Potato Country September/October 2018

PotatoCountry.com • September / October 2018 Western focus. National impact.

Cracking Down on PVY

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w w w . Po t a t o Co u n t r y . c o m

Vol. 34 No. 6

PO Box 333 Roberts, Idaho 83444 Phone: (208) 520-6461

Country Western focus. National impact.

Table of Contents

September/October 2018

Contacts Dave Alexander ...........................dave@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com Publisher, Advertising

Denise Keller ..............................editor@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com Editor

Andy Jensen.......................................... www.nwpotatoresearch.com Insect Identification

Jeff Miller .....................................................jeff@millerresearch.com Disease Identification

6 Cracking Down on PVY

Bruce Huffaker ................................................. napmn@napmn.com Market Report

WSU Potato Field Day

Dale Lathim ............................................................... dale@pgw.net

Potato Growers of Washington

10 The Latest Recommendations

Brian Feist ...................................brian@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com

OSU HAREC Potato Field Day

Operations Manager, Advertising

EDITORIAL INFORMATION Potato Country is interested in newsworthy material related to potato production and marketing.

Contributions from all segments of the industry are welcome. Submit news releases, new product submissions, stories and photos via email to: editor@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com.

16 Storage Essentials Buyers' Guide

18 Building for the Future

Potato Association of America Annual Meeting

28 Serious Challenges Temper Opportunities in Export Markets Potatoes USA

30 Staying Ahead of the Consolidation Curve Potato Growers of Washington

ADVERTISING For information about advertising rates, mechanics, deadlines, copy submission, mailing, contract conditions and other information, call Dave Alexander at (208) 520-6461 or email dave@PotatoCountry.com.

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION U.S. $24 per year / Canada $40 per year / Foreign $80 per year Subscriptions can be entered online at www.potatocountry.com or call (503) 724-3581.

Email address changes/corrections to brian@ColumbiaMediaGroup.com or send to Potato Country, PO Box 333, Roberts, ID 83444.

Potato Country magazine (ISSN 0886-4780), is published eight times per year and mailed under a standard rate mailing permit at Idaho Falls, Idaho and at additional mailing offices.

It is produced by Columbia Media Group, PO Box 333, Roberts, ID 83444 Copyright 2018. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose without the express written permission of Columbia Media Group. For information on reprints call (208) 520-6461.

Editorial Board

The Potato Association of America’s Honorary Life Members class of 2018 includes (from left to right): Robert W. Hoopes, Frito-Lay potato breeder; Steve Love, University of Idaho potato breeding program; Rick Knowles, Washington State University potato physiologist; and Leigh Morrow, McCain Foods director of agronomy. See the full story on page 18.

Bill Brewer

Chris Voigt

Executive Director

Executive Director

Washington State Potato Commission

Oregon Potato Commission

(509) 765-8845

On The Cover Debbie Inglis with Washington State University displays cracked tubers grown in a field trial exploring the link between Potato virus Y and tuber cracking.

See the story on page 6.

4

Potato Country

(503) 239-4763

Departments 21 22 24 26 28

New Products Insect Quiz In the News Market Report Calendar

September / October 2018

Nina Zidack

Frank Muir

Jim Ehrlich

Montana Seed Potato Certification

Idaho Potato Commission

Colorado Potato Administrative Committee

Director

(406) 994-3150

President/CEO

(208) 334-2350

President/CEO

(719) 852-3322

Cracking Down on PVY

Story and photos by Denise Keller, Editor

N

ew research is presenting yet another reason for the potato industry to up its game in the fight against Potato virus Y (PVY). In addition to yield reduction, the disease is associated with tuber cracking, according to a trial by Washington State University (WSU) researchers. Evidence of the link between seed-borne PVY infection and tuber cracking was on display during the WSU Potato Field Day, held June 21 at the WSU Othello Research Unit.

As several field day presenters explained, the continuing evolution of the virus and the difficulty of detecting symptoms visually is prompting a call for better management and new seed certification methods in all states.

Tuber Cracking

Pinpointing the relationship between PVY and tuber cracking has been the task of Debbie Inglis, a WSU professor and extension plant pathologist, for the last several years. With her research now in its fourth and final year, she believes seed-borne PVY can cause tuber cracking, with the problem becoming

A field trial including 20 varieties compares healthy plants with plants infected with three strains of PVY.

Chieftain potatoes show cracks that research suggests are caused by PVY.

more severe with each successive seed generation.

She traces the project back to 2012, when potato growers in western Washington began seeing cracked tubers and wanted to know the cause. This was around the same time that new strains of PVY were first detected in the region. Wondering if there might be a link, Inglis began a greenhouse study.

In 2015, she planted healthy tubers as well as tubers inoculated with three strains of PVY: PVYO, PVYN-Wilga and PVYNTN. Through the season, she tracked the development of foliar symptoms and tested plants by ELISA. She saved the infected tubers to replant and repeated the study in 2016 and 2017. Finally, she once again saved the tubers to be planted in a field trial in 2018.

With each successive generation, Inglis is seeing a higher incidence of tuber cracking in certain potato varieties. This tells her that the phenomenon is linked to seed-borne PVY infection rather than current-season PVY transmission by aphids. Holding

an uprooted plant 63 days after planting, the researcher pointed out to field day attendees that cracks begin to appear at the onset of tuber bulking.

This fall, Inglis will harvest the trial, sort healthy tubers from cracked tubers and analyze interactions between cultivar and virus strain. Thin-skinned, short growing season types seem to be more susceptible, Inglis said. The trial includes All Blue, Chieftain, French Fingerling, Yukon Gold and Russet Burbank. Inglis also has been evaluating the impact of PVY on five additional specialty cultivars in a greenhouse trial.

Results of the trials may be useful to commercial growers in choosing varieties that are less prone to tuber cracking.

As well, the research serves as a good reminder to plant clean, non-cracked, certified seed of the earliest generation possible, Inglis advised.

“For seed producers, the take-home message is that sanitation is critical. The onus is on the seed growers to produce PVY-free seed. They do their best; it’s a difficult job,” Inglis acknowledged, noting the seed industry’s practices of rogueing, winter grow-out tests and lab testing.

This is Inglis’ final field trial. She is retiring at the end of the year after a nearly 30-year career in the potato industry.

“As a plant pathologist, when you’re confronted with a potato disease or defect that is unfamiliar, you really are motivated to find out the cause and what can be done about it,” Inglis reflected. “I feel like this is a successful experiment, and it’s nice to end my career with positive results.

It’s about finding the answer - not that we were right or wrong - it’s about finding the truth.”

Evolving Virus

Adding to the discussion, Stewart Gray, a virologist with Cornell University, spoke about the status of PVY and other necrotic viruses. He indicated that while the ordinary strain of PVY, PVYO, accounted for about 75 percent of PVY incidence 20 years ago, it now makes up less than 5 percent. The new strains, PVY N-Wilga and PVYNTN, account for about 70 and 25 percent, respectively.

The major issue with the new strains is that they induce mild or transient foliar symptoms in most cultivars, making it difficult for seed inspectors to accurately

Rebecca Calloway, a Washington State Potato Commission intern, serves tater tots from a Spud Nation food cart.

WSU graduate student Francisco Gonzalez presents the latest data from his water use efficiency trials.

WSU Potato Field Day

Call to Action

WSU potato specialist Mark Pavek echoed Gray’s call for more lab-based, molecular testing of seed lots after observing the number of seed lots flagged for PVY in the annual seed lot trial.

“What amazes me is how many severely contaminated seed lots we still have with visual symptoms. Some seed growing regions could do a lot better, and they need to do a lot better or they’re going to start losing business,” Pavek said. “Some regions do an excellent job and others do not.”

Pavek hopes the field day’s PVY demonstration, which included 20 varieties and compared healthy plants with plants infected with three strains of PVY, helps illustrate the difficulty in detecting symptoms visually and increases awareness of the need for better seed certification strategies.

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Potato Country

September / October 2018

Debbie Inglis with Washington State University and Alex Karasev with the University of Idaho discuss Inglis’ PVY research.

Milt Carter, CEO of CSS Farms, inspects a plant in the seed lot trial that was flagged for expressing symptoms commonly associated with PVY.

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Disinfectants

No matter how you slice it...

viruses are difficult to see, the industry needs to develop and implement new seed certification methods that will better detect viruses and allow more effective management.

Contro l

gauge virus incidence in the crop and for growers to effectively rogue.

The PVYNTN strain also causes tuber necrosis that decreases marketability and affects processing quality. Two other emerging viruses, potato mop top virus and tobacco rattle virus, also cause internal tuber necrotic symptoms. Gray said the good news is research has shown most of the popular North American cultivars, while susceptible to virus infection, do not show tuber necrotic symptoms.

“But the bad news is that although we’ve learned a lot about these viruses and why they’re a problem, we still have few effective management options,” Gray said, explaining that the overall incidence of PVY in seed potatoes is not decreasing and potato mop top virus is spreading. “Why can’t we do anything about this? A lot of it has to do with the fact that they’re invisible in a world that is still dependent on sight.”

Gray said that the major management strategy is “to not plant the problem, to plant only certified seed that has very low virus incidence.” Since rogueing operations and seed certification are based primarily on visual symptoms and the

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The Latest

Recommendations Story and photos by Denise Keller, Editor

Ken Frost, an OSU plant pathologist, is conducting a trial to evaluate the economic impact of soft rot caused by species of Pectobacterium and Dickeya.

New potato varieties and new potato pathogens are at the center of two research projects at Oregon State University (OSU). One study looks at nutrient management of new varieties Echo Russet and Castle Russet.

Early results suggest Echo Russet might save growers money in fertilizer costs.

Meanwhile, another trial will put a price tag on the impact of potato soft rot pathogens.

Management recommendations for the new varieties and soft rot pathogens are in the works and were among the topics covered at the OSU Potato Field Day, held June 20 at OSU’s Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center.

Nutrient Management

The Northwest Potato Variety Development Program, or Tri-State Program, released two new varieties, Echo Russet and Castle Russet, earlier this year. Echo Russet is a high-yielding, long, medium- to late-season russet with cold sweetening resistance and excellent processing qualities. Castle Russet is described as a long, medium- to lateseason russet suitable for the fresh and processing markets with an exceptional disease resistance package.

Currently, nutrient management plans for the new cultivars are based on older varieties such as Ranger Russet and Russet Burbank. Seeing a need to determine the nutrient requirements of the new varieties, Ruijun “Ray” Qin, an OSU agronomist, set up a study to develop nutrient management guidelines specific to Echo Russet and Castle Russet.

In a field trial, Qin is evaluating various nitrogen application rates for Echo Russet, Castle Russet, Ranger Russet and Russet Burbank. Throughout the growing season, he is monitoring potato petiole nitrate levels. And at harvest, he will collect quality and yield data to identify the ideal nitrogen application rate that will produce the highest yield and best quality.

This is the second year of the trial.

Qin stressed that with only one year of data in the books, his results are not yet conclusive. With that in mind, he reported that last year’s trial showed that Echo Russet may have the lowest nitrogen requirement, or the highest nitrogen use efficiency, when comparing

10

Potato Country

September / October 2018

A field day attendee takes a close look at a display of lygus bugs during a presentation

by OSU entomologist Silvia Rondon.

Sapinder Bali, a postdoctoral scholar in potato breeding and genetics, updates field day attendees on the status of breeding potato varieties with resistance to nematodes.

all the varieties under the same nitrogen application level, especially when the nitrogen rate is limited. Castle Russet’s nitrogen use efficiency tended to be similar to Ranger Russet. Russet Burbank had the lowest nitrogen use efficiency, as well as the lowest yield and quality under any nitrogen application rate.

“Through this research, I really hope to help growers improve nitrogen use efficiency, find the ideal application rate to achieve ideal yield and, at the same time, reduce the nitrogen leaching problem,” Qin said.

“This is new research for the region.

Whenever you do something new, it’s always exciting,” he continued. “I will be very happy if my work could help my clientele achieve sustaining crop productivities and improve their profits in the region.”

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OSU HAREC Potato Field Day In addition to the nitrogen management trial, Qin is also working on a potassium fertilization study and is interested in conducting research on soil health and soil fumigation strategies for potatoes.

Soft Rot Trial

Ken Frost, an OSU plant pathologist, is looking at the economic impact of soft rot caused by species of Pectobacterium and Dickeya. The organisms can cause blackleg on potato plants and soft rot in tubers and can reduce emergence and yield in susceptible varieties.

His trial includes Lamoka, a variety known to be susceptible to soft rot pathogens, and the more resistant Russet Burbank. Frost is attempting to establish disease thresholds by inoculating seed with Pectobacterium carotovorum and Dickeya chrysanthemi. Treatments vary by the amount of infected seed, ranging from 0 to 30 percent infected seed. Throughout

the trial, he is evaluating plant emergence and growth, disease and yield and will determine the relationship between the amount of initial inoculum in the seed and the resulting yield.

So far, Lamoka has had very poor emergence, with emergence tending to correlate with the percentage of initial seed infection; the higher the initial infection, the worse the emergence. Russet Burbank did not show significant differences in emergence. After harvesting the trial, Frost plans to store the tubers in order to assess the extent to which soft rot develops in storage.

Data from the trial will be provided to economists to assess the cost of soft rot and blackleg to U.S. potato production both regionally and nationally.

“That information is important to have because the organisms in the Dickeya genus were detected in the potato production system in the eastern U.S. in

OSU’s Angie Treadwell passes out samples of roasted potatoes that she promotes at school lunch programs in the Hermiston area.

2015. Folks were really scared about what impacts this new pathogen might have for the industry,” Frost explained. “Now we’re three years after that initial detection, and we know that the Dickeya pathogens have been detected in nearly every state where potatoes are grown. There’s still concern about it and about economic losses associated with it.”

As with the introduction of any new pathogen, Frost says it’s important to understand the organism and to quantify its potential impact on the industry.

“If we know how much it’s going to cost, we might know how much we could spend to prevent it or reduce its incidence in seed that gets planted,” he added.

Frost reminded growers to be aware that cultivars vary in resistance to soft rot pathogens, so it’s important to select varieties carefully. Also purchase the cleanest seed possible, and be vigilant in management and handling of seed to prevent soft rot diseases.

Ray Qin, an OSU agronomist, talks about his research to develop nutrient management guidelines for new varieties Echo Russet and Castle Russet.

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Storage Essentials aaggrrii

www.aaggrrii.com SmartSpud

SmartSpud by aaggrrii is a smart sensor-enabled heat- and waterresistant urethane replica that can be based on various sizes and shapes of potatoes. While SmartSpud can be deployed at any point from harvest to processing to reduce waste by minimizing bruising, shatter damage and black spots, it is particularly effective when used to improve viability during storage.

Impact and pressure on crops in storage are instantly measured by the SmartSpud sensor with levels easily calibrated for different varieties.

The Spud’s sensors and Bluetooth technology send real-time information to the aaggrrii app. The wireless smart sensor solution provides a real-time measure of impact and pinpoints the location and severity of damage so users can take immediate corrective action to prevent further damage or loss.

SmartSpud takes the guesswork out of making decisions. Finding the root cause is the first step to bruise management, particularly during storage.

BioSafe Systems

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Thermal Fogging Program

BioSafe Systems’ thermal fogging program offers control reliability, effectiveness and the added benefit of extended storability for potatoes. By fogging with StorOx 2.0 and/or SaniDate 5.0, the chemical compounds become part of the water vapor and are carried up through the potato pile, reacting with bacterial and fungal organisms. This application penetrates every nook and cranny of the pile, thoroughly enveloping it. Intermittent applications during storage can reduce the incidence and severity of storage losses from common diseases such as bacterial soft rot, dry rot, late blight, pink rot, Pythium leak, ring rot and silver scurf.

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Agri-Star Control Panel

Agri-Stor Companies helps growers take control of their potato storage with Gellert’s Agri-Star Control Panel. Since 1964, Agri-Stor has designed and sold thousands of Agri-Star panels for a wide range of postharvest products. Through all these years of application experience and university-based research, Agri-Stor Companies has developed a userfriendly, advanced control panel. Features include a full-color, interactive touchscreen, easy-to-understand programming and internet capabilities with an intuitive app.

Fully adaptable to growers’ potato storages, the Agri-Star panel can handle everything including humidity, refrigeration, airflow, temperature, carbon dioxide levels, heat and lights. When growers match the Agri-Star panel with Gellert’s climate control equipment, their produce is wrapped in the perfect climate, extending its life and quality.

16

Potato Country

September / October 2018

Disinfecting Services LLC www.disinfectingservices.net Harvest 6.0

Harvest 6.0 serves as a versatile sanitizer and disinfectant for potatoes going into storage or already in storage. The product was recently released as one of the strongest disinfectants labeled for potatoes on the market. Harvest 6.0 utilizes hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid to protect against fungi, algae and bacteria such as ring rot and soft rot. The combination of these two ingredients is both effective and environmentally friendly. Harvest 6.0 has also been proven to be an effective disinfectant on equipment and cleaning storage facilities.

IHT

www.humigation.com Humigator Discharge UV Option

IHT has added a discharge UV option to its line of Humigators. These machines scrub storage air of mold spores and bacteria, and they humidify using less water and without spraying down the plenum.

Humigators are working hard to stop the spread of storage molds and to perfect storage humidity in nine states and across Canada. Grant-funded research shows that the Humigator can capture tens of millions of mold spores and billions of bacteria per gallon of water running through it. This water usually runs down a plenum drain, but many growers, especially where winters are coldest, need to recirculate the water rather than run it down a drain. By killing the mold and bacteria captured by the Humigator as it drains, the new UV option lets users do just that.

Jet Harvest Solutions www.jetharvest.com Jet-Ag

Jet-Ag's original and unique patented formulation and process superheats and produces a thermal fog, which creates a vapor that permeates throughout the storage facility.

The patented technology utilizes the free radicals generated from superheated Jet-Ag into super microbial oxides which kills all microorganisms including bacteria, mold and viruses that can cause diseases such as late blight, early blight, pink rot and blackleg.

Jet-Ag also has a desiccant effect which creates a curative effect on the potato in storage to help control disease.

Jet-Ag can be applied at any time, but ideally upon completed storage of potatoes.

Suberizer

www.suberizer.com Suberizer Storage Systems

Suberizer offers turnkey storage systems that are engineered for maximum efficiency. As a proven industry leader in raw product storage, Suberizer’s commitment to innovation has impacted the way raw products are stored.

Suberizer Curve and Envelope storage systems use AirEverywhere floors that ensure optimum airflow through the pile. This system minimizes loss, maintains quality and maximizes return.

PotatoCountry.com

17

Building for the Future PAA Seeks More Industry Participation

Story and photos by Bill Schaefer

Y

ou didn’t need a crystal ball to see the future of the potato industry this past July. You only had to attend the Potato Association of America’s (PAA) annual meeting in Boise, Idaho, to view the future possibilities and potential facing the potato industry. More than 300 people from 16 countries came to Idaho’s state capital for the PAA’s 102nd annual meeting, held July 22-26.

“I come to make contacts with potato researchers across the United States, Canada and around the world,” said Warren Henninger, founder and chairman of Ag World Support Systems.

University researchers along with private company researchers, extension educators, growers and industry representatives came to the state of “Famous Potatoes” to share their latest research insights and to see and hear cohorts’ presentations.

The more than 80 research presentations, each lasting 15 minutes, ranged from current production practices involving fertilization, irrigation, storage and the use of various inputs to discussions on genetics and breeding, new varieties under development and the potential for diploid varieties replacing tetraploid varieties.

Shelley Jansky, 2017-2018 PAA president and a research scientist with the USDA-ARS and horticulture professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison,

Erik Wenninger, University of Idaho Kimberly research and extension entomologist, (left) explains his poster to Jeff Miller, president and CEO of Miller Research, during the Potato Association of America poster session.

said that attendance was so good that registration was closed because they couldn’t accommodate any more people.

“We are the go-to place for information outcomes related to potato,” Jansky said of the PAA’s mission.

Rich Novy, research geneticist for the USDA-ARS in Aberdeen, Idaho, succeeded Jansky as PAA president at the conclusion of the annual meeting. Novy said that his goals in the coming year are to continue the PAA objectives of research and collaboration among researchers,

Award winners of the Potato Association of America's Frank L. Haynes Graduate Student Research Competition include (from left): Graham Ellis, first place, Washington State University; Natalie Kaiser, second place, Michigan State University; Alejandro Cruz, third place, Washington State University; and Rachel Gross, fifth place, University of Idaho. David Wheeler, fourth place, Washington State University, is not pictured.

facilitating the interaction between the potato industry and the PAA and laying a solid foundation for future potato researchers.

“One thing we’re looking at is trying to facilitate new researchers, graduate students, keep their interest in being involved in potato,” he said. “We need to facilitate the young researchers because without them, we do have an aging population. We need to have the young researchers ready with the retirements that are coming.”

Sanwen Huang of Yunnan Normal University discusses the potential for diploid breeding and the merits of true potato seed replacing tetraploid breeding and cloning practices during his presentation titled “Genomic Landscape of Inbreeding Depression in Potato."

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Presentations are the primary focus for the annual meeting, but running a close second is the networking among researchers and industry reps.

“PAA brings to me the networking of the potato research community,” said Bret Nedrow, director of raw procurement for J.R. Simplot Company and the co-chairman, with Nora Olsen, of the 2018 PAA meeting.

Jimmy Ridgway, potato crop manager for Yara North America, seconds Nedrow’s assessment.

“It’s great to rub shoulders with great researchers from around the country and North America,” Ridgway said during the opening reception.

Meeting attendees heard from Sanwen Huang, a researcher with Yunnan Normal University in China. He spoke about the future of diploid variety breeding and true potato seed replacing current tetraploid breeding and cloning techniques.

A symposium focused on the impact of quarantined pests on the potato industry gave an overview of USDA plant protection programs with a special emphasis on the impact of the golden nematode in New York and the pale cyst nematode in Idaho.

Jansky said that the symposium and the meeting’s industry-oriented session represent an ongoing effort by the PAA to reach out to the potato industry and develop mutually beneficial programs.

LD “We really would like to find ways in which we can connect with our industry fr o m

to TRUCK

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Potato Association of America Annual Meeting partners,” she said. “Help them to understand what we are doing researchwise and try to figure out ways that they can partner with us and interact with us to let us know what’s on their minds and what we can be doing.”

Mike Larsen, general manager for Mart Potato Company, based in Rupert, Idaho, has found definite benefits from attending the PAA annual meetings for the past three years. Larsen said that for him, it’s about getting to know the people making the presentations as much, if not more, as the information itself.

“Bottom line, I come here to find out who the expert is and to get to know them,” he said. “So, when I call, they know who I am. Mark Pavek and Rick Knowles, I actually know them fairly well now and they’ve taught me a lot on variety management.”

The agenda also included poster presentations, followed by a chance for attendees to relax at a Basque Block Party dinner and auction.

Finally, the banquet brought the three days of meetings to a conclusion with dinner and awards. Each year, the PAA presents Honorary Life Members

Boise’s Oinkari Basque Dancers entertain PAA members.

awards to individuals for their career accomplishments. The class of 2018 Honorary Life Members were Robert W. Hoopes, Frito-Lay potato breeder; Steve Love, University of Idaho potato breeding program; Rick Knowles, Washington

State University potato physiologist; and Leigh Morrow, McCain Foods director of agronomy.

Next year’s annual meeting is scheduled for July 28-August 1, 2019, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

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Potato Country

September / October 2018

New Products

Manufacturer Upgrades Eliminator

Scotts Precision Manufacturing Ltd. has introduced the next generation of its dirt eliminating Evolution Table, available from Scotts or Harriston Industries.

Scotts has added programmable memory roller settings to the latest version of the machine, which is used to separate clods, stones, stems and loose dirt from a wide range of products including potatoes. The ability to store and then remotely adjust the spacing of the spiral and clod rollers to saved positions enables users to quickly and easily set up the Evolution Table to suit either the conditions or the crop being handled, according to the company.

The latest version also includes a self-cleaning feature. When activated, the Evolution’s spiral rollers spin at high speed to throw off any attached dirt.

Visit www.harriston-mayo.com.

Five Crop Protection Products Pend Approval EPA registration is pending for five new fertilizer-compatible products expected to be available from Vive Crop Protection for U.S. potato growers in 2019.

AZteroid FC 3.3 is a highconcentration fungicide with the active ingredient azoxystrobin. The product controls seed and seedling diseases caused by Rhizoctonia solani and certain Pythium spp.

Bifender FC 3.1 is a highconcentration formulation containing bifenthrin used to control wireworm and other soil-borne pests.

Talax FC fungicide provides systemic control of Pythium and Phytophthora. The product contains metalaxyl and is said to help potatoes thrive right from the start, resulting in improved yield and quality.

Midac FC systemic insecticide uses imidacloprid to control below-ground and above-ground pests in potatoes. It is tank-mix compatible with fertilizers, micronutrients and other crop inputs.

Averland FC insecticide contains abamectin and controls potato psyllids, spider mites, Colorado potato beetles and leafminers. In-furrow application trials for nematode control are underway.

Visit www.vivecrop.com

New Product Improves Storage Airflow

Disinfecting Services has introduced a new product for use in potato storages.

Cell Guard is designed to improve airflow in storages by cleaning and maintaining open air passages. It is said to also prolong the life of humidification and evaporative cooling pads.

Over time, these airways can get restricted with hard water deposits, reducing the airflow and causing the fans to work harder and increase the amount of energy used, according to the company.

Visit www.disinfectingservices.net.

ThorPack Promotes JMC Master Baler

ThorPack, a full-line packaging supply and equipment sales company in Polar, Wisconsin, has added JMC Packaging to its lineup of equipment offerings.

ThorPack is promoting JMC’s master baler, the AB-3000-HS Baler. The machine, which is most often used in carrot and potato facilities, is equipped to run paper or poly master bags and can be integrated with a sewing system or a heat sealer. It handles 3-pound to 20-pound consumer bags. Features include a user-friendly touchscreen with an Omron programmable logic controller, ethernet capabilities and “no bag, no dump” sensors.

Visit www.thorpack.com.

EPA Expands Torac Insecticide Registration to All States

Torac Insecticide from Nichino America, Inc. can now be used in potatoes in all states. Previously, its registration was limited to states west of the Mississippi River.

Torac is designed to provide fast broad-spectrum control of potato psyllids, Colorado potato beetles, aphids, leafhoppers and thrips. Its active ingredient, tolfenpyrad, blocks cellular respiration and is said to be effective on all life stages of the pest. Torac halts feeding damage immediately, thus controlling the pest usually within 24 to 48 hours, according to the company. Torac is a contact foliar insecticide and is also labeled for chemigation in potatoes.

Visit www.nichino.net.

PotatoCountry.com

21

Insect Biology Quiz Dr. Andy Jensen

B

Sometimes a pest problem on one crop represents a threat to other crops. For example, a spider mite outbreak in corn might lead to spider mites in a neighboring potato field. Or, canola might grow large populations of green peach aphids. But, many other insect pests are specific to certain crops/plants. For example, Colorado potato beetle means nothing to a crop of corn; the beetle simply cannot feed on corn.

A

Here are examples of insects and their leaf damage that can be common across parts of the Northwest.

Questions: 1. To what general group of insects do those in photos A and B belong?

2. Of the insects shown in photos A and B, which is a potato pest?

3. If you see the kind of damage on leaves shown in photos C and D, but in a non-potato crop or on weeds, do you need to worry about protecting your potato crop?

ANSWERS, PAGE 24

C D This material is provided courtesy of Andy Jensen, Ph.D., Manager of the Northwest Potato Research Consortium. For more information, visit www.nwpotatoresearch.com.

For a FREE CertiďŹ cation Directory, email Dr. Nina Zidack at potatocert@montana.edu

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23

In the News

Purple Potatoes Benefit Lung Health

A newly released study shows that increased consumption of dark-pigmented fruits and vegetables such as purple potatoes positively impacts lung function. The study from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found that people who ate more fruits and veggies with anthocyanin flavonoids maintained the best lung function as they aged. The study authors found that a few hours after eating these foods, there was evidence of flavonoids in lung tissue. According to the study, this suggests that anthocyanin-rich fruits and veggies might play a role in protecting the lungs against pollutants and smoking.

Vestaron Appoints CEO

Vestaron has appointed Anna Rath as its new chief executive officer. Rath brings more than a decade of experience with ag-tech companies.

In her new position, Rath will lead the launch of SPEAR, Vestaron’s first family of insecticidal peptide products. According to the company, the products match the efficacy of traditional synthetic insecticides with the safety and sustainability of biologics.

WSU Virologist Wins International Award

Hanu R. Pappu, a Washington State University (WSU) virologist, has earned the Humboldt Research Award in recognition of his 30 years of contributions in the field of plant pathology.

Pappu’s work focuses on plant viruses and the damage they cause to crops.

Specifically, his research explores viruses that threaten the profitability and sustainability of potato and onion crops.

The Humboldt Awards are based in Germany, and Pappu will receive his award next spring at a ceremony in Germany attended by the German chancellor and president.

With the award, Pappu will have the opportunity to spend up to a year collaborating with German colleagues. He plans to spend the time learning more about how a virus interacts with a host plant and the plant’s defense response.

Potatoes Rank High in Retail

Potatoes are once again one of the most popular items in the produce department, according to the latest retail sales figures from IRI Freshlook. Potatoes ranked third in the vegetable category based on both dollars and volume per store, and potatoes had the second highest household penetration at 88 percent.

According Potatoes USA’s analysis of the data, potatoes have fairly consistent sales volume throughout the year, and they appeal to all consumers regardless of household income or generation.

Know Your Insects Answers (from page 22)

1. These insects are flea beetles. They get their name from their small size and ability to jump, much like fleas.

The adults feed on leaves of plants, the larvae on roots and inside stems.

2. Photo B is a potato pest, the tuber flea beetle. Adults damage leaves of potato, while larvae feed on roots and tubers. Photo A is a completely different flea beetle specific to cabbage, turnips and related plants.

3. Flea beetles are quite host-specific.

So, if you see flea beetles damaging a crop like cabbage or buckwheat, this is not a reason to worry about them damaging your potato crop.

24

Potato Country

September / October 2018

Potatoes USA Adds Two to the Team

Potatoes USA has expanded its marketing team with two new hires.

Kayla Dome has joined the staff as a global marketing manager for the retail sector.

Dome spent the last several years working for Grimmway Farms, where she managed sales and merchandising for the fresh produce category. She received her degree in communication studies with an emphasis on merchandising from Colorado State University.

Kendra Keenan is the newest assistant marketing manager. Keenan has experience in food marketing and is eager to help increase demand for U.S. potatoes and potato products as well as inspire chefs and consumers to cook with potatoes in new and creative ways. Keenan graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo with a degree in agricultural business and an emphasis in produce marketing.

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Tasteful Selections Expands

Tasteful Selections is once again expanding its facility to meet growing customer demand. Scheduled for completion in early September, an additional 148,000 square feet of cold storage and seed processing is being added to the company’s now 418,000-square-foot facility near Bakersfield, California.

Since coming to market in 2010, Tasteful Selections, a grower, shipper and marketer of specialty potatoes, has expanded its facility three times to accommodate consumer demand.

The bite-size potato category now makes up almost 18 percent of the potato category in both sales and supply, according to the company.

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25

Market Report

Complex Market Developing for

T

he 2018-19 marketing season is off to a turbulent start. North American potato acreage is down 0.5 percent from last year, though the cuts came in early crops. Potato crops went in the ground later than usual in much of North America. Wet harvest weather has damaged much of this year’s early crop. Summer heat is raising concerns for full-season potatoes in both the U.S. and Canada. Western Europe is experiencing a major drought. Though the European drought may open the door for increased exports of table potatoes, French fries and dehydrated product, capacity constraints are likely to limit exports of French fries, the most valuable potato export. These cross currents are likely to result in volatile pricing for open potatoes throughout the upcoming season.

USDA reports that growers planted 911,300 acres to fall potatoes this year.

That is 3,300 acres more than they planted in 2017, a 0.4 percent increase.

That is substantially less than would have been justified by this year’s increase in processing contract volumes, which suggests that growers in other industry sectors cut back on acreage. The fall acreage increase was offset by cuts of 8,000 acres in this year’s spring potato area and 4,100 acres for the summer crop.

Canadian growers planted 1,599 more acres to potatoes this year than they did in 2017. That is less than the expected increase in processing contract volumes.

Based on the geographic distribution of this year’s cuts, it appears that growers trimmed acreage devoted to chip

potatoes, as well as to table potatoes. New Brunswick, Manitoba and Alberta all planted more potatoes this year than they did in 2017. French fry production is the largest use for potatoes in each of those provinces.

Growing Challenges

North American growing conditions have been challenging. Heavy rains in the mid-Atlantic region and in the southern Midwest slowed harvest and trimmed production. Conditions have been extremely variable across the upper Midwest. Growers in the Red River Valley and the Canadian Prairies are concerned with heat and dry conditions. In Wisconsin and Michigan, heat has been an issue, but planting delays and wet weather during the first half of the growing season also created problems. Pacific Northwest crops went in the ground late. Summer heat has allowed them to catch up; however, the persistent heat may be taking the top off yields and creating quality issues for this year’s crop.

Growing conditions in northwestern Europe have been even more challenging.

Cold, wet weather delayed planting in several large growing areas by up to three weeks. That has been followed by dry weather and extreme heat through July and the first week of August. Conditions are expected to improve in the coming weeks, but it may be too late. Much of the European crop is dependent on rainfall for water. Where irrigation is available, growers have had difficulty keeping up with the heat and lack of rainfall. In some cases, they have faced water restrictions.

Vine health is poor on non-irrigated crops.

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26

Potato Country

September / October 2018

have boosted their planted area enough to offset most of the expected yield losses, though much of the French processing crop is not irrigated. Reports from Poland suggest that that country’s potato crop also may fall short of pre-season expectations.

Though the current production outlook, both in North America and in Europe, suggests that potato supplies will be tight during the 2018-19 marketing season, much can change between now and the end of harvest. Cooler temperatures during August and September, along with needed rainfall where irrigation water is not available, could change the outlook dramatically. On the other hand, wet weather or an early freeze could exacerbate the supply situation.

Industry Impacts

This year’s market dynamics will impact industry sectors differently. Potato chip manufacturers may face the most challenges in North America. European crop losses may open the door for more French fry exports during the upcoming season; however, capacity constraints could limit North America’s ability to fill any supply gap left by Europe. North American table potato supplies should be adequate to cover demand, unless fryers bid raw potatoes away from the fresh market. Dehydrators are likely to experience a surge in export demand if they can find the raw product to fill that need.

Potato chip manufacturers cut back on early contract volumes this year in deference to an extended storage season.

Those cuts have proven to be troublesome.

Yields have fallen short of expectations on crops in Florida, Missouri and the mid-Atlantic region. Chip companies are pushing growers to start harvest of follow-on crops one to two weeks earlier than planned to make up for the shortfall.

That entails a yield sacrifice in addition to the problems created by sub-par growing conditions. If history is any guide, the shortfall is likely to continue through harvest.

A year ago, buyers converted many field-delivery contracts to storage contracts. We can expect the opposite to

r 2018 Potato Crop take place this year. As a result, growers are likely to run out of storage potatoes much earlier than they finished shipping the 2017 crop. Chip companies have learned to manage supplies in ways that limit prices on open potatoes, but they are likely to be looking for large increases in early contract volumes for the 2019 crop.

Europe’s crop losses may open the door to more French fry exports. Between the 2012 and 2016 crop years, global demand for potato products has grown an average of 5.1 percent per year. The increase for the 2017 crop is likely to be larger, but complete data for that timeframe are not yet available. European crop losses do not necessarily lead to a corresponding reduction in external French fry sales.

Since 2002, the largest downturn in sales has been 3.7 percent for the 2006 crop.

Following the most recent crop problems in Belgium and the Netherlands in 2015, EU external exports increased 2.2 percent.

Fryers either starved other industry sectors to get the raw product they needed, or they were able to import raw product from other growing areas. This year, bringing raw product from other growing areas may be impossible due to the widespread nature of the 2018 drought. However, frozen product exports are likely to take precedence over other potato uses. A slowdown in EU export growth would open the door for other exporting countries to pick up 250500 million pounds of additional sales.

North American fryers will be challenged to cover the potential growth in export sales. Should the summer heat continue through August, yields could fall short of expectations. Fryers could bid raw product away from the fresh market.

However, domestic demand growth may sop up the new capacity coming online.

That would limit the ability to increase offshore exports during the coming year.

Dehydrators may see reduced competition in both domestic and global markets for potato flake sales. German potato production is likely to come down from last year, and some of the available raw material is likely to be sold to French fry producers. We already have seen reports of fryers attempting to use “starch potatoes” to cover their needs.

By Bruce Huffaker, Publisher North American Potato Market News

HUFFAKER'S HIGHLIGHTS • The 2018 growing season has been challenging, both across North America and in Europe.

• Potato chip manufacturers are likely to need more early-

season potatoes in 2019 than they contracted for this year due to a shortfall of storage potato supplies.

• Europe’s 2018 crop problems could open the door for an

additional 250-500 million pounds of French fry exports from other countries.

• Capacity constraints may limit the potential for increased offshore French fry exports from North America.

• Dehydrators are likely to face reduced competition from European potato flakes during the 2018-19 marketing year.

Editor’s note: To contact Mr. Huffaker, or to subscribe to North American Potato Market News (published 48 times per year), write or call: 2690 N. Rough Stone Way, Meridian, ID 83646; (208) 525-8397; or e-mail napmn@napmn.com.

PotatoCountry.com

27

Potatoes USA

Serious Challenges Temper Opportunities in Export Markets

By John Toaspern, Chief Marketing Officer, Potatoes USA The international marketplace

provides U.S. potato growers and processors with tremendous opportunities, but new challenges will hamper the ability of the potato industry to take advantage of them. On the positive side, world trade in potatoes and products keeps expanding, up 84 percent in value and 48 percent in volume from 2013 to 2017.

On the negative side, U.S. potato exporters face increasing competition, higher tariffs than our competitors, a strong dollar and high transportation costs.

For the past 20 years, the potato industry has enjoyed tremendous growth in exports, up 175 percent from 1998 to 2017.

However, the rate of growth has slowed the past five years and was only 2.4 percent for the July 2017 – June 2018 marketing year, with overall volume actually declining. This slowing of growth is mainly attributable to the lack of supply in the U.S. and increasing supply in competitor countries, particularly the EU and China. Potato production and processing capacity in Belgium, France, the Netherlands and Germany grew by 19 percent from 2013 through 2017, while U.S. supplies remained basically flat. The result has been a decline in U.S. market share. For example, from 2012-13 to 2016-17, the U.S. share of the frozen market dropped from 77 percent to 73 percent in Japan, while the EU increased from 7 percent to 16 percent.

In the Philippines, the U.S. went from 69 percent to 42 percent, whereas the EU went from 25 percent to 43 percent. And in Korea, the U.S. declined from 90 percent to 79 percent, with the EU increasing from 5 percent to 8 percent and Canada going from 1 percent to 9 percent.

The future could be even more problematic as the U.S. adopts anti-trade policies such as the withdrawal of the U.S. from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), the renegotiation or potential withdrawal from the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), and the imposition 28

Potato Country

of protectionist duties on a wide range of goods from China and other suppliers under Section 301 and Section 232.

As a result of the Section 232 tariffs placed on steel and aluminum imports from Mexico, Mexico has imposed a 20 percent tariff on frozen potato imports from the U.S., while Canadian product will continue to enter duty free. When this same duty was implemented as part of the NAFTA trucking dispute in 2009, U.S. exports for the 24 months were down over 50 percent.

U.S. frozen exports to Mexico in 2017 were $155 million. Thus, this could result in an $80 million loss if similar levels of decline occur. In China, if implemented, the second round of retaliatory tariffs in response to the Section 301 tariffs from the U.S. will be an additional 10 percent tariff on frozen and a 25 percent tariff on dehy.

The U.S. already faces higher tariffs in some markets due to the lack of trade agreements. The U.S. currently has 14 trade agreements in place covering 20 countries. By comparison, the EU has 25 agreements covering 33 countries, and Canada has 13 agreements covering 45 countries. Unfortunately, our deficit is about to increase as the EU has completed negotiations with Japan and Vietnam and has negotiations underway with Mexico, the Philippines and Indonesia. The U.S. has no new trade agreements in process.

The most concerning example of a situation where we will be facing a higher tariff is in Japan, our largest export market.

Japan has finalized a free trade agreement with the EU, which should go into effect in 2019. Under that agreement, the 8.5 percent tariff on frozen will be eliminated in four years. The same tariff reduction will take place under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which includes Canada, New Zealand and Australia. By 2022, frozen exports from all these major competitors will enter Japan duty free, while U.S. product will still face the 8.5 percent tariff.

Back to the positive side of the equation, the U.S. potato industry is increasingly

September / October 2018

embracing export opportunities. The U.S. frozen processors are responding to increased international and domestic demand by bringing on significant new capacity in 2019-20. Additionally, improved phytosanitary access for U.S. fresh potatoes to Japan, Korea, Myanmar and Indonesia has been achieved this past year.

Potatoes USA continues to invest heavily in marketing programs in Asia and Latin America, focusing increasingly on U.S. market share through “Why Buy U.S.?” messaging and value-added programs supporting the purchase of U.S. products.

The question is will this be enough to overcome all of these barriers.

Calendar Oct. 18-20 PMA Fresh Summit Convention and Expo Orlando, Fla. www.freshsummit.com

Nov. 7-8 Montana Seed Potato Seminar Holiday Inn Missoula, Mont.

MSU Potato Lab, (406) 994-3150

Nov. 14-15 Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Conference and Trade Show Three Rivers Convention Center, Kennewick, Wash.

Sheri Nolan, (509) 585-5460 or www.pnva.org

2019 Jan. 9-10 Potato Expo 2019 Austin Convention Center Austin, Texas www.potato-expo.com Editor’s note: To have your event listed, please email Denise Keller at editor@ columbiamediagroup.com. Please send your information 90 days in advance.

Sponsored by:

To sponsor or participate in

www.ThePotatoPodcast.com Contact dave@PotatoCountry.com

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Potato Growers of Washington

Staying Ahead of the Consolidation Curve

By Dale Lathim, Potato Growers of Washington

B

enjamin Franklin is quoted as saying “nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” However, in business, consolidation is a fact of life that inevitably happens as industries mature.

As for consolidation in the potato business, we have been seeing this happen for a number of years with the frozen processing side of our industry as Universal Frozen Foods, Nestle Brands, Twin City Foods, Logan International and Basin Frozen Foods all were purchased or merged with other existing processors. Today, we process more potatoes into frozen potato products than ever before, but we do so with only three remaining companies contracting potatoes in the Columbia Basin.

A fourth company purchases some of its potatoes in the Basin, but from a sole supplier.

The consolidation has not only been happening on the processing side, but it has been very evident on the growing side, as well. Over the past 25 years, the number of acres of frozen processing potatoes has increased by approximately 50 percent. However, in that same timeframe, the number of growers has shrunk by more than 75 percent.

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Potato Country

September / October 2018

The result of this consolidation is that we now have fewer and bigger processing companies and growers. This has enhanced the symbiotic relationship that exists, as now more than ever, the processors need the few remaining growers to be profitable because who is going to be able, much less want, to replace an existing grower of the size that most have become if profitability is not present?

At the same time, the processing companies must remain profitable because if a processing plant were to shut down or greatly reduce its production volume, how would growers replace that many acres of their operations with new crops and markets that won’t tank the price of whatever new crop they grow?

With both the potato growers and frozen potato processors being so focused on one crop, both sides need each other more than ever.

The same cannot be said for some of the remaining segments of our industry that are also undergoing consolidations. Many of you

The result of this consolidation is that we now have fewer and bigger processing companies and growers. cannot even name the manufacturer of the chemicals you are using because of the mergers and name changes. While those products are vitally important to your operation, now that the newly merged companies are even bigger than they each were individually, the importance of products used on potatoes becomes even less. With a reduced percentage of companies’ portfolios being applied to potatoes, I fear that the research and development of new potatorelated products will be reduced and some existing products may not receive the attention they need to remain available when it’s time to renew their labels.

We are also seeing consolidation in the equipment business.

There are fewer lines of equipment being manufactured, and the dealer networks that sell and service those lines are also being consolidated. Some manufacturers may find themselves too small to survive without further consolidation at that level.

While all of this is happening and there is nothing that can be done to stop this naturally occurring trend, we as a growing community must find ways to evolve with the trend in order to stay ahead of it and make this a positive, rather than reacting later and hoping to reverse a negative. We at PGW are evolving our structure to help keep up with this trend, and we will continue to explore other ways in which we can provide you with the best possible ways to win in this ever-changing environment. We can accomplish more with as much of your support as you can provide.

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