b'eyeALBERTA BRITISH COLUMBIATerence Hochstein, executive director of theHugh Reynolds with Reynalda FarmsPotato Growers of Alberta in Delta, B.C.The is an old saying that When March comes in like a lion, it goes out likeWe are hoping for an average potato growing summer in 2021 and are a lamb. It can also be said that the opposite sometimes can be true. Let usdeveloping a plan to market those potatoes. There is a 60 per cent chance of hope winter doesnt return with a vengeance at the end of the month. After thea transition from La Nina to ENSO-neutral during the northern hemisphere for entire province experienced one of the coldest last two weeks of February inspring 2021. In British Columbia we watch the storms coming at us off the many winters, the first part of March has been exceptionally warm. So muchPacific Ocean. so that the southern part of the province could do with a couple of heavy, wetRecent years have given us subpar growing conditions in North America snowstorms before the start of planting season. There have been several dayswith subpar potato harvests. In fact, we have reduced the grading require-with excessive wind events that have dried out the surface moisture in most ofments to allow two-inch potatoes to be put into a paper bag sewn shut and the open fields. labelled as Canada No. 1this has the buyer purchase the bag and go home The 2020 seed crop is moving at a relatively steady pace with much of thebefore being disappointed. United States shipments either complete or wrapping up in the next three toThere is a 60 per cent chance the weather this year, which is not too hot, four weeks. The Alberta process growers are starting to ramp up to receivetoo cool, too wet and too dry, will result in a large crop of wonderful sized their seed starting in the next couple of weeks. Heres hoping the turn ofand coloured potatoes. There will be fewer days spent spraying and irrigating events from last spring doesnt leave our seed growers with a large volume ofto produce the best crop in several years. Use these extra days to take your excess seed, with no sales for their product. No seed operation should havespouse and kids fishing because this does not happen often enough.to endure what our seed industry had to last year, nor should the rest of theMost farmers have a marketing agency selling our potatoes. You will know industry have to cut acres back at the last moment. Even with the continuedthe year starts off right if most of the potatoes are planted in May with the discussions between industry, the provinces, and the federal government, theplanter, washed and put away by the middle of June. Occasional gentle rains current BRM suite of programs continues to fall way short in providing anywith sunny periods will keep the potatoes growing up to their genetic potential sort of financial assistance to anyone involved in the potato industry. and you will know great results are possible. The sales agent does not know Normally this column would be reflecting on the success of our annualthis, and its up to the grower to tell them there is a premium crop of high potato conference and tradeshow from this past November, but like everyonevalue to sell. They need to know this early to develop a marketing plan to sell else who would have held a fall, winter, or spring conference, all of us hand tocartons of count size of potatoes. Look them directly in the eye and say this host a virtual conference or altogether cancel our event. Lets hope that nextyear many two-inch potatoes will be fed to the cows. If they dont return your fall these events are allowed to resume to an in-person format. glance, you may be in the wrong office. Contract talks continue in earnest across North America in hopes thatWe will have more confidence in this prediction at the United Potato Grow-a mutually beneficial contract can be reach between the growers and theirers Transition meeting on June 22. Unfortunately, B.C. is still experiencing La respective processors. The long-term sustainability of food production and theNina and our normal early white plantings in March are delayed.families that produce it, is at the forefront of many of the discussions which are being held this spring.48 SPUDSMART.COM SPRING 2021'