Potato Bytes
Potato News
Friday, August 8, 2008
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Northern Plains Potato Growers Association
Office News
From the NPPGA President, Duane Maatz ~ Productive Williston Visit- This week I attended the Mon-Dak Ag Open in the Williston area. The program began with a series of workshops including Biofuels and Energy, Agri-Business, Transportation and Ag Processing. Several speakers were on hand to discuss the current events in their areas.
The rapid expansion of oil drilling is an interesting phenomenon. The horizon has many more working wells today than even just a few months ago. New technology has also created a different style of pump that does not appear to function as a single arm rocking above the ground, but more as a vertical piston. All in all it appears to accommodate “peaceful enjoyment” of the situation.
The Williston Area Development Foundation along with the ND Department of Commerce are the major sponsors and hosts of the event. Participants are allowed to choose a tour migrating a direction from Williston, or you can make your own tour. I make an effort to look at the local potato crop and visit with producers. The Ag Open also provides some entertainment before departure in the form of golfing or fishing.
The region is looking to expand into more processing and high value irrigated crop production. Tom Rolfstad has been a tireless leader of this group.
Process growers have begun their analysis of the cost of production. Additional meetings will be held in the near future to continue these conversations. Watch your mail and email for announcements.
From NPPGA Marketing Director, Ted Kreis ~ Red Market Remains Strong - Red growers in the Red River Valley are encouraged by excellent crop progress and continued strong prices in the Big Lake area and Wisconsin. Base prices remain $32 to $36 a hundredweight for size-A reds in both regions. The Long Prairie region of Minnesota will gear up next week.
Some RRV Potato Crops Catch Up - Crop progress in the Red River Valley is good. Some growers are reporting that time lost this spring has been made up by recent rapid growth under near ideal growing conditions. Growers are also encouraged by the quality and color of early samples.
Potatoes Still a Good Food Bargain - Despite record high prices at retail, consumers need to be reminded that potatoes are still a very good value. Even at $4 for a 5 lb. bag (80¢ a lb.), potatoes are a bargain compared to other fruits and vegetables. Consumers think nothing of paying 99¢ a pound for carrots or $1.49 a pound for an apple. Retail prices may come down some when the fall crop is in, making America’s favorite vegetable an even better value.
Minn-Dak Growers Meet – Minn-Dak process growers held their first meeting of the fall this week in Fargo to begin planning for upcoming negotiations. It’s no secret growers will be looking for substantial increases after unprecedented changes in ag markets and increased input costs this past year. North American Potato Market News is reporting that Columbia Basin growers are close to settling their contract with a 30% increase.
Simplot Modernizes Grand Forks Plant – The J.R. Simplot plant in Grand Forks, ND has installed new equipment that will box frozen product, load the boxes on pallets, and load the pallets on trucks according to a report in the Grand Forks Herald. About 40 jobs will be eliminated because of the automation. Ten of the employees have already been placed in other positions and another 13 could be retained for other openings in the plant according to the report. Simplot will still employs about 350 people at its Grand Forks plant.
Country of Origin Webinars held this Week – The Produce Marketing Association and United Fresh in conjunction with the National Potato Council held very useful webinars this week to educate growers, shippers and retailers about COOL regulations. The law finally goes into effect September 30 th after first being introduced in the 2002 Farm Bill. The two webinars were very useful. Our shippers have been aware of the upcoming changes in the law for months which should be well prepared. Please contact me tkreis@nppga.org if you have any questions about COOL.
From the North Dakota Dept. of Ag ~ Ag Educators Honored - The longtime chairman of the North Dakota Credit Review Board (CRB) has been presented with the Distinguished Service Award by the North Dakota Association of Ag Educators (NDAAE). Elwood “Woody” Barth received the award Wednesday, during the association’s annual conference in Bismarck. George Flaskerud, retired professor and extension crops economist at North Dakota State University, also received the award.
“Woody has worked very closely with ag educators for many years on beginning farmer programs, career and technical education and in lobbying efforts,” said Mark Holkup, NDAAE president and adult farm management coordinator at Bismarck State College. “He and the other members of the Credit Review Board serve as the official advisory committee for the North Dakota Farm Management Education program, providing us with guidance on how we can better serve the farmers enrolled in our programs.”
“George was deeply involved in developing curriculums for high school education programs,” said Don Hagen, Glen Ullin, NDAAE district vice-president. “We most appreciate his work with marketing clubs that he helped establish and organize throughout the state.”
Barth, a Solen rancher, has served on the CRB since 1989. The six-member CRB establishes operating policy for the North Dakota Agricultural Mediation Service, a division of the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, and acts in an advisory capacity to the Bank of North Dakota on agricultural lending programs.
Flaskerud’s work at NDSU focused on integrated crop marketing and farm management and crop economics. His responsibilities included developing educational programs on current market and management information, factors influencing prices and costs of production, and decision-making tools and marketing/management decisions.
From United Fresh ~ More Fruits & Vegetables for Child Nutrition – On Wednesday leaders from across the produce industry told USDA how critically important it is to include more fresh fruits and vegetables in school meals and to increase the reimbursement rate so schools can serve more healthy fruits and vegetables to students. Testifying at USDA Child Nutrition Reauthorization Listening Sessions in both Baltimore, Maryland and San Francisco, California, produce industry representatives also advocated for a vegetable and fruit salad bar in every school, funding for refrigeration and salad bar equipment, and significant expansion of purchases of fresh and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables through USDA’s Commodity Purchasing Program for schools.
The 2009 Reauthorization of Child Nutrition Programs provides a significant opportunity to include more fresh fruits and vegetables in school meals as emphasized in testimony given by United Fresh’s Vice President of Health and Nutrition Dr. Lorelei DiSogra.
From the USPB ~ USPB Highlights 2008 Fiscal Year Accomplishments - At its recent Summer Administrative Committee Meeting in Pasco, WA, highlights of Fiscal Year 2008 program accomplishments were reviewed. Following are just a few of those highlights. A full press release of all program accomplishment highlights will be issued soon from the USPB Industry Communications Department.
Nutrition
- 296,952,287 media impressions achieved for consumer public relations in FY08, surpassing 100 million goal
- “Potatoes…Goodness Unearthed” will deliver a base level nutrition message and consumer recognition all organizations can build on in their own programs to increase consumption of US fresh potatoes and potato products
Foodservice
- With the goal of increasing the number of Healthy Potato sides and salads in restaurant chains, the USPB has held three custom seminars at the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) in Napa Valley, CA. Chefs attending to-date represent restaurants with $29 billion in sales and 40,000 units. Forty percent of those attending are adding new potato items to their menus (or have already added them).
- The second potato innovation brochure, using the best ideas and techniques of the seminars, completed at www.potatogoodness.com
Fresh
- Stores carrying 3 or more US potato varieties: Total of 25, including Hong Kong 5, Singapore 6, Taiwan 6, Malaysia 6 and Mexico 2
- “Best In Class Fast Track” launched with 6 new retail partners, working with about 10% of a chain’s stores to prove BIC works, then retailer and their suppliers roll program out to their remaining stores.
Frozen
- New menu items launched by food service sector: Total of 56, including Japan 11, China 26, Korea 7, Mexico 9 and Malaysia 3
- Chains/operations switching to US or upgrading specs: Total of 21, including Mexico 1, Indonesia 12, Malaysia 7 and China 2
Dehy
- Companies testing or developing new products with dehy: Total of 89, including Japan 22, Mexico 44, Korea 6, Indonesia 9, Malaysia 6 and Thailand 2
- New products/items launched: Total of 39, including Japan 13, Mexico 18, Korea 3, Indonesia 3, Malaysia 1 and Thailand 1
Chip-Stock & Chips
- Samples to foreign processors: Total of 6, including Thailand 4 and Malaysia 2
- Increased demand by engaging new buyers of US Chip-Stock: Total of 3, including Malaysia 2 and Thailand 1
Seed
- Conduct variety trials of US seed utilizing varieties from around the US: 4 countries have planted variety trials with seed from 4 states
- Conduct RTMs: 25 participants from 5 countries.
Ready-to-Eat Fries Huge Success in Malaysia - Tapping into a new channel for US frozen potato products, the USPB representative in Malaysia worked with Jusco supermarket to get them to introduce ready-to-eat fries in their deli section. Since an initial launch, the supermarket is now offering seven different cuts: Tater Tots, Spudsters, crinkle cuts, curly fries, basket weaves, steak fries and wedges. The fries have become the best selling item in the ready-to-eat section at the deli and have expanded to occupy an ever increasing portion of the display case, as shown in the photos. Given this success, Jusco plans to expand US fries to all 27 outlets in Malaysia from the initial eight outlets.
Malaysian Restaurants Enjoy Success with American Frozen Potato Products - Chef Ravi, of the Telwai Street Bistro in Kula Lumpur, attended a United States Potato Board (USPB) trade seminar, jointly organized with the Chef Association of Malaysia and held at the Novotel Hotel last November. Chef Ravi found the seminar very interesting and appreciated the opportunity to learn more about the quality of US frozen potatoes, as well as how versatile US frozen potatoes could be. Before the seminar, the restaurant was using just straight cuts and crinkle cut US frozen potatoes. However, based on what they learned at the seminar, Telwai Street Bistro started serving US steak cut frozen potatoes, and customer feedback has been positive. Chef Ravi is keen to look at other types of cuts of US frozen potatoes, such as hash browns and wedges he could serve in his restaurant. This popular F&B outlet is located in the busy uptown Bangsar neighbourhood, with a good mix of clientele of both expatriates as well as locals. The restaurant is popular for their western dishes and is normally full, especially during weekends and holiday periods.
Items for Potato Bytes? - If you would like to submit an item or announce an upcoming event in Potato Bytes, or if you have a story idea for the Valley Potato Grower magazine, please call (218) 773-3633 or send an e-mail to communication@nppga.org.
