Spudman

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has detected golden nematode on a potato farm in Manitoba. This is the first detection of the quarantine pest in the province. Golden nematode does not affect human or animal health but can reduce production of potatoes and other hosts by up to 80% if unmanaged. The pest is present in some other Canadian provinces as well as other countries. It was identified in New York in 1941.

Industry groups greeted the release of a discussion draft of the Agricultural Act of 2026, commonly called Farm Bill 2.0, by U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry with optimism. Committee chair John Boozman released the draft on June 23. “The National Potato Council thanks Chairman Boozman for his leadership in continuing the momentum for reauthorization of the Farm Bill,” NPC CEO Kam Quarles said in a statement.

If you want a snapshot of potato demand in 2025, here it is: $19.9 billion in total retail sales for the calendar year and 15.3 billion pounds sold across all store segments (fresh weight equivalent), according to data compiled by market research and technology company Circana. Category performance remained stable overall, with volume essentially flat (-0.5%), and dollar sales edged down 0.7% from the prior year, driven largely by a 1% decrease in average consumer price per pound.

Potato breeding technology company Ohalo is partnering with grower, packer and shipper Allied Potato Inc. to accelerate the development and commercialization of Ohalo’s Boosted potato varieties. Allied Potato will contribute field-testing capabilities, agronomic insights and market expertise to help deliver higher yields, enhanced disease resistance and true seed technology to growers worldwide, according to a post on Ohalo’s LinkedIn page.

Orbia Advance Corporation’s precision agriculture business group Netafim has opened a new manufacturing plant in Hermosillo, Sonora, Mexico. The facility, the company’s third production site in Mexico, expands Orbia Netafim’s global production capacity and improves service across North and Central America, according to a news release.

Last week, the House of Representatives passed the fiscal year 2027 Agriculture and FDA Appropriations bill on a 213-210 vote with several potato industry priorities intact. The bill, passed June 4, includes $4 million in funding for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) Potato Research Special Grants, which was initially zeroed out in the President’s budget released in April.

The potato industry thrives on a long-term vision that extends well past the next harvest. Families manage their land and water resources today so they can pass down strong, sustainable operations to the next generation. The Potato Leadership, Education, and Advancement Foundation, or Potato LEAF, adopts this same mindset by investing in the most valuable part of any farming business: its people. This January marked six years of cultivating fresh leadership for the U.S. potato industry.

Eighth-generation farmer Dave Masser, president and CEO of Masser Family of Companies and former chair of Fresh Solutions Network, has been elected Potatoes USA’s new chair. Potatoes USA is the national marketing and research organization representing U.S. potato growers and importers. The organization supports demand-building initiatives, consumer education, nutrition research and industry development. Fresh Solutions Network is the exclusive supplier of Side Delights potatoes and onions.

Biological crop protection company BioWorks has launched a new botanical nematicide formulated with a proprietary blend of botanical oils. TotalNema Ax, a 25(b) botanical nematicide, is designed to prevent yield loss, stunted growth and wilting from nematode damage in specialty crops including potatoes, onions, strawberries and leafy greens, according to a news release.

A new national project aims to give farmers a clearer way to measure and compare soil health. The initiative, called Probing Our Country’s Soil Health, is led by USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), working in partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Soil Health Division. The project will create a free, user-friendly Soil Health Assessment Protocol and Evaluation (SHAPE) tool, providing insight into soil health management with an eye toward improving yield.