Growing, Harvesting and Storing Potatoes with Spudman

Fall Potato Production Down 7 Percent from 2004

Nov 10, 2005

Production of fall potatoes for 2005 is forecast at 382 million cwt., down 7 percent from 2004, according to USDA. Area harvested, at 951,800 acres, is virtually unchanged from the July forecast but 7 percent below last year. The average yield is forecast at a… Full Story »

Surplus Marks Turnaround After Two-Year Trade Deficit

Oct 21, 2005

U.S. net imports of frozen french fries are projected to be cut by more than half – from $155 million in 2004 to $69 million in 2005, according to USDA’s latest Vegetable and Melons Outlook, released Oct. 20. Also, exports of potato chips are expected… Full Story »

Summer Potato Production Forecast at Record Low

Sep 13, 2005

Production of summer potatoes is forecast at 16.1 million cwt. in 2005, down 1 percent from the July 1 forecast and 12 percent below the 2004 final estimate, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service. If realized, this would be record-low production since the series… Full Story »

Canadian Tribunal Makes Concessions to Washington Potato Growers

Sep 13, 2005

In a 29-page opinion released Sept. 12, the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) removed long-standing antidumping duties on certain types of potatoes from the United States. Antidumping duties applied to imports of U.S. fresh potatoes for the past 21 years were removed on imports of… Full Story »

Canada, U.S. Potato Growers Take Cooperative Steps

Aug 31, 2005

Representatives of seven potato producing provinces, accounting for more than 96 percent of the potato acres grown in Canada, met with the board of directors of the United Potato Growers of America Aug. 25 in Toronto. This meeting followed a similar session held in Prince… Full Story »

EPA Pulls Plug on Some Guthion Uses

Aug 30, 2005

The Environmental Protection Agency has decided to end the use of azinphos-methyl (Guthion, Azinphos-methyl 50WS) on peaches, nectarines, caneberries, cranberries, potatoes, cotton and Southern pine seed. EPA ruled that existing supplies of the insecticide can be used on these crops through Sept. 30, 2006. When EPA… Full Story »

Voigt to Head Washington State Potato Commission

Aug 16, 2005

Washington State Potato Commissioners have named Chris Voigt, current executive director of the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee, as the new executive director/director of environmental & regulatory affairs of the Washington State Potato Commission (WSPC). Voigt will take the position Sept. 6. “We feel very fortunate… Full Story »

Atkins Nutritionals Files for Bankruptcy

Aug 8, 2005

Atkins Nutritionals, the company behind the popular low-carbohydrate Atkins Diet, has filed for bankruptcy court protection. The company was founded by the late nutrition guru Robert C. Atkins. Atkins died in 2003. The majority owner now is Parthenon Capital LLC, with smaller shares of the… Full Story »

Potato Growers of Alberta Ordered to Pay Legal Fees

Aug 5, 2005

The Honorable Justice J.H. Langston of the Court of Queen’s Bench of Alberta has ruled that the Potato Growers of Alberta (PGA) must pay for the legal fees associated with a lawsuit to block the release of Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) documents to the… Full Story »

Canadian Tribunal Hears Potato Dumping Testimony

Aug 3, 2005

Potato growers, industry experts and economists presented historical, scientific and economic evidence through lawyers on behalf of the Washington potato industry at the 3.5-day hearing before the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) in Vancouver, British Columbia, in late July. The B.C. Vegetable Marketing Commission (BCVMC)… Full Story »