Potato Bytes
Potato News
Friday, September 19, 2008
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Northern Plains Potato Growers Association
Office News
From NPPGA President Duane Maatz ~ Simplot officials and representatives from the Minn-Dak Bargaining Coop met this week to discuss the 2009 production contract. A tentative agreement has been reached. In advance of the meeting, growers participated in a cost of production exercise that determined the change in the cost of raising an acre of potatoes. The group also reviewed the current contract clauses. After determining the financial needs of the group a proposal was sent to Simplot.
The response by Simplot to grower needs was very positive. Current calculations project a positive change in the upcoming contract of 40%. Simplot growers will meet next Tuesday to discuss the proposed changes to the contract.
Thank you to the negotiation team for taking the initiative and encouraging grower participation in important activity.
From NPPGA Marketing Director, Ted Kreis ~ Fresh Shippers Gearing Up for Big Year - Fresh shippers in the Red River Valley are anxiously awaiting the start of the new shipping season. All signs are pointing toward a very good season. Yields, quality, and size profiles are all looking great. Fewer #2s and B-size potatoes will both help push up the value of this year’s crop. Potatoes are trickling out of the Valley, but most shippers are waiting for Long Prairie to finish up, still about two weeks away.
Minn-Dak Nears Agreement with Simplot - Process growers are nearing a contract agreement with Simplot. The Minn-Dak-Simplot deal could set a benchmark for the rest of the country. Details should be available soon.
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Bytes Trivia ~ Last week’s Trivia winner was Jeff Lazur from Britton transport. This is the second week in a row someone from Britton has been the lucky winner. Jeff knew the names of Popeye’s four nephews: Peepeye, Pipeye, Pupeye, and Poopeye.
Here is this week’s Trivia question: What city did Lady Godiva ride naked on a horse through to persuade her husband to lower taxes? Send your answer to tkreis@nppga.org.
This Week’s Strange Fact : ! The praying mantis is the only insect that can turn its head!
Industry News
From the University of Minnesota, Potato Breeding & Genetics ~ Week of 22 September Harvest Schedule, Williston, ND - Three (3) potato research trials will be harvested by Christian Thill & Jerry Bergman, and by Nick David in the Nesson Valley as part of the Irrigated Potato Research Project.
Christian Thill will harvest 1) MN breeding selections having 350 clonal entries; and 2) Mini-tuber seed production & handling trials. Nick David will harvest a processing trial looking at seed spacing, processing and production parameters. Research plots will be transported by semi truck to the USDA Potato Research Worksite, East Grand Forks, MN for grading and sizing, and post harvest evaluation.
From the US Potato Board ~ USPB Launches International Year Of The Potato - The General Assembly of the United Nations named 2008 the“International Year Of The Potato”. To bring to life this 365-day potato celebration, the USPB recently conducted a series of live and taped TV and radio interviews. Celebrity chefs Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough, authors of the Ultimate Potato Book, broadcasted from the United Nations International School in New York City, January 17th, with a diverse group of elementary-aged students at their sides to help cook. Weinstein and Scarbrough prepared Kootu Curry, an authentic dish from India, while explaining the worldwide appeal of the potato and its nutrition message. They even integrated the new US industry nutrition campaign signature, “Potatoes…Goodness Unearthed”, and the new consumer website: www.potatogoodness.com. In total, interviews were conducted with 25 television stations and nine radio stations across the country with the potential reach of 10 million consumers.
Delivering The “Potato Cooking Convenience” Message - A rmed with the convenient potato cooking story, the USPB Public Relations team visited the kitchen staffs of food and lifestyle magazines in New York last June. Bruce Weinstein and Mark Scarbrough, authors of the Ultimate Potato Book, demonstrated the recently developed convenience microwave cooking techniques. The USPB team also presented information on the International Year of the Potato and potato research.
This attachment, showing a great looking baked potato and the tip, advising readers not to poke their potatoes before microwaving, ran in Everyday with Rachael Ray as a result. Other consumer pick-ups of this information include Relish, a newspaper insert on food, Food and Wine magazine, Martha Stewart radio, and Bon Appétit magazine. Click on this link to see the tip at Everyday with Rachel Ray: R R Potato.pdf
USPB Foodservice Brochure Designed To Inspire Restaurant Chefs - The USPB's new foodservice brochure, "Potatoes...more fresh ideas for menu innovation", is hot off the presses. Designed to inspire chefs and restaurateurs to add new potato items to their menus, the brochure features some of the best ideas from the Culinary Institute of America (CIA) chef seminars. Direct mail, distribution at foodservice meetings, and banner ads on popular foodservice web sites are key ways the USPB distributes this brochure. To view or download the brochure go to www.potatogoodness.com and click on the foodservice button.
Www.Potatogoodness.Com -- The New USPB Consumer Website – The USPB Public Relations team is excited to announce the redesign of the USPB consumer website. Created with the new "Potatoes...Goodness Unearthed" campaign signature as a design driver, the USPB serves up a healthy dose of nutrition information, recipes, cooking videos, research...just about anything consumers need to love America's Favorite Vegetable even more!
So, what was once www.healthypotato.comchanges to www.potatogoodness.com. (Don't worry, visitors who link to www.healthypotato.comwill be re-directed automatically.) We love that so many in the industry use this site as an additional tool in your marketing toolbox. So, build momentum behind the new industry nutrition campaign signature by replacing the old with the new website address on your e-mail signatures, website links and when you reference the site in customer/consumer communications. For any questions about the new website, please contact Meredith Myers, USPB Public Relations Manager at meredithm@uspotatoes.com .
Healthy Mr. Potato Head® Ends Successful Three-Year Run - After a great three years of Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD® helping the USPB help the industry get potatoes’ nutritional story out to consumers, the program is coming to a close. Over the three years, the parade, press and media coverage has been tremendous and supported overall USPB nutrition public relations efforts.
The USPB does realize some packaging or signage using Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD is still in the market. For that reason, the USPB negotiated a one-year extension to the program “for retail aspects only”. The period covered is January 1 through December 31, 2008. This 12-month period should provide sufficient time to use up existing supplies.
Also, as the industry moves forward into the next industry-wide campaign to communicate the nutritional benefits of the potato to the consumer through “Potatoes…Goodness Unearthed”, the entire industry needs to support a single unified message. The USPB wishes to thank Hasbro and Healthy MR. POTATO HEAD for their support and look forward to an exciting and engaging new industry program.
USPB Helps Educate Mexican Children On Potatoes - As part of the activities of the UN International Year of the Potato (IYP), the General Director of Science at UNAM University, in coordination with the USPB, has set up an exhibit at the National Science Museum in Mexico City. The exhibit, titled “Consechando el Sol” (Harvesting the Sun), opened in May, with the main objective to inform people about the potato plant life cycle and how the soil, sun and water bring them food. This is part of a larger offering at the museum on where food comes from and the need to conserve natural resources. The exhibit mainly targets elementary and junior high students and their parents. Kids are sensitized through the educational program they have at school regarding plants and their life cycle, and this is reinforced by the knowledge they gain at the museum. The exhibit will run through December 2008, and it is expected to attract at least 15,000 visitors. As part of the exhibit, the USPB developed a potato coloring book and special materials for children to learn about the potato plant’s parts.
From the Minnesota Department of Agriculture ~ Commissioner Hugoson To Host Listening Session In St. Cloud - ST. PAUL, Minn. – To learn what’s on the minds of farmers and others involved in Minnesota agribusiness, Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Gene Hugoson will host a series of listening sessions around the state.
The St. Cloud listening session will be held on Wednesday, September 24 from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., at the St. Cloud Area Chamber of Commerce, 110 South Sixth Avenue. The informal discussion will touch on a range of topics including renewable fuels; food safety; and rising prices for food, fuel and other commodities. “With all that is impacting agriculture, it is important to hear directly from farmers, small business owners, and others in central Minnesota regarding the issues affecting our rural economy,” Commissioner Hugoson said. “We welcome anyone who’s interested to join us for this session.”
Free box lunches will be available for those who register by Monday, September 22. To register, please call MDA’s Brenda Fitzgerald at 651-201-6561.
Make Plans Now to Attend POTATO EXPO 2009 in San Antonio January 7-9 - Learn more about the POTATO EXPO 2009 by visiting www.potato-expo.com.
Many national potato organizations are scheduling meetings in San Antonio the week of the Expo including PMANA, the National Potato Council, the United Potato Growers of America, the US Potato Board, and the American Potato Trade Alliance. For a complete schedule of these meetings, go to:
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.
