Its name may be a playful pun, but the R2 Weed2 agricultural robot is no joke when it comes to plucking problem weeds. So says Teric Greenan, a Nova Scotia vegetable grower turned high-tech entrepreneur who came up with the idea for the innovative robotic weeder, which could someday be used in commercial potato production. “In 2015, I started a mixed vegetable farm in Lunenberg County, N.S., which I ran with a…
Join us at Advancing Women Conference March 23 & 24, 2020 at the Hyatt Regency Calgary. If you are looking to: • make connections with businesses that add value to your operation, • find a coach or mentor to help you deal with day-to-day issues, succession planning and financing, • learn from real-world role models that will provide you with leadership tips and tools to succeed in today’s marketplace, • build your…
At Potato Expo 2020, the largest annual potato industry event held in North America, growers and allied industry partners joined together to launch a new initiative dedicated to growing future leaders. The Potato Leadership, Education, and Advancement Foundation (LEAF), a new 501(c)3 organization, was created to provide tools, training, and support necessary to develop growers and industry members as leaders. “Like most family farms, developing the next generation of leaders is part of our DNA. But as family…
At the National Potato Council’s (NPC) 2020 Annual Meeting in Las Vegas, Britt Raybould of Rexburg, Idaho, was elected to serve as NPC’s 2020 President and to lead the council’s Executive Committee. Raybould serves as chief financial officer of Raybould Brothers Farm. She previously served the NPC Board as First Vice-President and Vice-President of the Legislative and Government Affairs Committee. She is the third generation of the Raybould family to serve as…
On January 20, the founding deed of Belpotato.be was officially signed in Huldenberg. The composition of the Executive Board ensures that there are balances between growers, traders and processors, and between Dutch and French speakers. Jean-Pierre van Puymbrouck becomes the first chairman. In the first working year, the secretariat is provided by Pierre Lebrun (Fiwap) and Kurt Cornelissen (PCA). However, pending official establishment, the founding members have already made a list of…
From February 21 through March 1, 2020, Winnipeg’s top restaurants will dish up unique and delicious dishes starring the potahto. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime-chance to taste potahto dishes exclusive to the Peak of the Market event. Winnipeg restaurants, such as Deer + Almond, Fionns, Fusion Grill, Saucers and the Frenchway (to name a few), will serve unique dishes made with locally-grown potahtoes. Visit potahto.ca for a list of participating restaurants. At the end…
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.” The podcast, available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts, provides a platform for growers throughout the country and policy makers in Washington to learn about industry policy priorities and hear from growers and experts on the latest issues affecting the industry. “NPC was created in…
LEMKEN, one of Europe’s leading manufacturers for soil cultivation, seeding and crop care machinery, settled down in 2018 LEMKEN Canada Inc. as a fully-fledged subsidiary after two successful decades offering products and service all over the country. Scott Rodger leads the subsidiary from January 2020 as managing director and sales manager. With him, LEMKEN has found a broadly experienced and passionate ag professional. Rodger holds a Bachelor in Business Administration and brings a work history range of over…
Key Technology, a leading global designer and manufacturer of digital sorting, inspection, conveying and other processing equipment, and a member of the Duravant family of operating companies, has acquired Herbert Solutions, enhancing its portfolio of potato and vegetable equipment solutions. Herbert has established itself as a leader in serving the root crop and fresh produce markets with an assortment of industry leading sorting, washing and handling solutions. They are headquartered in Eindhoven,…
Solynta, the inventor and global leader in the breeding of hybrid potato cultivars produced from true potato seed, announced the grant of U.S. Patent Serial No. 10,524,436 entitled “Hybrid Potato Breeding.” The patent claims Solynta’s methods of producing potato inbreds and hybrids that are propagated from true seed. Dr. Pim Lindhout, Solynta’s Chief Scientific Officer, states “Solynta’s innovative Hybrid True Potato Seed breeding will finally unlock the humble potato’s vast potential. Not only producing more and better food but…