EAGLE — A marketing expert who was raised in Shelley and has deep roots in the potato industry will be tasked with maintaining Idaho’s reputation for having the world’s top taters.

ABERDEEN — Roots Chips will be representing Aberdeen at the annual Trailmix pitch competition during Boise Entrepreneur Week from Oct. 18-22.

While the annual two-week potato harvest is as common to Upper Valley residents as are the spuds themselves, such wasn’t the case for two Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints missionaries who helped harvest on Thursday.

When retail grocers complain about defects in their fresh potatoes and you’re known worldwide for growing famous potatoes it’s something you as an industry take a proprietary interest in correcting.

The state’s fiscal health, the drought gripping the Pacific Northwest and challenges to moving Idaho commodities throughout the nation were among the top issues Gov. Brad Little addressed during a recent speech before the Idaho Grower Shippers Association.

AMERICAN FALLS — Officials with Lamb Weston Holdings Inc. have announced plans to add a new french fry processing facility at their local plant.

Groups representing U.S. potato growers have sent a letter to the U.S. agriculture secretary and trade representative asking them to adopt a “trust but verify” stance when it comes to negotiations with Mexico on full market access for fresh U.S. potatoes.

BLACKFOOT — Basic American Foods is pleased to announce that starting in August 2021, team members at their Blackfoot, Shelley and Rexburg manufacturing locations will be moving to straight shifts instead of rotating shifts. Stable, consistent schedules will improve team members’ quality of …

The excitement that U.S. potato growers felt following an April 28 decision by the Mexican Supreme Court to open up that entire nation to fresh potato exports from the United States has been blunted somewhat.

TWIN FALLS — The county Planning and Zoning Commission tabled a company’s proposal to build two new potato cellars after expressing concern that the applicant’s existing cellars are not in compliance with a conditional use permit granted in 2018.

AMERICAN FALLS — An expansive new addition to the local Lamb Weston plant will produce chopped and formed products such as potato patties and potato puffs, according to a corporate press release.

For fresh U.S. potato shippers such as Lance Poole of Idaho Falls, gaining full access to the Mexican market has been a frustrating and elusive pursuit, offering the promise of a huge reward.

WASHINGTON – The Mexican Supreme Court ruled by a unanimous vote of five to zero ON Wednesday in favor of overturning a 2017 lower court decision that prevented the Mexican federal government from implementing regulations to allow for the importation of fresh U.S. potatoes throughout the country.

Twenty-seven of the nation’s leading food and agriculture associations have raised the alarm over what they claim is a rapidly deteriorating trade relationship with Mexico when it comes to food and ag product exports.

EAGLE — Frank Muir waged war in defense of starchy vegetables — Idaho’s famous potatoes in particular — when carbohydrates were under assault by the trendy Atkins diet.

Grant funding from the Idaho Department of Commerce could potentially help the Idaho potato industry implement new technology enabling snack makers to fry potato chips at a lower temperature and with less oil.

HEYBURN — A locally based manufacturer of heavy equipment used in potato farming has been acquired by Idaho-based investors, thereby providing capital to facilitate future growth, company officials said.

By BILL SCHAEFER

TWIN FALLS — The Idaho potato industry ended up doing well in 2020, despite the pandemic.

WASHINGTON — At the National Potato Council Annual Meeting held virtually on Feb. 22, Dominic LaJoie of Van Buren, Maine, was elected to serve as NPC’s 2021 President and to head the grower-led organization’s Executive Committee.

MOSCOW — A $2 million gift to University of Idaho’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences will be a big benefit to the state’s farming and ranching community, UI officials say.

BLACKFOOT — More potatoes are produced in Bingham County than any other county in Idaho and the United States and when it comes to spuds, Bingham is the center of the potato universe.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Mexican Supreme Court released a draft ruling Feb. 17 that would overturn a 2017 lower court decision preventing the Mexican federal government from implementing regulations to allow for the importation of fresh U.S. potatoes throughout the country.

Two new potato varieties with ties to the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service in Aberdeen are poised to be released soon by the Tri-State Potato Research and Breeding Program.

The potato breeder with the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service in Aberdeen is using genetics from a wild spud relative to develop crosses that won’t turn green when exposed to light.

With the click of a mouse, U.S. potato growers will participate this month in a lobbying trip that usually requires them to board a plane and put in nearly a week of long days in Washington, D.C.

BOISE — In the end, 2020 was a pretty good year for Idaho’s iconic potato industry, but it sure wasn’t easy.

BOISE (AP) — U.S. officials have released a new plan involving methods to deal with a microscopic pest in southeastern Idaho that threatens the state’s billion-dollar industry that supplies a third of the nation’s potatoes.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A $900 billion pandemic relief package that Congress approved on Monday night contains several provisions that should significantly help the nation’s farmers, according to leaders with the National Potato Council.

Based on an analysis of the potatoes and potato products sold at retail and foodservice, and accounting for the volume of U.S. exports and imports, there was a 5% decline in the utilization of potatoes grown in the U.S. during the July 2019 – June 2020 marketing year (MY20).

WASHINGTON — National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles issued the following statement congratulating Tom Vilsack on his nomination by President-elect Biden to return to his role as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture:

Three things have shaped Abby Rowe into the person she is today — potatoes, gymnastics and Spanish.

POCATELLO — Idaho’s iconic potato industry suffered through a major scare due to the restrictions and shutdowns imposed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

SUGAR CITY — A large fresh potato packing facility was destroyed by fire Monday night, according to the Madison Fire Department.