

Wada Farms Marketing Focuses on Organic Potatoes

Wada Farms’ organic program is nearly year-round and will continue to grow in 2020.
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March 30, 2020
Articles

Potates USA Elects Executive Committee

Potatoes USA elected its new leadership during its 48th annual meeting on March 11. Marty Myers of Boardman, Ore., was elected chairman of the board.
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March 27, 2020
Articles, New Products, Potato Equipment, Potato Harvesting

Spudnik to Continue Manufacturing During Outbreak

Blackfoot, Idaho-based Spudnik Equipment will continue to manufacture equipment for potato and sugarbeet growers amid the continuously changing situation caused by COVID-19.
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March 26, 2020
Articles, Fertilizer, New Products

Agnition Products Bolster Plants’ Natural Systems

Plants have systems in place to get what they need from the sun and soil. Strengthening these systems and empowering plants to do what they are designed to do is the idea behind the science of Agnition’s Procure and Generate.
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March 26, 2020
Articles

Ezell Hired as HELM Regional Sales Manager

HELM Agro US, Inc., a global manufacturer of high-quality crop protection and fertilizer products, announces the hiring of Jeff Ezell as regional sales manager for its central Corn Belt territory.
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March 25, 2020
Articles

Supply Chain COVID-19 Guidelines

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March 25, 2020
Articles

HELM Employment Opportunities

HELM Agro US is seeking experienced and highly driven sales professionals.
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March 25, 2020
Articles
Sean Ellis, Idaho Farm Bureau Federation

Potatoes Flying Off Retail Shelves

In the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, potatoes are suddenly a hot item across the nation, and there are reports of spuds flying off grocery store shelves.
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March 25, 2020
Articles
Tyne Morgan

Farmers Could See Warmer, Wetter Weather Entering Planting Season

Farmers looking for a weather reprieve in the wet weather pattern many areas are seeing won’t get a break in moisture anytime soon.
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March 24, 2020
Articles

Syngenta Seeks to Reduce Carbon Intensity with Packaging Innovations: Cutting-edge technology and precise testing help the company get products in the hands of customers, independently and sustainably.

Cutting-edge technology and precise testing help the company get products in the hands of customers, independently and sustainably.
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March 24, 2020
Articles

American Farmland Trust Launches Fund to Help Farmers Affected By the COVID-19 Crisis

The fund will award eligible farmers with cash grants of up to $1,000 each. The initial focus will be on farms that sell at farmers markets or to restaurants, caterers, schools, stores, or makers who use farm products.
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March 24, 2020
Articles
Nora Olsen, Lynn Woodell & Sherri Horrocks

Be Prepared for Updated USDA GAP Audit

The Good Agricultural Practices/Good Handling Practices Audit Verification Program is a volunteer program designed to minimize the unintentional microbial or chemical contamination of potatoes before reaching the consumer.
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March 24, 2020
Articles
Daniel Walters

Grower Makes Best of Lost Foodservice-Driven Income

For Duncan Produce, the loss of the vast majority of the restaurant business was a huge blow. Due to the spate of "panic-buying," grocery stores have struggled to keep their potatoes and onions on their shelves. So why not sell directly to the consumer?
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March 23, 2020
Articles

Maine Potato Board Announces 2020 Young Farmer of the Year

The Maine Potato Board directors have announced that Matt Griffeth of Caribou has been selected as the 2020 Young Farmer of the Year, along with his brothers John Jr. and Stephen Griffeth.
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March 23, 2020
Articles

Jekanowski Appointed World Agricultural Outlook Board Chairman

USDA chief economist Robert Johansson today announced the appointment of Mark Jekanowski as the World Agricultural Outlook Board chairman.
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March 23, 2020
Articles

American Farmland Trust Urges Lawmakers to Include Farmers in Stimulus

Many businesses and supply chains are shuttered, and while agriculture is considered an essential industry to our nation, there is no doubt that the closure of restaurants and farmers markets have had an impact, even while grocery stores are selling out o
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March 23, 2020
Articles
Deni Hawkins

Distillery Uses Potato Vodka to Produce Hand Sanitizer

St. Luke's Hospital is partnering with Koenig Distillery--which is now using its supply of potato vodka to mass-produce hand sanitizer. The high-proof alcohol is mixed with hydrogen peroxide, glycerin and water to meet FDA requirements.
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March 23, 2020
Articles

Status of Potato Industry Amid COVID-19, Government Response

On Thursday, March 19, Senate Republicans released their trillion-dollar proposal for a third COVID-19 response package, which will serve as a starting point for negotiations with the Democrats, who have already outlined their own $750 billion plan.
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March 20, 2020
Articles
Lynn Grooms

Ag Bills Await Wisconsin State Senate Floor

Several Wisconsin agriculture organizations on March 12 urged the Wisconsin State Senate to pass bills important to Wisconsin farmers and the state’s agricultural economy. The next step before moving to the Gov. Tony Evers’ desk is passage of the bills by
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March 19, 2020
Articles

Big Data Helps Farmers Adapt to Climate Variability

A new Michigan State University study shines a light on how big data and digital technologies can help farmers better adapt to threats — both present and future — from a changing climate.
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March 19, 2020
Articles, Event Calendar

Webinar: Maximizing Fungicides for Fruit & Vegetable Disease Control

This free webinar on March 31 will cover the latest conventional and organic methods for treating and preventing common spring plant diseases.
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March 19, 2020
Articles

Labor, USDA Announce Information Sharing to Assist H-2A Employers

Agriculture secretary Sonny Perdue today announced a partnership between the USDA and U.S. Department of Labor to help facilitate the identification of foreign and domestic workers that may be available and eligible to transfer to other U.S. agricultural
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March 19, 2020
Articles
Suzanne Bopp

Transportation Reform Is Mission Critical: Moving products to and from farms is essential to the ag industry, which is why current regulations need clarification and flexibility.

Moving products to and from farms is essential to the ag industry, which is why current regulations need clarification and flexibility.
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March 19, 2020
Articles

Visit Farmers.gov for Updates on Services in Your Community

All service center visitors wishing to conduct business with the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, or any other service center agency are encouraged to call their service center to confirm availability for in-person or phone app
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March 19, 2020
Articles

USDA Designates H-2A Visa Program as Essential

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March 19, 2020
Articles

March IPC Meeting Adjusted

The March meeting of the Idaho Potato Commission will be held on Wednesday, March 25, beginning at 8:30 a.m. and will be an audio conference.
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March 19, 2020
Articles

US Foods to Acquire Smart Foodservice Warehouse Stores

Smart Foodservice operates 70 small-format cash-and-carry stores that serve small and mid-sized restaurants and other food business customers across California, Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Nevada, Utah and Montana.
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March 18, 2020
Articles

Risk of PVY Infection Greatest Early in Season

In order to increase the efficiency of management of PVY, University of Idaho scientists conducted research to determine when potato plants are most susceptible to infection.
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March 18, 2020
Articles

Big Idaho Potato Truck Tour Temporarily Suspended

The Big Idaho Potato Truck tour has been temporarily suspended due to coronavirus concerns.
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March 18, 2020
Articles

Plant Management Network Reimagines Information Sharing

Discover Grow: a nonprofit, freely available, online resource of timely, science-based information on plant health. It’s a place for plant health management professionals to exchange knowledge and discover the latest applied research.
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March 18, 2020
Articles

BioSafe Adds to Engineering Team

BioSafe Systems announces the hiring of Don Hobro as its new chemical/project application engineer.
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March 16, 2020
Articles

New USDA Team to Serve Beginning Farmers and Ranchers

The USDA is standing up a new team of department staff that will lead a department-wide effort focused on serving beginning farmers and ranchers.
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March 16, 2020
Articles

Positive Effect of Cover Crops on Soil Microbiome

Only a fraction of conventional row crop farmers grow cover crops after harvest, but a new global analysis from the University of Illinois shows the practice can boost soil microbial abundance by 27 percent.
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March 16, 2020
Articles

Potatoes USA Provides Retailers with Path to Purchase Study

Potatoes USA and Kantar Insights Consulting collaborated to gather information for a Fresh Potatoes Path to Purchase study from potato shoppers at food retailers, mass merchandise retailers, club stores and grocery online shoppers.
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March 16, 2020
Articles

USDA Opens Signup for Causes of Loss

Growers can sign up March 23 for Producers Impacted by Drought or Excess Moisture. Provisions for sugarbeet producers are also available.
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March 13, 2020
Articles

UI Announces Endowed Professorship in Potato Research

University of Idaho efforts to improve potato storage technology will benefit from a $1 million investment to create an endowed research professorship made possible by alumni Wayne and Peggy Thiessen and the Idaho Potato Commission.
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March 13, 2020
Fertilizer, New Products

Fertilizer & Growth Promoter Buyers’ Guide

This is the place you’ll find much of the latest technology in growth promotion for potatoes.
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March 13, 2020
Fungicide, New Products

Fungicide Buyers' Guide

Over the years, growers, researchers and chemical reps have worked tirelessly to develop sustainable, economical solutions to the problems posed by these fungal maladies. Our fungicide buyers’ guide showcases a few of those solutions.
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March 13, 2020
Articles

Motion Industries Promotes Cook to VP/CFO

Motion Industries, Inc., a leading distributor of maintenance, repair, and operation replacement parts, has promoted Greg Cook to executive vice president and chief financial officer.
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March 12, 2020
Articles
Tom Karst

Potato Acreage Expected to Climb, Potentially Lowering Returns

For the 2020-21, early signs point to expanded acreage and lower prices, said Mark Klompien, president and CEO of the producer cooperative United Potato Growers of America.
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March 11, 2020
Articles
Mark J. Pavek, Zachary J. Holden, Bertie J. Weddell, Raul Garza Jr., Rhett R. Spear & Francisco Gonz

Avoid Planting Potatoes West/East

Yield increases within the northern hemisphere from rows oriented along a north-south axis compared to an east-west orientation have been reported for many crops. Potatoes appear to be the same in that regard.
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March 11, 2020
Articles, Fertilizer

Microbes' Important Role in Soil Nitrogen Cycle

But different microbes have distinct roles to play, and environmental factors influence activity.
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March 10, 2020
Articles

BioSafe Welcomes Service Technician

BioSafe Systems recently welcomed new field service technician Lee Holland to its team.
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March 10, 2020
Articles

Exploring Potatoes’ Emulsification Possibilities

How well do dehydrated potato products bind water and oil in formulation? And, as a result, what potential do they show as fat and emulsifier mimics?
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March 10, 2020
Articles

Progress on Implementation of China Phase One Agreement

U.S. secretary of agriculture Sonny Perdue announced today that China has continued its progress in implementing the U.S.-China Phase One Economic and Trade Agreement and has taken several additional actions to realize its agriculture-related commitments.
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March 09, 2020
Fungicide, Insecticide, New Products

New Product: Wilbur-Ellis Embrece-EA Surfactant

Wilbur-Ellis Company announces the launch of Embrece-EA, a unique blend of surfactants designed to elevate the performance of fungicides, insecticides and miticides by increasing wetting and spreading of spray materials.
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March 05, 2020
Articles, Irrigation

International Study Researches Ways to Make Water More Efficient for Potatoes

Recent research confirmed that images from infrared cameras can be used to detect water stress in crops and thereby guide more efficient water use.
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March 05, 2020
Articles

Dales Joins Vive Board

Vive Crop Protection announces the addition of Joe Dales to the company’s board of directors.
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March 05, 2020
New Products, Potato Equipment

New Product: Next-Generation Tong Coil Cleaner

Tong Engineering is taking the success of its popular potato and vegetable coil cleaning unit to the next level with new advancements for optimum performance and ease of maintenance.
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March 04, 2020
Articles

Preliminary Studies of Age-Related Resistance to PVY

Much effort has recently been placed on late-season PVY management, but perhaps not enough on the early weeks of the season.
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March 03, 2020
Articles

Grant Supports Mich. St. Breeding Program

Michigan State University received $700,000 from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to invest in its potato breeding and genetics program.
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March 02, 2020
New Products, Potato Equipment

New Software, Functions for Kuhn CCI 1200 Touchscreen

Kuhn announces new software for the CCI 1200 ISOBUS touchscreen display. This display is compatible with AEF-certified ISOBUS tractors and implements.
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March 02, 2020
Articles

Wisconsin Growers Grapple with Climate Change's Impact on Nitrogen Management

While small compared to other crops, a wetter state is exacerbating potential for groundwater contamination.
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March 02, 2020
Irrigation, New Products

New Product: Valley 365 Connected Crop Management

Growers gain greater control through a single sign-on platform to manage crop data.
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