In 2025, Canadian potato production declined by 0.9% to 125.8 million hundredweight due to drought in Eastern Canada, particularly affecting Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. Alberta remained the largest producer, with a 6.9% increase in seeded area, marking the highest level since 2007. Despite favorable harvest conditions, average yields fell to 321.2 hundredweight per acre nationally, influenced by Eastern drought impacts.
Scotts Precision Manufacturing emphasizes engineering excellence with its flagship Evolution Separator, addressing modern potato production challenges like labor shortages and sustainability. The highly adjustable machine improves cleaning efficiency while protecting tuber integrity. Alongside innovative products like the Terra-Siv De-Soiler and Microlift Pro, Scotts provides solutions to enhance yield and reduce damage.
Potato News Today is launching the Living Dictionary of the Potato Industry, curated and compiled by Lukie Pieterse. This practical, plain-language reference hub is designed to help potato professionals across the value chain align terminology and reduce confusion. The Dictionary launches with an initial 800 core terms – 100 terms in each of eight sections – covering everything from agronomy and storage to trade, crop protection, sustainability, and data. It will expand over time, with reader suggestions welcomed.
This editorial explores the “best feelings” that sustain the people behind potatoes – hot showers after brutal days, the first bite of a real meal, the comfort of connection, and the rare gift of truly restful sleep. It reframes these simple moments as more than sentiment: they are signals of resilience, safety, and retention in a demanding industry. The piece argues the future of potatoes depends on valuing human recovery as seriously as performance.
Potato News Today’s 2025 “Potato Word of the Year” is resilience – not as a slogan, but as the practical requirement for staying profitable and stable in a tougher era. The editorial traces how resilience showed up across the potato system: soil performance and “tired” fields, climate volatility, shifting pest and disease dynamics, higher-stakes storage management, energy and compliance pressures, and oversupply-driven market stress. Runner-up words include transition, whiplash, saturation/glut, and deadpan.
In 2021, Dr. Andrew McKenzie-Gopsill at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) repurposed an old potato vine crusher to combat weeds through harvest weed seed control, preventing seeds from growing. Initial lab tests in 2022 showed a 60-95% reduction in weed seed germination, and subsequent field tests in 2023 confirmed these findings, with volunteer canola germination reduced by 26%. This effective tool offers farmers a solution as weed resistance to herbicides increases.
The UK government announced the successful eradication of the Colorado beetle, a major potato pest, following its discovery in Kent in July 2023. There were no further finds over two years, leading to the declaration of eradication status. Continuous vigilance from farmers and the public, alongside effective biosecurity measures, were crucial. Officials urge ongoing reporting of suspected sightings to prevent future threats to crops.
This reflective article explores the growing problem of loneliness among older people, especially those in care homes, and connects it to the potato industry’s debt to its elders. It shows how potatoes carry memories of home, work and dignity, and suggests simple, respectful ways for farms, packers and processors to honour former growers and workers, turning a humble crop into a quiet bridge back to human connection, recognition and belonging.
Dr. Hubert Zandstra’s passing marks a significant loss for the potato community. As Director General of the International Potato Center (CIP) from 1991 to 2005, he revolutionized the organization by prioritizing smallholders and sustainable agriculture. His legacy includes enhancing research on diverse tubers and advocating for farmers’ needs. Zandstra’s humble approach fostered global partnerships and knowledge sharing, profoundly influencing agricultural practices worldwide and ensuring the role of roots and tubers in food security.
The International Potato Center (CIP) mourns the passing of Dr. Hubert Zandstra, its Director General from 1991 to 2005. A visionary in agricultural research, he transformed CIP into a leader in root and tuber crop innovation. He spearheaded extensive research and established the Hubert Zandstra Biodiversity Complex. Recognized globally, his commitment continues to influence CIP’s mission and strategy, ensuring his legacy endures in agricultural sustainability and innovation.
The renewal process for glyphosate’s licence in Great Britain is at a crucial point, with a public consultation from the Health and Safety Executive scheduled for early next year. This consultation will allow input on a scientific dossier from the Glyphosate Renewal Group, aiming for approval by late 2026. Farming organisations advocate for glyphosate’s continued use, emphasizing its importance for food security and farm viability.
As the festive season nears, Ireland’s food service sector is seeing increased demand, particularly for pre-packed potatoes, despite quality concerns linked to dry growing conditions. In the U.K., the hospitality trade remains challenging, with low demand from small retailers. Growers await contract price confirmation, impacting seed and land decisions. Additionally, shipping delays hinder potato exports to the Canaries, disrupting supplier schedules.
MustGrow Biologics Corp. reported that its TerraSante biofertility product significantly enhanced potato yields, size, and quality in farming trials in Washington State and Idaho. A farmer noted a value increase of approximately US$5,000 per acre against a US$180 cost for the product. Results also indicated improvements in soil health, with yield increases between 26% and 40% observed in previous US trials, confirming TerraSante’s effectiveness.
The SAC Association of Potato Producers (SACAPP) conference will be held on February 5 in Dundee, marking its 27th edition. The event focuses on innovation and adaptation in potato production, featuring speakers from the UK and Japan, including insights on water scarcity and clothes made from potato harvest waste.
