The Produce Traceability Initiative (PTI) has launched the Produce Traceback Template and improved the Harmonized Case Label, the PTI Best Practices for Formatting Case Labels and the ASN 856 document, the group says in a news release on June 25. The PTI consists of CPMA, GS1 US, PMA, and United Fresh, and it’s many volunteer industry members. “As the Canadian industry strives for compliance with the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations (SFCR) and the U.S….
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is inviting public comment on a request from J.R. Simplot Company to extend deregulation to a potato variety, designated as Snowden Z6 (Z6 potato), the USDA says in a news release on June 24. The variety is genetically engineered for late blight protection, lowered reducing sugars, low acrylamide potential and reduced black spot bruising. APHIS previously reviewed and deregulated these…
MARCEL BRUINS, editor of European Seed, sat down with the leaders of five major potato breeding companies in Europe to learn more about the challenges of breeding new potato varieties. Piet Smeenge, director of Kweekbedrijf Smeenge-Research; Vanessa Prigge, Crop Improvement project manager at Solana; Gerard Backx, CEO of HZPC; Jan-Paul Bandsma, product manager at de Nijs Potatoes; and Guus Heselmans, R&D manager of C. Meijer B.V., provided insight on this favoured crop. …
New Zealand’s potato industry governing body has made a commitment to ensure the quality of potatoes imported from New Zealand by Fiji will be of top quality. Potatoes New Zealand (PNZ) says it wanted to see Fiji’s potato industry grow. Its chief executive, Chris Claridge, made the comments during the Biosecurity Authority of Fiji’s (BAF) bilateral meeting with the New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (NZMPI) in Nadi on Tuesday.PNZ was representing…
United Kingdom—China’s developing taste for chips and crisps will soon be fuelled by British produce, as International Trade Secretary Dr. Liam Fox MP secures a deal which enables the UK to export seed potatoes to China. The deal is expected to bring major benefits to Scotland, with around 70% of the 100,000 tonnes of seed potatoes exported annually from the UK coming from Scottish farms. The seed potato export market is already…
On June 5, the government of Mexico published a list of retaliatory tariffs in response to the Section 232 tariffs being imposed by the United States on steel and aluminum imports from Mexico. The list includes a number of agricultural products including frozen potato products. Effective immediately frozen potato products entering Mexico from the United States under Harmonized code 2004.1 will be assessed a 20 per cent tariff. Frozen potato products from…
The largest producer of Jersey Royal potatoes has warned crops may be left to rot in the fields because foreign workers have left ahead of Brexit. Polish workers – who had previously provided the majority of seasonal labour – have abandoned Jersey following the EU referendum, according to Charlie Gallichan of Woodside Farms, which grows and exports Jersey Royals, vegetables and flowers. Growers are “trying to keep their heads above water until they get reinforcements” from Africa and…
November 9, 2018, Ottawa — On November 7 and 8, industry leaders representing the Canadian Produce Marketing Association (CPMA) and the Canadian Horticultural Council (CHC) met with over 50 Parliamentarians and civil servants in Ottawa to discuss key issues currently affecting the Canadian fresh fruit and vegetable sector. Notably, CPMA and CHC representatives addressed the need for continued free and fair trade agreements with new and emerging markets to support industry, and…
Jordan has lifted a ban on imports of Egyptian potatoes it imposed over a year ago due to brown rot, Egypt’s Agriculture Ministry said on Tuesday. The Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation, Abdel Moneim al-Banna, said this comes as a reflection of the efforts of the Egyptian Ministry of Agriculture and the Agriculture Quarantine Authority to preserve the reputation of Egyptian agricultural exports abroad and to open up new markets to…
Some Wisconsin potato growers are applauding new state laws that could help protect against crop disease. Gov. Scott Walker signed two new measures involving the potato industry Wednesday. One law requires growers to use certified seed potatoes if planting five or more acres. “It’s a requirement that just about every one of the other seed states in the country that grow seed potatoes already have,” said Alex Crockford, director of the Wisconsin…