News
Corteva: Split of crop protection, seed businesses will aid growers
A planned split of its crop protection and seed businesses will allow Corteva to focus more directly on farmers' needs, the company says. The separation into two independent companies will occur by the second half of 2026, according to a news rele... more
Agristo begins site preparations for North Dakota processing plant
Belgian potato producer Agristo has begun site preparation for its $450 million processing facility in Grand Forks, North Dakota. The company’s first U.S. plant, on a 360-acre plot, is expected to open in January 2028 and create up to 300 jobs. ... more
RFPs sought for research, Extension activities at land-grand institutions
USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) is calling for requests for proposals (RFPs) for fiscal year 2026 Capacity Programs, which support research and Extension activities at land-grant colleges and universities. The grants are... more
USDA announces disaster relief to 2 Southern states
Georgia will receive more than $531 million in congressionally mandated assistance through a block grant agreement to help producers recover from Hurricane Helene, while South Carolina will receive more than $38.3 million. USDA announced the grant... more
Potato LEAF seeking online auction items
The Potato Leadership, Education, and Advancement Foundation (Potato LEAF) is seeking items for its Potato Expo 2026 live auction. The 2025 auction raised more than $90,000 to support the organization’s leadership development efforts, according ... more
NPC CEO hopeful new trade model can propel potatoes into new markets
As he prepared to leave for two days of trade talks in Japan, National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles expressed optimism that a new USDA trade approach could help finally pry open the Japanese market to U.S. fresh potatoes. Earlier this week, US... more
Potatoes USA welcomes 9 chefs to culinary event
Potatoes USA recently hosted a three-day ChefLab event, welcoming nine culinary professionals from restaurants and manufacturers across the country to its Spud Lab in Denver. The program, in partnership with the National Watermelon Promotion Board... more
NPC nabs share of $8.3M to boost specialty crop trade
USDA is awarding $8.3 million in funding to help 11 U.S. recipients, including the National Potato Council, address trade barriers and expand international market access for U.S. specialty crops. The funding is provided through USDA’s Foreign Ag... more
Optical sorter to showcase new chip processing application
Key Technology will showcase a new chip processing application for its COMPASS optical sorter for chips later this month. An application for the belt-fed sorter designed specifically for potato chips, tortilla chips and similar snack foods will be... more
Senate confirms USDA officials as agency mulls relief for farmers
The Senate confirmed three new USDA officials on Sept. 18, including Dudley Hoskins as Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs (MRP). Hoskins’ confirmation was applauded by both the National Potato Council and Sen. John Boozman, ch... more
