Chip connoisseurs help create new varieties
The success of the potato industry is built on growers’ ability to introduce new potato varieties that meet market demands.
For example, when snack-size bags of potato chips were popularized, the industry responded by breeding smaller potatoes for smaller chips to fit into these bags.
Because the needs and expectations of growers and chip processors are constantly evolving, so too is the work of the potato breeders who collaborate with them.
That’s why Potatoes USA’s National Chip Program (NCP) meets every year, bringing together breeders, growers and chip processors to review data on new varieties and discuss which ones might be commercially viable as potato chips.
The NCP, which gathered in Chicago in December 2024 to review data on hundreds of new potato variety candidates, was formed in 2008 after chip potato farmers and processors requested a formal process to test and identify new varieties needed in the industry. By focusing on supply, the program helps growers achieve production goals and meet market demand from processors. At the same time, it gives breeders an opportunity to better understand how potatoes respond to different environments across the U.S.
“It’s the broad adaptation of potatoes in a wide range of environments, which is not something we could do individually before,” said Walter De Jong, professor at Cornell University’s School of Integrative Plant Sciences, Plant Breeding and Genetics Section. “The NCP trials are fantastic for identifying varieties that can grow in a wide range of environments, from variation in soils, temperature, rainfall and other environmental factors.”
David Douches, director of the Plant Breeding, Genetics and Biotechnology Interdepartmental Graduate Program at Michigan State University, said processors bumped up their threshold of specific gravity this year.
“That’s important information for us, because as a breeder, if we don’t know what the industry is valuing, we’re not making the right decisions in our selections,” Douches said. “We take that into account.”
The program sometimes even sees rival breeders cross candidates from separate breeding programs to meet the needs of the industry.
“It’s a collaborative enterprise that really distinguishes potatoes from other crops,” said Jeff Endelman, a professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences. “Breeders have a friendly rivalry, but primarily we’re working together to advance the whole industry.”
Growers will soon plant the new varieties identified by the NCP. Candidates for the fresh potato market will be shipped further south, while candidates for strong storage qualities will be shipped to northern states. The NCP will start reviewing new data on the candidates this summer.
Growers and processors have also shared appreciation for the NCP giving them access to and knowledge of new potato varieties.
“The NCP trial program has helped develop varieties that have altered the way we source potatoes,” said Phil Gusmano, vice president of purchasing at Better Made Snack Foods. “We are able to use varieties that store much longer into the spring and summer and allow us to stay local in our sourcing. These varieties have better gravity, disease resistance and shelf life than older varieties we previously sourced.
“Without the NCP trials, we would not have the quality raw materials we use today.”
The NCP also gives growers an advantage when marketing their crops to customers.
“Heartland Farms has always strived to be a leader in chip production for our customers. Ensuring we plant varieties that allow us to capitalize on yield and quality plays a significant part in that,” said Tom Prasalowicz, farm manager at Heartland Farms in Wisconsin. “Our involvement with the National Chip Program has given us valuable insights on these varieties as well as the opportunity to provide input on variety performance and outlook.”
If you are a potato breeder, grower or processor interested in participating in the NCP, contact [email protected].
John Lundeen is Potatoes USA research director.
