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Seed/International

WISCONSIN POTATO GROWERS HOST TOUR, INCLUDING VISITORS FROM BRAZIL

(Editor’s Note: Reprinted from the Antigo Daily Journal.com, http://www.antigodailyjournal.com/full.php?id=13136)

Potatoes growers from Brazil came to the United States, and Antigo, as part of a reverse trade mission sponsored by the United States Potato Board (USPB) in early August. The growers are interested in obtaining seed potatoes from the United States, specifically chip stock seed from Wisconsin growers.

As part of an International Seed Symposium, the Brazilian growers initially met with USPB staff in Denver, Colorado before coming to Wisconsin to meet with Antigo area seed growers. Board consultant Ed Missiaen said the Brazilian growers are very interested in Wisconsin seed potatoes.

"This tour is laying the groundwork for future sales," Missiaen said. "Growers in Brazil have purchased some Wisconsin seed potatoes in the past, and they have been impressed with how it has performed. They are particularly interested in seed potatoes of chipping varieties. They really like the MegaChip variety."

Ken Rine of Rine Ridge Farms, Bryant, said he has shipped Pike and MegaChip seed potatoes to Brazil. He said the MegaChip variety works very well in the sub-tropical conditions.
In addition to Rine Ridge Farms, the Brazilian growers visited several other Antigo area seed potato farms including Sunnydale Farms, J.W. Mattek & Sons, Seidl Farms and Schroeder Bros. Farms. The group also toured the Lelah Starks Elite Foundation Seed Potato Farm in Rhinelander as well as the Rhinelander Agricultural Research Station and the Langlade Ag Research Station in Antigo.

The Brazilian contingent included: Arari Pinto de Oliveira Filho (grower), Marcelo Balerini de Carvalho (grower), Marcio Skraba (grower/packer) and Marcos Bernardi (importer). According to Missiaen, recent economic changes in Brazil are bringing millions of new customers for processed products including French fries and chips.

The chip market in particular is showing tremendous growth, increasing 10 percent per year for the past eight years. Pinto de Oliveira Filho and Balerini de Carvalho raise chip stock for Frito-Lay as well as other potato chip companies.

Brazilian consumption of frozen potatoes has increased from 80,000 tons in 2005 to 300,000 tons in 2010. Brazil imported 5,325 tons of seed potatoes in 2010, with 45 percent of the varieties being used for processing.

Ron Mach of Mach's Sunny Acres in Antigo is a Wisconsin representative on the seed potato board. He currently serves on the Administrative Committee while also serving on the International Marketing Committee and the Seed Task Force. Mach met with the Brazilian growers in Denver as well as in Antigo.

"Brazil is a great potential market for Wisconsin seed potatoes," Mach said. "There are always some challenges when dealing with international markets, but there are also some great opportunities. The demand is definitely there."
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Chip-Stock/Domestic

USPB CHIP PROGRAM UPDATE:  ZEBRA CHIP PROJECT FUNDING

USPB Chip Program Manager, David Parish, President & CEO, AIS Consulting, reports:

In Grand Forks [ND, 2011 National Potato Council Summer Meeting and USPB Chip Committee Summer Meeting] the committee requested we allocate $35,000 for the Zebra Chip Project and follow up with Dr. Charlie Rush to obtain a proposal. 

A couple weeks ago, I met with Charlie out in West Texas during the Texas A&M University (TAMU) field days and discussed funding/projects. Charlie has provided a short overview of some projects that will benefit with the funding. As the Specialty Crop Research Initiative ( SCRI) grant does not cover projects that are outside the scope of the original SCRI proposal, this money will go towards those projects that are outside of the SCRI funding scope.

Attached is the document from Dr. Charlie Rush. If you have any questions, please feel free to give me a call: David Parish, USPB Chip Program Manager, 214-674-8567 or david.l.parish@gmail.com.

Charlie Rush Zebra Chip Proposal.pdf
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Consumer Nutrition Public Relations/Domestic

WEEKLY POTATO RECIPE EMAIL LAUNCHES

On August 2, 2011, the USPB kicked-off the first weekly recipe email featuring Grilled Pesto Potato Salad to highlight a favorite healthy summertime recipe. The goal of the weekly recipe email is to encourage “Linda” to cook with potatoes one additional time per week by delivering an easy and healthy recipe right to her email inbox. Each week, the email will feature a new recipe and corresponding recipe photo, along with a potato “fun fact” section and will always includes links to PotatoGoodness.com, the Potatoes, Taters & Spuds Facebook Page and Potato Goodness YouTube Channel. The first recipe email was distributed to a database of nearly 2,000 consumers, which the USPB will grow this year via Facebook promotions, advertising integrations, and outreach to media and influencers and at events. Sign-up to receive the weekly recipe email by clicking here.
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Retail Marketing/Domestic

NEW INDUSTRY “TRAINING TUESDAY” TOPICS ANNOUNCED

A key objective for the USPB’s retail programs is helping the industry become better partners to their retail customers and more effective marketers of fresh potatoes. One of the ways the USPB accomplishes this is through our popular series of webinar training sessions. Once again this fiscal year, the USPB will conduct six live, online seminars for industry members, as well as recording the sessions for downloading and viewing at a later time. The first three topics for the FY12 series have been announced, each packed with valuable new marketing information relevant to the potato industry. Please see the PDF attachment at the end of this story for the complete schedule.

The first half of the FY12 training calendar concludes Tuesday, November 8, as we reveal findings from the USPB’s latest research effort – “How Linda Shops”. We’ll examine the perceptions, motivations and behaviors of our target consumer as she shops the produce and service deli/prepared food departments, and share valuable insights into her shopping habits you can leverage to increase your potato sales in retail.

You may also go to the training section of the USPB’s Resource Center for the current schedule of “Training Tuesday” topics, and check out the recordings of past presentations while you’re there. And be on the lookout for your invitation to register for upcoming webinars – they’re usually sent out around three weeks before the day of the event. See you there!

If you are not receiving the invitation to register for upcoming webinars, and you’d like to be included in the invitation, please contact USPB Retail Marketing Consultant Don Ladhoff at don.ladhoff@uspotatoes.com.

USPB Retail Marketing FY12 Training Schedule--1st Half.pdf
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Industry Communications

ON THE RADIO, ON THE INTERNET: THE “US POTATO UPDATE”!!

No matter where you live in the US, you can always hear the “US Potato Update” simply by visiting the “US Potato Update” Archives…
8.17.11—Symposium and Tour Promotes US Seed Potatoes.mp3
8.24.11—Consumers, Smartphones and Potatoes
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Industry Partnerships

WORLD POTATO CONGRESS INDUSTRY AWARD NOMINATIONS OPEN

The President of the World Potato Congress (WPC) Inc., Mr. Allan Parker, Canada, and the Chairman of the WPC Awards Committee, Mr. Douglas (Doug) Harley, Kinross, Scotland, have announced nominations are now being called for the 2012 World Potato Congress Industry Awards.

The World Potato Congress Industry Awards are an important and prestigious event on the International potato scene. They recognize lifetime contributions, from individuals, to the potato industry. Typically, four outstanding individuals are recognized during the awards presentation ceremony at the triennial Congress. The next Congress will be held in Edinburgh, Scotland, in May 2012.

Written nominations are invited for submission. The application form and submission instructions appear on the World Potato Congress website www.potatocongress.org. 

Applications close on November 1, 2011. The Awards Committee will assess all written applications and make appropriate recommendations to the WPC Board of Directors.

Prominent recipients who have received past awards include J. R. Simplot and Harrison McCain. The recipients of the 2009 Awards, which were presented at the Congress in Christchurch, NZ, are: Ron Gall, New Zealand; Gregg Halverson, USA; Hardev Singh Sangha, India; and Joop N. (Johannes Nicolaas) Stet, the Netherlands.

For further information, please contact Doug Harley, Chairman, WPC Awards Committee, doug@harleys.co.uk and visit the World Potato Congress at www.potatocongress.org.
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