Robert Thornton, an extension vegetable specialist and professor emeritus at Washington State University has been attending Potato Association of America (PAA) annual meetings since the early 1960s. He says the biggest reason he has maintained his membership for more than five decades is it keeps him honest. “Every year is an opportunity to have your thinking questioned,” Thornton says. “You can stay isolated in your own area of concern and be very…
It’s not too early to start thinking about your cover crop plans this fall. Are you planning to plough or Synkro/Lemken in late August or early September? Then there is lots of time to establish a cover crop for the winter that will protect the soil, increase bioactivity in the soil, and improve soil organic matter. Plus, you have lots of options for beneficial fall cover crops that will establish before the…
Stratus Ag Research recently released the 2018 Canadian Independent Crop Advisor Feedback Report. Designed to measure the expectations for and the effectiveness of seed and crop protection manufacturer engagements with independent crop advisors. The report is a road map for companies to engage with independent agronomists in a meaningful way. A few of the highlights from the report are included below: Independent crop advisors support companies with products that perform as promised;…
It’s been five years since Austin Roberts and his wife Ramona joined forces with other P.E.I. potato farmers to successfully improve their industry for the better. In 2013, Austin (Kinkora Holdings) partnered with Marvyn Webster (Valley Grove Enterprises) and Andrew Lawless (Hilltop Produce) to built a pre-processing potato wash facility. “We felt that P.E.I. farmers as a group needed a safe and environmental option to clean and optimize product in a high-capacity…
Solynta will use this financing round to continue its potato breeding activities and to build a strong commercial organization that can address the billion dollar challenges within the potato supply chain. Solynta is a leading potato breeding and biotechnology company headquartered in the Netherlands. Solynta has invented and established hybrid potato breeding based on pure inbred parent lines, a game changing (non-GMO) breeding technology platform. This enables a seed based supply chain…
No two Canadian potato operations have the same challenges. Coast to coast, the problems and opportunities facing producers vary widely based on geography and markets. But one problem might be a little more common than others: finding the right seasonal help during the two busiest times of year – planting and harvest. In New Brunswick, a shortage of skilled workers has been a problem for years, says Paul Leahey, who has managed…
With potato consumption continuing to rise in the Kingdom, the Agriculture Ministry on Tuesday unveiled a $200,000 (U.S.) research center it hopes will research and develop potato varieties most suited to the country. Speaking at the ceremony outside the new Potato Research Center, at the Royal University of Agriculture in Phnom Penh, Agriculture Minister Veng Sakhon stressed the increasing importance of potatoes in the nation’s diet. “The demand for potatoes in the…
About 40 representatives from the potato industry and the federal and provincial governments gathered in Ottawa, Ont. on March 7 and 8 for the Canadian Potato Council and Seed Potato Sub Committee meetings to review topics of importance to Canadian potato growers. These meetings were held in conjunction with the Canadian Horticultural Council Annual General Meeting. Among the topics discussed was the North American Plant Protection Organization (NAPPO), which provides a forum…
Every two years, Hanover, Germany hosts Agritechnica, the world’s largest trade fair for agricultural machinery and equipment. Agritechnica 2015 attracted almost 3,000 exhibitors from 50-plus nations along with tens of thousands of visitors from more than 100 countries to Hanover in November. Spud Smart was there and was able to peruse the latest in cutting edge potato equipment on display. Here are some products that caught our eye. Every-Air Tarp Winner of…
The 2016 Ontario Potato Conference and Trade Show was held March 1 at the Delta Hotel and Conference Centre in Guelph, Ont. Approximately 225 growers, crop consultants and industry personnel took part, with attendees including delegates from Quebec and Prince Edward Island. The annual event is supported by the Ontario Potato Board. There were 32 exhibitors at the trade show, which included displays of new potato varieties and the latest in potato…