News
Key Discovery in Fight Against Potato Blackleg
SCIENTISTS have made a key discovery into the genetics of the bacteria that causes blackleg in potatoes that could lead to new ways to fight the disease. Farmers Guardian (UK)... more
The Yellowing of the Potato Fields
America's potato farmers spent decades narrowing their crop to a few breeds best suited to frozen French fries and dehydrated mashed potatoes. New York Times... more
In Eco-Friendly Factory, Low-Guilt Potato Chips
At Frito-Lay?s factory here, more than 500,000 pounds of potatoes arrive every day from New Mexico to be washed, sliced, fried, seasoned and portioned into bags of Lay?s and Ruffles chips. New York Times... more
British Potato Growers Lift a Smaller Crop
British potato growers will lift 5.446 m tonnes of crop this year, according to the British Potato Council's provisional estimate released this week. FarmersWeekly UK... more
Nonfarm Proposals Stall Agriculture Bill
Senators are using the farm bill to make political points on immigration, taxes and other nonagricultural issues, potentially stalling the $286 billion legislation. Minot Daily News... more
New Test Can Curb Losses of Potatoes in Storage
Zahi K. Atallah has seen it happen so many times before. “Year in and year out, we look at the fields and they look beautiful. We harvest the spuds, and they look outstanding,” says Atallah, a University of Wisconsin-Madison postdoctoral researcher in the plant pathology department. “Then we store them, and they turn into mush.”
Farmers Balance Rising Crop, Input Prices
?Tis the season when area farmers start deciding how many acres of corn or soybeans to plant for next year. Lawrence Journal World... more
Will the Farm Bill be a Cash Crop for Local Growers?
Cliffhaven Jersey Farm in Stanwood almost went under two years ago when milk prices plummeted. HeraldNet... more
Chip Shot
Is there any food more perfect than the potato chip? A single thin slice contains the three primary food groups: salt, fat and crunchiness. Wall Street Journal... more
Japanese Have Word for Breeding Perfect Potato
The Scottish Crop Research Institute (SCRI) has discovered that a Japanese concept of flavour may hold the key to breeding the perfect potato. The Glasgow Herald... more
