EAGLE — The Idaho Potato Commission has temporarily suspended its Big Idaho Potato Truck’s cross-country tour due to the COVID-19 crisis.

With the nation continuing to reel from the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Potato Council’s annual summer meeting was held using Zoom teleconferencing and Facebook on June 25.

TWIN FALLS — A Lamb Weston employee died in an industrial accident at the company’s Twin Falls facility Wednesday morning.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused U.S. potato prices to drop by about 21% from Jan. 15 through April 15, according to the industry’s surveys of potato growers and processors in major potato production areas.

Idaho’s famous potatoes have fed the world for generations, but now, through the efforts of a Twin Falls entrepreneur, they are being used to produce skin care products and at the same time helping restore human dignity to displaced people around the world.

A potato trade magazine has named Britt Raybould, who is part of a St. Anthony farming family, as its Spudwoman of the Year.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Trump announced details Wednesday of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, which will provide up to $16 billion in direct payments to U.S. farmers and ranchers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. The payments are limited to $250,000 per person or entity.

Caribou County farmer Jason Stoddard is one of many Eastern Idaho seed potato growers who have been stuck with lots of spuds that will never be planted due to the COVID-19 crisis.

ELTOPIA, Wash. — For farmer Mike Pink, spring is supposed to be a time of hope, when he can survey a green field of young potato plants and anticipate the bounty to be pulled from the sandy soils of the Columbia Basin.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Potato Council today welcomed USDA’s announcement of a $50 million surplus potato purchase to support the industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The coronavirus pandemic has caused a once strong potato market to make an abrupt about-face, leading some Idaho growers to dump surplus spuds from storage cellars or to feed them to cattle.

POCATELLO — Total acres of Idaho’s iconic potato crop could decrease significantly this year as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.

Idaho’s farmers and ranchers are trying to balance protecting their business interests against the health and welfare of their workers as planting and grazing season begins in the midst of the novel coronavirus pandemic.

A Pocatello bike shop is doing its part to help local residents during the coronavirus outbreak.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – A $2 trillion bill that was recently signed by President Donald Trump, called the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, contains significant benefits for agriculture and the potato industry, according to officials with the National Potato Council.

POCATELLO — In the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, potatoes are suddenly a hot item across the nation and there are reports of spuds flying off grocery store shelves.

POCATELLO — An agronomist who works for a regional potato farm found a higher purpose for a truckload of seed potatoes that couldn’t be delivered to a customer.

Oddly, consumers have recently found empty spaces where potato displays should be in produce departments throughout Idaho.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This morning, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue and United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer announced that China has taken numerous actions to begin implementing its agriculture-related commitments under the landmark U.S.-China Phase One Economic and …

It’s that time of year in Aberdeen when the pungent aroma of deep-fried french fries wafts through the hallways of the Marshall building on the campus of the University of Idaho’s Aberdeen Research & Extension Center.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has informed USDA that U.S. chipping potatoes are now allowed to enter year-round.

Chris Shelden has accepted the position of Vice President of Wholesale Sales for the J.R. Simplot Company’s AgriBusiness Group, the Company announced today.

Jeff Stark’s retirement plans would just have to wait. With only two and a half weeks until his retirement, Stark was busy completing all the necessary paperwork for the release of the Galena Russet potato.

The concept of breaking glass ceilings isn’t one that Britt Raybould readily discusses. Though she is the first woman president in the 72-year history of the National Potato Council, it’s a fact that Raybould acknowledges while downplaying at the same time. She would rather focus on the fact…

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump signed a trade agreement Wednesday with China that is expected to boost exports from U.S. farmers and manufacturers and is aimed at lowering tensions in a long-running dispute between the economic powers.

LAS VEGAS — Kicking off the 12th annual Potato Expo, held Jan 14-15 in Las Vegas, the National Potato Council announced the launch of its new podcast, “Eye on Potatoes.”

RUPERT — It’s called the kitchen sink treatment among the scientists involved in a four-year, 10-state research project analyzing how to replenish depleted soils in potato rotations.

POCATELLO — Understanding soil health will be a central theme of the upcoming 52nd annual Idaho Potato Conference and Trade Show, scheduled for Jan. 22-23 at Idaho State University’s Pond Student Union Building.

Two University of Idaho building projects received the green light to go forward during Dec. 18’s Idaho State Board of Education meeting.

IDAHO FALLS – Idaho potato growers will likely talk about 2019 for years to come.

 The recent approval of an updated trade agreement for North America is good news for U.S. potato growers who do business in Mexico, according to the top official with the potato industry's lobbying organization. 

No need to hold the ketchup.

EAGLE — Thanksgiving will now have to share the fourth Thursday of November with a new national holiday.

FORT HALL — This is a crop that will sell itself.

FORT HALL — The Idaho Potato Commission will host The Big Idaho Potato Harvest Meeting on Nov. 13 at the Shoshone-Bannock Hotel and Events Center, 777 Bannock Trail.

The leaves are displaying a cornucopia of color. There’s dust in the air. The hum of harvest is in the air too. Spuds are coming out of the ground by tractor and till in Idaho, but in Florida the same crop isn’t coming out, it’s going in.

BLACKFOOT – There was sadness and dismay in eastern Idaho’s potato community this weekend as the 2019 harvest wound down and growers began tallying up their losses from October’s disastrous freeze while pondering what to do with the tons of unusable tubers it left behind.

Zak and Rick Miller expect to lose a portion of their potato crop to frost damage, but their St. Anthony farm is positioned to survive thanks to a recent outpouring of community support.

Temperatures will be well below freezing this week, and there are still some potatoes left in the ground awaiting harvest. Probability of frost damage occurring on some of the remaining crop is high. Although weather is always hard to predict, it appears cooler temperatures will prevail over…

Roughly an inch of snow fell on James Hoff’s potato fields south of Idaho Falls on Wednesday as he and his crews raced to bring in the rest of the crop.

POCATELLO — East County Road just outside of Pocatello near the J.R. Simplot Don Plant had to be temporarily closed Tuesday morning after a heavy truck overturned, spilling potatoes onto the roadway.