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PotatoCountry.com • July / August 2018 Western focus. National impact.

Center of the

Potato Universe

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

Vol. 34 No. 5

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

Country Western focus. National impact.

Table of Contents

July/August 2018 4

contacts Dave Alexander [email protected] Publisher, Advertising

Denise Keller [email protected] Editor

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

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

Center of the Potato Universe

Bruce Huffaker ................................................. [email protected]

World Potato Congress

Market Report

7

Picking Away at Common Scab

8

A New Low in Irrigation

Dale Lathim ............................................................... [email protected] Potato Growers of Washington

Brian Feist [email protected] Operations Manager, Advertising

Low-Elevation Spray Application for Growing Potatoes

10 Cooking up International Interest in US Potatoes Potatoes USA

12 Getting the Good Bugs: The Amazing World of Natural Enemies

16 Transportation and Packing Essentials Buyers' Guide

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: [email protected]. 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 [email protected]. 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 [email protected] 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

18 Automated Agriculture

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.

Researchers Work on Robotic Weeder

28 Farm Bill Stumbles in House With September

Editorial Board

Expiration Looming National Potato Council

30 Improving Equity and Efficiency in PGW Potato Growers of Washington

Bill Brewer

chris Voigt

A lady beetle, pictured here eating aphids, can consume up to 5,000 aphids in its brief lifetime. Learn all about beneficial insects like this one on page 12. Photo courtesy Thelma Heidel-Baker

On The Cover Cusco, Peru provides a colorful backdrop of culture, history and flavor for the 10th World Potato Congress. Photos by Bill Schaefer. See the story on page 4.

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July / August 2018

Executive Director

Executive Director

Washington State Potato Commission

Oregon Potato Commission

(509) 765-8845

(503) 239-4763

Departments 21 22 23 23 24 26

New Products Insect Quiz Disease Quiz Calendar In the News Market Report

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

Center of the

and home to more than 3,000 varieties of wild potatoes, the most biodiverse collection of potato varieties in the world. Adding to this year’s WPC mix, the 28th Congress of the Latin American Potato Association was held concurrently in Cusco.

Potato Universe

Issues of Growing Importance Globally

Story and photos by Bill Schaefer

I

n the Inca mythology, the city of Cusco was considered to be the navel of the Inca universe. In the native Quechua language, the word Cusco translates into “belly button of the world.” Seven hundred years ago, Cusco was the center of the Inca universe, considered to be a sacred place. But this past May, the city of 400,000 became the center of the potato universe. For three days, May 28-31, the 10th triennial World Potato Congress (WPC) brought more than 800 researchers, farmers, equipment and chemical suppliers and non-governmental organization officials from 49 countries to the thinair climes of Cusco, Peru. They came to discuss global food security, nutrition and food waste and how to feed more than 9 billion people in the year 2050 while facing the threat of climate change and incorporating sustainable agricultural practices. Not surprisingly, Peru had the highest attendance at the WPC with 226 people. China was second with 81, the U.S. third with 78 and Canada fourth with 48. The choice of Cusco for the WPC seemed appropriate and somewhat overdue given that Peru is the origin of the potato

A booth at the World Potato Congress displays Peruvian potatoes.

The narrow and steep streets can present a challenge in the thin air of Cusco, Peru.

A BASF rep visits with attendees at the World Potato Congress.

This past January, Romain Cools replaced David Thompson as the president and CEO of the World Potato Congress. Cools said that the WPC seeks to serve both developing countries and developed countries with a premium network that helps to bring both systems together. “If you’re creating a group and you bring your people together in a kind of cooperative way and with the help of the developed countries, with their knowledge and technologies, listening to the customs and traditions of the local villages, local potato growers, the combination of both can increase the quality of the crop, the quantity of the crop and also the added value of the crop, and this is what we try to do in the WPC,” Cools said following the WPC closing ceremony in Cusco. Along with the issues of bio-diversity, food security and business covered in this year’s meeting, Cools said that reducing food waste and a continuous availability of nutritious food are two more issues of growing importance globally, particularly as the population on the Asian continent becomes more urbanized and Africa’s population continues to grow. Andre Devaux, International Potato Center’s Latin American and the

President and CEO of the World Potato Congress, Romain Cools, speaks during the opening ceremony.

This Peruvian potato is known by locals as the “Alpaca’s Nose.”

No trip to Peru is complete without visiting Machu Picchu, a 16th century Inca site.

The statue of Pachacuti, a famous Inca emperor, stands atop the fountain of the Plaza de Armas square in the center of Cusco.

Corpus Christi is a Roman Catholic holiday celebrated with fervor in Cusco. Revelers in traditional clothing, dancers and musicians make the event a truly unique cultural experience. From left, Nina Zidack with Montana State University, Dennis Johnson with Washington State University, Mike Thornton with the University of Idaho and Mark Pavek with Washington State University converse in the courtyard of the Cusco Convention Center following the opening ceremony of the 10th World Potato Congress.

World Potato Congress Caribbean regional director, said that in the 1990s the dominant thinking was that by increasing food production, you could eliminate food insecurity and poverty. However, there remained other issues, according to Devaux. “It’s good to increase production, but the farmers are not able to sell their potatoes,” Devaux said. “This is why we are looking at linking small-scale farmers to highvalue markets for them to improve added value to their products.” Devaux said that there’s growing emphasis on nutrition in foods. “The focus on nutrition became much more important during the last year. So there was an evolution responding to the poverty and food insecurity to production linking to markets and to nutrition,” he said. “Malnutrition doesn’t reduce as fast as poverty.” He said that 43 percent of children in Peru’s rural areas currently suffer from anemia. Devaux said that potato is the third food crop at the global level, with rice and wheat numbers one and two, respectively. “Potato is consumed, as a staple, by more than 1 billion people,” he said. Plans are already underway for the 11th World Potato Congress in 2021 in Dublin. Following the meeting in Ireland, the WPC will begin meeting biennially.

Nora Olsen, University of Idaho's Kimberly Research and Extension Center professor and potato specialist, leads the post-harvest and processing technology session.

This Peruvian potato is called the "Cat's Paw." Ambassador Kenneth M. Quinn, president of the World Food Prize Foundation, addresses the World Potato Congress. A vendor sells her goods at a local market in Pisac, Peru.

Picking Away at Common Scab Common scab’s crusty lesions on potato skins make potatoes unmarketable.

Research yielding promising results may ultimately help potato growers get more potatoes into the global marketplace, according to Dr.

Claudia Goyer, a molecular bacteriologist at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Fredericton Research and Development Centre in New Brunswick. While common scab, a potato disease caused by bacteria in the soil, is not a health issue for humans, common scab’s crusty lesions on potato skin can make potatoes unmarketable. The allowable limit for the appearance of common scab on a potato is 5 percent. Building on research done in Australia, Goyer has been working with Canadian tissue culture expert Dr. Vicki Gustafson to develop natural variations of Shepody and Red Pontiac varieties with greater scab resistance. In the lab, the researchers bathed potato tissue samples in a plant toxin secreted by the microorganism that causes common scab. As expected, the toxin killed many of the tissue samples. Among the survivors, they looked for samples that evolved with a resistance to the toxin and hopefully to the microorganism that produces it. “We’re tapping into a plant’s natural ability to spontaneously change or mutate in response to stress,” Goyer says.

From the surviving tissue samples, 50 were selected for field testing, and 10 of those have shown improved resistance. The Red Pontiac offshoots have been particularly promising, with 50 percent less incidence of common scab than in the current Red Pontiac variety. Researchers have been seeing up to 30 percent less common scab in the Shepody offshoots.

Goyer is encouraged by the results, but says the evaluations will need to continue for another two to three years before the new, more resistant offshoots of the Shepody and Red Pontiac potatoes can be brought to the market.

Dr. Claudia Goyer, molecular bacteriologist at the Fredericton Research and Development Centre, displays potatoes with common scab.

PotatoCountry.com

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A New Low in Irrigation Low-Elevation Spray Application for Growing Potatoes

By R. Troy Peters and Behnaz Molaei, Washington State University Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center

In some years, growers do not have

sufficient water to fully irrigate all of their crops. In addition, many growers are being required to cut back on the amount of water they use. Fortunately, more efficient methods of irrigation can greatly reduce the amount of water that is lost to wind drift and evaporation. Most of the center pivot irrigation systems in the Pacific Northwest are equipped with mid-elevation spray application (MESA) that has an irrigation efficiency of about 85 percent. MESA has sprinkler heads 3 to 6 feet above the ground, and sprinklers are often spaced about 10 feet apart. Low-elevation spray application (LESA) is an alteration to the sprinkler configuration in which the spray heads are placed much closer to the ground (12 to 18 inches from the soil surface), and the outlet spacing is less than 5 feet apart (Fig. 1). At this height, the LESA sprinklers can operate in the canopy when the crops get tall (Fig. 2). However, because of the close spacing between the sprinklers, this is usually not a problem for crop uniformity. LESA dramatically reduces water losses to wind drift and evaporation. It also uses less energy since it runs at much lower pressures. Research conducted in

Figure 2. A low-elevation spray application spray head irrigates the potato crop.

2017 at the Washington State University Irrigated Agriculture Research and Extension Center in Prosser, Washington, by Abid Sarwar under the supervision of Dr. Troy Peters found that LESA was able to get 20 percent more water to the ground per gallon of water pumped than MESA systems. This can result in large improvements to overall yields and/ or ground that can be in production, especially if growers have insufficient water. Although LESA saves water and energy, it has an increased propensity for

Figure 1. A research trial evaluates mid-elevation spray application and low-elevation spray application irrigation methods in potatoes.

runoff in steep or heavy soils because the smaller wetted radius receives the same amount of water in less time. Therefore, fields where ponding and runoff are already a concern may have additional difficulty with this if converting to LESA.

Concerns, Solution for Using LESA for Potatoes

LESA sprinkler drops with a 5-foot spacing and very low sprinkler heights (12 inches from the ground) were observed in one trial on potatoes in Washington to have irrigation uniformity issues. This was noticeable when the row orientation was parallel or nearly parallel to the direction of the sprinkler movement through the field and when the sprinkler spacing was not evenly divisible by the row spacing. For example, potatoes on 2.5-foot row spacing had uniformity issues with sprinklers on a 4-foot spacing when the sprinklers were in the canopy. Under this scenario, at one point of the pivot’s rotation, some rows got more water than others (Fig. 3). These issues were less of a problem when the rows were perpendicular to the sprinkler travel direction (i.e. sprinklers moved across the rows instead of with them). One solution for this issue is either to raise the sprinklers slightly so that they are

Figure 3. Irrigation uniformity issues can arise in row crops with a row spacing that differs from the sprinkler spacing when the sprinklers are below the canopy top and when the row direction is nearly parallel to the sprinkler movement direction. This is less of an issue when the sprinklers move in a direction perpendicular to the rows. In this case, the sprinklers should be raised slightly, and sprinklers should be spaced closer together or set up so that they are even multiples of the row spacing.

not deep in the canopy when operating, or to decrease the spacing between the LESA drops by using more sprinklers. The spacing between the sprinkler drops can be implemented fairly simply by using triple sprinkler drop goosenecks when

Figure 4. In this low-elevation spray application in an Oregon alfalfa field, triple sprinkler drop goosenecks are used to increase the number of sprinkler drops and, thus, decrease the drop spacing, without requiring additional outlets in the pivot pipe or truss-rod hose clamps to position the hose correctly.

converting MESA to LESA and have one spray in every 2.5-foot space with a smaller number of nozzles (Fig. 4). These can be purchased from your irrigation parts dealer. Another solution is to raise the spray

heads slightly higher to allow them to operate above the crop all the time, but not to raise them as high as MESA sprinkler heads. This latter solution won’t be as efficient as increasing the number of drops when the crop is shorter.

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Cooking up International Interest in US Potatoes

I

nternational chefs went straight to the source to learn why they should use U.S. potatoes in their cooking. Potatoes USA recently hosted a reverse trade mission for international chefs to spark culinary inspiration and educate them on the uses and benefits of U.S. potatoes in all forms for foodservice. The tour included 38 participants from 13 countries: Mexico, El Salvador, Dominican Republic, Panama, Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia. The group consisted of corporate, executive, and research and development chefs, as well as restaurant owners. Their tour started in Pasco, Washington, with a visit to a fresh packing shed and large farming operation, which offered a look at seed cutting and planting. Day two brought a full schedule of tours at processing facilities, starting at the new Lamb Weston Innovation Center in Richland. From there, the group headed to Moses Lake to tour Simplot’s fry

A chef makes bird’s nests out of shredded hash browns.

International chefs take part in a cooking demonstration at the CuliNex kitchens near Seattle.

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processing facility and Basic American Foods’ dehydrated potato processing facility. The participants were amazed by the scale, sophistication and quality of U.S. potatoes and products. The remainder of the participants’ stay was spent in Seattle, where the chefs were able to tour Pike Place Market and eat at Piroshky Piroshky and Pike Place Chowder and sample produce at Sosio’s Produce. After the market, the group ate lunch at Serious Pie and Biscuit, trying the restaurant’s famous potato pizza, and made a quick stop at Katsu Burger to try the various types of Japanese burgers and fries. The group of chefs finally got the opportunity to step into a kitchen as the group arrived at CuliNex. Chef RJ Harvey, foodservice marketing manager for Potatoes USA, led the group in a twoday cooking workshop at the CuliNex kitchen facility. The training began with culinary demonstrations on the use of dehydrated

and frozen potatoes. In the afternoon, the corporate chefs from Lamb Weston, Simplot and Idahoan gave hands-on innovation demonstrations with some of their company’s newest products. They showcased recipes with global inspiration while keeping potatoes the star of the show. The day was capped off with a short visit to Potato Corner, a Filipino fast food fry joint at the local mall, and finally, a custom five-course meal featuring U.S. potatoes at Lark prepared by Chef Jonathan Sundstrom. The culmination of the training was a day in the kitchen, where each country was assigned a different meal course and allowed to create whatever they wanted so long as it contained potatoes in a creative way. The participants prepared the dishes as their own lunch. The dishes included a rainbow potato entrée with spinach mashed potatoes, roasted red bell pepper mashed potatoes and purple truffle mashed potatoes with beef tenderloin on top; fried chicken made with dehydrated potato coating; birds’ nests with mini egg meatballs made out of shredded dehydrated hash browns; and a shrimp soup with dehydrated potato used to thicken it. All of the chefs expressed sincere gratitude to participate in this “experience of a lifetime,” and all felt that their view and thoughts about U.S. potatoes had completely changed. There was a complete consensus that they could apply what they had learned in their restaurants and that they would be launching new potato dishes on their menus very soon.

This dish, created by chef Alvaro Reyes from the Dominican Republic, features beef tenderloin on a bed of multi-colored mashed potatoes flavored with spinach, roasted red bell pepper and purple truffles.

Participants in Potatoes USA’s recent reverse trade mission learn how potatoes are planted during a stop at AgriNorthwest in Pasco, Wash.

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Getting the Good Bugs:

The Amazing World of Natural Enemies

By Jessa Kay Cruz, Senior Pollinator Conservation Specialist, The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation

O

ne of my favorite stories about pest control takes place on a small vegetable farm in western Idaho. I am conducting a site visit, consulting with the farmer, Lucas, about an upcoming habitat project. It’s fall, and many of his summer crops are done for the season. As we tour the farm, he shows me his carrots, onions and cilantro. He has finished harvesting these plants, but instead of terminating them immediately, he decided to let them bolt because I’d previously told him that the nectar-rich flowers of these plants are a favorite of parasitic wasps and other natural enemies. From the bolting summer crops, we head over to look at his recently planted broccoli. He had noticed an aphid outbreak earlier and wants me to help him determine if the outbreak warrants spraying. As we start to scout, we see something strange. The aphids look dark-colored and desiccated, almost the same way they look after being sprayed. Closer examination with a hand-lens reveals what I suspected: they’ve been parasitized. Every single one of the aphids is dead. I tell him that those bolting crops must be doing their job, raising populations of parasitic wasps that are attacking the aphids on his broccoli. It’s a perfect system. At work in this story is a pestmanagement strategy that has been getting a lot of attention lately, referred to as conservation biological control, conservation biocontrol, or simply CBC. The foundation of CBC is creating conditions on a farm that attract and support significant populations of beneficial insects. These beneficial insects, also known as “natural enemies,” attack crop pests like aphids and flea beetles by either eating them or parasitizing them. Insects like syrphid flies, lacewings and lady beetles prey directly on crop pests; a single lady beetle can consume up to 5,000 aphids in its brief lifetime. Others, such

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Here, a lacewing larva eats aphids. Like lady beetles, lacewings have voracious appetites. Photo courtesy Thelma Heidel-Baker

as braconid wasps and tachinid flies, are parasitoids, laying their eggs on or inside the body of their host. Those eggs then hatch and the larva consume their host until they finally emerge as adults, leaving only empty insect “mummies” behind. While many predatory insects are generalists, meaning that they prey on a wide variety of pest insects, most parasitoids are host-specific and can provide excellent control of target pests. Both groups are important to have around in order to provide the best overall management of crop pests.

Types of Biological Control

Biological control, the use of living organisms to provide pest control, can take a number of different forms. Classical biocontrol involves the widespread release and establishment of a nonnative natural enemy from the pest’s native range. This method is generally managed by

government agencies and scientists and can lead to long-term pest reduction. Unfortunately, classical biocontrol requires an immense amount of testing and vetting, so the process can be very slow. And even with all the careful vetting, there have been instances of classical biocontrol going very wrong and producing unintended ecological and economic consequences. Who can forget the cautionary tale of the cane toad in Australia? Another form of biological control, referred to as augmentative biocontrol, involves the purchase and release of mass-reared insects. This method can be very effective in greenhouses or confined spaces, and can provide at least temporary relief from pest pressure. The drawback is that augmentative biocontrol often doesn’t provide long-term pest control, as released populations of beneficial insects won’t establish permanently without habitat and management. The magic of conservation biocontrol is that it works within existing ecosystems and relies on natural processes. Unlike other forms of biological control, CBC doesn’t rely on the introduction of foreign agents to do the job; it uses wild insects

Pictured is a parasitized tomato hornworm, with the parasitoid’s eggs laid on the outside of the host’s body. Photo courtesy Thelma Heidel-Baker

A hedgerow of blooming shrubs and perennials along a field border serves as habitat for beneficial insects. Photo courtesy Sarah Foltz Jordan

that are likely already present. In a way, it is the oldest of pest control systems made modern. Conservation biocontrol focuses on creating habitat and adopting farming practices that support beneficial insect populations. Since the estimated value of pest control by wild beneficial insects is $4.5 billion to $12 billion annually for U.S. crops, and $100 billion worldwide, it is a method that seems to be working.

Importance of Habitat

Habitat is the key ingredient in conservation biocontrol, primarily because flowering plants provide food by way of pollen and nectar. Many beneficial insects rely on pollen or nectar at specific periods of their life cycle, or use these floral resources to supplement their diets when insect prey is not available. For example, syrphid flies are predaceous in their immature stage, but feed exclusively on nectar as an adult. Adult lady beetles, on the other hand, need to feed on a combination of insect prey, pollen and nectar to flourish. Carefully placed and managed habitat can also provide nesting and overwintering sites and a refuge from pesticides and disturbances such as tillage or heavy equipment use.

On-farm habitat for beneficial insects can take many different forms. It can be as simple as allowing crops to bolt at the end of the season (as was successful on Lucas’ farm), or it can be planting a permanent hedgerow of blooming shrubs and perennials along a field border or roadside. Insectary strips of blooming plants in the middle of a field can support beneficial insects throughout large cropped areas, as can seasonal cover crops. Beetle banks, comprised of a raised bed of bunch grasses, can provide shelter for large populations of predaceous ground beetles. There are a few basic principles to keep in mind. Having somewhere on a farm with permanent habitat that is well protected from pesticides is critical for maintaining populations of beneficial insects on a farm long-term. Also, providing consistent floral resources from early in the spring all the way into the fall is an important way to support a diversity of natural enemies throughout their life cycles. Scientific data supports the key function of habitat in conservation biocontrol. For example, a recent study comparing stink bug parasitism in tomato fields adjacent to hedgerows and tomato fields without

habitat, found that parasitism rates were three times as high in fields adjacent to hedgerows. Another study found that planting buckwheat as a flowering cover crop adjacent to soybeans increased wasp parasitism of stink bug eggs by two and a half times.

“Mummies” of parasitized aphids remain after the parasitoid’s eggs hatch and the developing larva consume the aphids. Photo courtesy Thelma Heidel-Baker

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Good Bugs

Case for Conservation Biocontrol

Conservation biocontrol can work in nearly any cropping system and with many different pests. For example, predatory ground beetles attack soil-dwelling pests such as caterpillars, tuberworms and cutworms. Predatory mites, minute pirate bugs and lacewings can decimate populations of two-spotted mites and thrips. Finally, aphids are a favorite food of almost all beneficial insects, including amazing parasitoid wasps. The only real cost of conservation biocontrol is in establishing and managing the habitat that supports beneficial insect populations, and agencies such the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) can help pay for that. There’s no reason not to practice conservation biocontrol. Just ask Lucas. Author’s note: For more information about planting habitat for beneficial insects, contact your local NRCS field office, or Jessa Kay Cruz at [email protected]. This tachinid fly is a parasitoid, which lays its eggs on or inside the body of its host. Photo courtesy Sarah Foltz Jordan

An insectary strip of blooming plants in the middle of a field supports beneficial insects throughout the cropped area. Photo courtesy Sarah Foltz Jordan

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Upmatic Master Bagger/Baler, columbia Okura Robotic Palletizer

Automated Produce Equipment recently completed the installation of a second Upmatic Master Bagger/Baler. The reliability and performance of the first unit installed resulted in the installation of a second machine. The Upmatic Master Bagger/Baler, which is in use in potato and onion sheds, allows for the re-allocation or reduction of labor on the end of the line. The addition of a Columbia Okura robotic palletizer is also value added as a labor-saving installation. Robotic palletizers typically have a lower acquisition cost and have fewer moving parts than traditional machines. Other benefits include the elimination of injuries and workers’ compensation claims associated with pallet stacking.

Kerian Machines www.kerian.com Speed Sizer

The Kerian Speed Sizer sorts potatoes by size quickly, accurately and gently. The constantly rotating rollers help the turning flaps align the potatoes with the rollers so that both round and long potatoes are consistently sorted by size. The Kerian Speed Sizer is proven in use for reds, russets, round whites, Goldrush and many other varieties of potatoes.

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PotatoCountry.com

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Automated Agriculture Researchers Work on Robotic Weeder Story by Denise Keller, Editor Photos courtesy Manoj Karkee, Washington State University

W

ith labor coming at a high cost and being in short supply, the agriculture industry is looking for new ways to get the job done. Currently, researchers from Washington State University (WSU), University of California-Davis and University of Arizona are collaborating to develop robotic weeding technology. This would help growers reduce manual weeding, which is one of the most labor-intensive operations on many vegetable crop farms. It would also improve sustainability, according to Manoj Karkee, an associate professor with WSU’s Center for Precision and Automated Agricultural Systems. Karkee expects labor availability to become an even greater challenge in the future due to increasing economic activities in Mexico and other countries, as well as uncertainties in the immigration system. Automating tasks such as weeding is necessary to minimize labor costs and keep the industry viable in the long term, he says.

Progress

The research team is working on a novel concept of using cameras and other sensors to differentiate crop plants from unwanted plants and weeds. When the robotic machine finds weeds, it will either use mechanical tools to remove the weeds, apply chemicals precisely on the weeds or apply heat to kill the weeds. Depending on

Manoj Karkee (left) and two graduate students inspect an automatic control system that guides the weeding robot through the field.

the type of cropping system and type of weed, one method might work better than the other. The developers have built the machine at a width of 42 inches and about twice as long, although the width could be adjusted based on specific planting systems. Several units will work together to weed a field in the desired time. The component technologies are working well, according to Karkee. Now the researchers are putting the systems together. So far, they have integrated the camera system and robotic platform. The prototype also has been integrated with the precision chemical application system, which includes eight nozzles. The researchers are continuing to work on integrating the unit with the mechanical weed removal and thermal application tools.

Researchers at Washington State University are collaborating with other universities to develop robotic weeding technology. Pictured, from left, with a research prototype of a weeding robot are Manoj Karkee, associate professor; Kapil Khanal, graduate student; and Xin Zhang, graduate student.

A team at University of CaliforniaDavis tested the technology last year. The research team plans to evaluate the robot in Eastern Washington carrot and onion fields later this year.

Challenges

Right now, the camera and image processing systems can distinguish crops from unwanted weeds with about 80 to 90 percent accuracy. “It is not 100 percent accurate yet in terms of differentiating the crop plant and the weed because they’re both of similar color. But we not only look at color; we also look at the shape of the leaf. Often times, the shape of the crop leaves is different than the shape of the weed leaves,” Karkee explains. “The sensors have the ability to see a little beyond color.

A research prototype of a weeding robot awaits some finishing touches in the lab.

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They can look at some of the internal characteristics of the leaves, which might be slightly different.” Achieving accuracy closer to the 100 percent mark may require the use of additional signals. Researchers are discussing the use of small stakes positioned next to seeded crops or the application of a food-grade coloring to transplant crops to help the sensor system distinguish plants from weeds. They are also looking at treating seeds with a compound that will give the resulting plants a unique color signature that can be detected with the camera system. “We don’t want to kill even 5 percent of the plants we want or leave 5 percent of the weeds we don’t want,” Karkee says. “There may be situations when we might be missing some percent of weeds if we don’t use any external signal such as applying coloring.” Depending on the crop and cropping system, the goal may be for the robot to eliminate 95 percent of weeds or better. In other situations, it may be more reasonable to use the robot to reduce weeds to 10 percent and finish the job manually. “If we can get this robot to work and reduce manual weeding to 10 to 20 percent of where it is today, I think we can make this work for growers,” Karkee says. “In fact, that works for growers quite well because they want to have a certain number of workers throughout the Dyear. L They just don’t want to have a very high demand for certain periods of time like weeding.” The research team has not tested the technology in potatoes, but Karkee is confident that its use in the crop would be possible once the machine has been developed for other crops. Typical spacing between potato plants – as opposed to a closely seeded crop like carrots or onions – will potentially make it easier to apply the technology. The shape of potato plant leaves also varies from many weeds, which will help the system distinguish crops from weeds. fr o m

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Next Steps

Automated, complex machines require a long development window and multiple years of field evaluation to ensure they achieve the desired performance and functionality in various field conditions. More testing and refinement is ahead

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Robotic Weeder before the research team has adequate data and a prototype that a company could commercialize. Toward the end of development, Karkee also plans to complete a comprehensive economic analysis of the technology. Looking ahead, Karkee predicts that within three to five years, companies may have engineering prototypes of this type of robotic weeding technology. Within five to seven years, growers can expect to see robots in the field. Wide adoption depends on external factors including labor availability, labor cost and whether companies offer the technology as a service or a product sale. “The size of the farm has also always played a role in the potential to adopt new technologies. That will remain. But rather than having a big 400-horsepower machine covering 20 rows at a time, we are considering multiple smaller machines working together. It creates a model that farmers can adapt to their size,” Karkee explains. “I really feel excited and enthusiastic about what I’m doing and where this is going. It’s a real exciting area.”

Researchers will evaluate this weeding robot prototype in carrot and onion fields later this year.

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Potato Country

July / August 2018

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New Products

Lindsay Adds Potatoes to FieldNET Advisor

Lindsay Corporation’s latest version of its irrigation management tool FieldNET Advisor is available for use on potatoes. The tool is designed to help growers decide when, where and how much to irrigate. It gathers field information, combines it with third-party data and then processes everything into irrigation plans. In addition to expanding FieldNET Advisor to additional crops, Lindsay has added several new features to increase the customization and mobility of the technology. Visit www.myfieldnet.com.

Precision Spray System Earns Award

Hummingbird, a new precision spray system, is receiving recognition for its ability to reduce crop protection chemical use. The system entails a combination of cables and hoses carried in a rail assembly that hangs under an irrigation pivot. With pivot water off, the Hummingbird executes crop protection product application instructions from the user. It can also be equipped with sensors and software that collect data about crop health and nutrient levels. Hummingbird helped Cordoba Technologies, Inc. earn the silver award in the 2018 vector awards, a global competition which recognizes innovative energy chain applications. The company, headquartered in Walla Walla, Washington, received the award for its “creative mechatronics design and the positive environmental impact its new technology offers.” Visit www.cordobatechnologies.us.

Canadian Company Launches Soil Probiotic in US

Soil Activator, a soil probiotic from Earth Alive, is now available in the U.S. Soil Activator is designed to create healthier plants and higher yields, with reduced fertilizer and water use. It is said to improve plant nutrient uptake by converting soil minerals into easily absorbable nutrients. In two trials in Ecuador, Soil Activator improved potato production by helping plants grow greener and more vigorous vines and by increasing yields by an average of 10 percent, according to the company. Soil Activator is 100 percent certified organic, containing no GMOs or chemically synthesized materials. It can also be used in conventional growing, allowing the use of less fertilizer to gain the same or better results. The company recommends applying the product at planting. Visit www.earthalivect.com/business-units/soil-activator/.

Product Prevents Plugs in Low-Flow Lines, Conditions Soil

Low-flow irrigators now have a new option for soil conditioning. Flo-Pro, distributed exclusively by Disinfecting Services, is a single product that keeps low-flow irrigation lines clean and maximizes crop production. Flo-Pro combines a plugging-prevention chemistry with a patent-pending soil conditioner that improves absorption and targets root zones for water and nutrient retention and uptake. Flo-Pro uses fifth-generation amines and phosphonate chemistries to provide a costeffective product to remove and prevent plugging in low-volume irrigation systems. Used at low usage rates, Flo-Pro makes water unsuitable for biological hosts. According to the manufacturer, the product changes the nature of the soil in the root zone from hydrophobic to hydrophilic. This allows soil to retain water and nutrients in the critical root zone for optimum plant uptake of water and nutrients. Contact Disinfecting Services at (208) 356-5332. TM

PotatoCountry.com

21

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

Photo 1:

Photo 3:

With a good potato canopy developing now, many insects – both pests and beneficials – will be laying eggs in your fields. The photos show just a few of the kinds of eggs laid by insects on potatoes. This month’s quiz is a matching test. Your challenge is to choose from the following list of insects and write the name of the correct insect above each egg mass. Lygus Stink bug Colorado potato beetle Looper Potato psyllid Assassin bug Tuberworm Lady bird beetle (ladybug)

Photo 2:

Photo 4:

ANSWERS, PAGE 29

For a FREE Certification Directory, email Dr. Nina Zidack at [email protected]

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22

Potato Country 167820MonPot13h.indd 1

July / August 2018 9/18/17 11:45 AM

Know Your Potato Diseases

Disease Identification Quiz Dr. Jeff Miller, a plant pathologist, is the president and CEO of Miller Research, Rupert, Idaho. He can be contacted by phone: (208) 531-5124; cell: (208) 431-4420; [email protected]

A

Dr. Jeff Miller

Do you remember the segment of Sesame Street that featured four people or objects, and you had to figure out which one was different? This month’s quiz follows that format. Four photos of fungal growth are shown here. One of these photos is of an actual plant disease. The other three are not. Can you identify which one is a disease?

C Calendar

B

D

ANSWERS, PAGE 25

•• • •

Nov. 14-15 Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Conference and Trade Show

July 22-26 Potato Association of America Annual Meeting Boise Centre Boise, ID www.uidaho.edu/PAA2018

July 18-20 National Potato Council Summer Meeting

Icicle Village Resort Leavenworth, Wash. [email protected]

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

Three Rivers Convention Center, Kennewick, Wash Sheri Nolan, (509) 585-5460 or www.pnva.org

Nov. 7-8 Montana Seed Potato Seminar

Holiday Inn Missoula, Mont. MSU Potato Lab, (406) 994-3150



PotatoCountry.com

23

In the News

US Potato Researcher Receives International Recognition

Gary Secor was one of three people to receive the Industry Award during the 10th World Potato Congress, held May 27-31 in Cusco, Peru. Secor has been a professor at North Dakota State University’s department of plant pathology since 1990 and has been involved in the potato industry since 1971. Secor, who began his career as director of the first potato virus testing lab, is recognized for his research on diseases of potato. He has discovered several new diseases including zebra chip and is also credited with establishing a long-term project with the potato industry of Chile. Pictured, from left to right, are Tomas Houlihan, Anton J. Haverkort, Alberto Salas, Gary Secor and Romain Cools.

Guatemala Lifts US State-Origin Restrictions

Fresh and seed potatoes from all U.S. states are now allowed into Guatemala. In mid-May, the USDA confirmed simplified phytosanitary certificate requirements that eliminate previous state-by-state limitations. Only one state was permitted market access four years ago. In 2017, Guatemala imported over 24,000 metric tons of U.S. potatoes and potato products, valued at $27.5 million dollars, making it the 13th largest market for the U.S.

Potatoes Remain America’s Favorite Vegetable

NPPGA Hires New President

The Northern Plains Potato Growers Association (NPPGA), based in Minnesota, has hired Donavon Johnson as its new president. Johnson replaces Chuck Gunnerson, who is retiring. Johnson grew up on a potato farm and has experience leading businesses and nonprofit organizations across the U.S. and internationally, most recently working for the North Dakota Trade Office. The NPPGA represents more than 200 grower members in North Dakota and northwest Minnesota and works in the areas of research, promotion, marketing, communication and legislation.

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Potato Country

July / August 2018

Potatoes are America’s favorite vegetable, according to the latest Consumer Attitudes and Usage study conducted by Potatoes USA. Potatoes took the top spot for the second year in a row, followed by broccoli. The study revealed that 80 percent of consumers eat potatoes at least once a week. Respondents like that potatoes are filling, satisfying and a good value. When asked why they don’t eat more potatoes, nearly half said they “already eat enough potatoes.” Other reasons include a general preference for other vegetables or a belief that potatoes are fattening and/or high in calories. Consumers indicated that new ways to prepare potatoes, shorter cooking times, different tastes and textures and healthier nutrition would encourage them to make potatoes more often.

US, Indonesia Sign Market Access Agreement

The United States and Indonesia have reached a market access agreement that will allow U.S. fresh potatoes to be exported to Indonesia. The agreement comes after four years of discussions and will include U.S. chipping potatoes and table-stock potatoes. U.S. potato growers and exporters will need to follow phytosanitary requirements including growing from certified seed potatoes, addressing potential pests of concern and sprout inhibiting the potatoes prior to export. Indonesia is a market of 261 million people and is the largest market in Southeast Asia to which U.S. fresh potatoes had not previously secured formal market access. U.S. exports of potatoes and products to Indonesia were valued at $27 million in 2017.

Volm Acquires Colorado Distribution Facility

Produce packaging and equipment supplier Volm Companies, Inc. has expanded its operations in Colorado with the acquisition of Atech, Inc. in Monte Vista, Colorado. Volm, headquartered in Wisconsin, will occupy Atech’s 7,200-squarefoot warehouse. Volm plans to make improvements at the location to better serve its customers in the San Luis Valley area, as well as provide a regional hub to serve customers in Texas, New Mexico and Arizona. In the past, Atech has represented the Volmpack line of equipment with a local sales-and-service model and partnered with Volm in the distribution of packaging in the area. In the last year, Volm also opened new facilities in Pasco, Washington, as well as in Canada and Mexico.

A view of Saraswati Temple in Ubud, Bali, Indonesia.

Mexico Tariff Retaliation Includes Frozen Fries

The Mexican government has published a list of retaliatory tariffs in response to the Section 232 tariffs being imposed by the U.S. on steel and aluminum imports from Mexico. The list includes frozen potato products. Frozen potato products entering Mexico under Harmonized code 2004.1 will now be assessed a 20 percent tariff. These products from Canada and the EU will continue to enter duty free.

Know Your Disease Answers (from page 23)

The disease in this case is shown in Photo C. The fuzzy, gray growth visible at the base of the stems in the center of the photo is the sporulation of the gray mold fungus Botrytis cinerea. This fungus is a saprophyte, meaning that it primarily lives on dead or decaying matter. However, it can be pathogenic at times. Infection and disease development is favored by cool, wet conditions, particularly frequent wet periods similar to what would be experienced under irrigation. The fungus infects primarily through wounds or weakened tissue. Protectant fungicides such as chlorothalonil- or mancozeb-based products can provide some control, but only work in preventing infection, not curing established infections. Photo A is an unidentified fungus only growing on a dead leaf. It did not penetrate into living tissue. Photo B is the bird’s nest fungus. These can be mistaken for the apothecia of the white mold fungus, but this fungus grows on decaying organic matter in the soil and not on plants. Photo D is not really a fungus, but rather a slime mold. It may appear on healthy potato tissue, but does not cause disease. PotatoCountry.com

25

Market Report

What to Watch for With 2018

A

s you receive this issue of Potato Country magazine, early harvest of the 2018 potato crop will be getting underway. Fall potato acreage almost certainly is up from last year, but some increase was needed to feed the new processing capacity that is coming online. How well growers matched planting with demand will be a key driving force for potato markets during the coming year, but other factors also will impact prices. The situation is different for each of the major industry sectors. In this article, we review the situation for each sector.

Frozen Processing

Fryers have contracted for almost all of their needs for the 2018 crop. Contract growers were able to negotiate higher prices, except for one contract in Idaho. Price increases for the 2018 crop were in the neighborhood of 5 percent in several growing areas. Some growers settled two-year deals, with 4 percent increases scheduled for 2019. Though pricing is set, there are major differences between this year and 2017. First, fryers are unlikely to purchase as many potatoes on the open market as they did from the 2017 crop. In addition, there is a risk that processors have contracted for more potatoes than they will be able to use, particularly if construction and startup issues slow usage for some of the processing lines that are new this year. As is the case every year, strong yields could result in contract overages being pushed into other industry sectors.

Russet Table Potatoes

The market for the 2017 crop has been the strongest since the 2010 crop. Several factors played into that strength. Processors had to step into the Idaho market after cutting back on contract volumes, reducing the available supplies. The Texas storage crop suffered large losses due to a latesummer hailstorm. Supplies also fell short of last year’s holdings in Wisconsin, the San Luis Valley and the Columbia Basin. Early indications are that table potato growers limited increases in 2018 acreage in spite of last year’s strong market. However, there is reason to fear that 2018 production will exceed demand. While it appears that Idaho growers may have held the line on acreage, it is unlikely that processors will need to raid the table potato market during the 2018-19 marketing season. That will free up more potatoes to be shipped fresh. In addition, San Luis Valley growers lost over 15,000 acres of alfalfa to winter kill. A substantial portion of that acreage has been planted to potatoes. While much of the increase is organic, it will add to the state’s supply. When the organic market gets flooded, growers move the surplus through regular market channels rather than dropping prices. Finally, there is no reason to expect a repeat of last year’s yield losses in Texas and in some of the other russet growing areas.

Red Potatoes

Burdensome supplies of storage potatoes in the Red River Valley have weighed on red potato prices for the last six months. That may leave prices at the start of the Big Lake, Minnesota, harvest well below year-earlier levels. The market tone in Big Lake will play a major role for pricing of red potatoes through the end of December or later. NEW/USED WALK-IN COOLER-FREEZER REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS HUGE INVENTORy-All SIZES BUy  SEll  NATIONWIDE 

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July / August 2018

In most recent years, Big Lake growers have managed to maintain reasonable prices throughout their marketing season. Red River Valley growers have tended to hold back until the central Minnesota harvest winds down before moving large volumes of potatoes. They may be leery of holding back following last year’s experience. Though other areas are growing more red potatoes, Red River Valley supplies tend to dictate pricing throughout the storage season. While acreage plays a role in the Valley’s production, yields and acreage loss (due to drowned out fields) can overwhelm the impact of acreage changes. Last year, growers managed to hold prices strong for much of the shipping season in spite of a large crop. However, the strong prices came at the expense of movement. Much of the storage crop had to be diverted to other uses because supplies backed up. For the 2018 crop, growing and harvest conditions in the Red River Valley are likely to determine pricing during the storage season. Growers may be reluctant to hold back on shipping, to support prices, after their experience with the 2017 crop.

Yellow Potatoes

The retail market for yellow potatoes continued to grow during the 2017-18 marketing year. However, prices fell behind year-earlier values, and growers struggled with quality issues. Yellow potato acreage may be down in some areas this year, but growers in other areas are likely to continue the expansion. The big question for growers is whether the market for yellow potatoes has reached a saturation point, or whether last year’s price issues were related to quality problems. Growers are likely to be testing demand for yellow potatoes during the coming year.

Chip Potatoes

Storage contract volumes are similar to those for the 2017 crop. However, chip companies cut back on early-season contracts. That may allow field-delivery contracts in the storage states to clean up this year, rather than being converted

Potato Crop into storage contracts. Chip companies are hoping to become less dependent upon early-season contracts from Florida and other growing areas due to difficulty finding trucks to move those potatoes. Reports indicate that storage contract prices to growers declined slightly this year, as chip companies worked to stabilize delivered prices, in spite of increased transportation costs.

Dehydration

Dehydrators rely on off-grade table potatoes for their major source of raw potatoes. However, that has not been sufficient to keep plants supplied in recent years. Processors have had to supplement raw product supplies with field-run contracts. Last year, they cut back on that source of raw product, with expectations that open market potatoes would be plentiful, and priced below contract values. That strategy didn’t work well. Therefore, contract volumes increased this year. If table potato production increases, as expected, raw product supplies are likely to be plentiful.

By Bruce Huffaker, Publisher North American Potato Market News

HUFFAKER'S HIGHLIGHTS • Contract prices for processing and chip potatoes are locked in for the season. o Most fry contract prices are up about 5 percent from last year (there are exceptions). o Storage chip potato contract prices are down by enough to hold delivered prices steady. • While russet table potato acreage is relatively flat, other factors dictate that supplies from the 2018 fresh crop are likely to increase. o Processors are unlikely to buy as many open potatoes as they purchased from the 2017 crop. o Texas crop losses are unlikely to be repeated. o San Luis Valley growers planted extra potatoes on land where alfalfa winterkilled.



• Red potato pricing will be dependent upon summer and fall growing conditions in the Red River Valley.



• Growers are likely to test whether or not the yellow potato market has reached a saturation point.



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 [email protected].

Yields will play a significant role in establishing open market prices for the 2018 potato crop. A review of historical data indicates that growers typically plant close to the right amount of potatoes to meet demand, at profitable price levels, based on their yield expectations. When yields exceed those expectations, prices tend to be weak. In years when yields fall short of expectations, the market is much stronger. It does not take much of a shift in yields to have a big impact on pricing. On a national basis, the average deviation from trend over the past 20 years has been less than 7 cwt per acre, ranging from 10 cwt per acre below trend to 19 cwt per acre above trend. The average deviation is less than 2 percent, while the maximum deviation was 5.1 percent of the expected yield. The deviations, though small, can cause prices to double, or more, when yields are down, or to drop by 50 percent, or more, when yields exceed expectations. PotatoCountry.com

27

National Potato Council

Farm Bill Stumbles in House With September Expiration Looming By John Keeling, NPC Vice President and CEO

T

he House Agriculture Committee kicked off the formal farm bill process this April by marking up its draft of a new bill. However, the bill failed to receive enough votes to pass on the House floor in mid-May. As of late May, the House majority leadership is working to find the necessary votes to send the bill forward before departing for the Fourth of July recess. It is anticipated that the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry will act on its own version of a new farm bill by that date, as well. Therefore, we now know how this process began, but the important question is when will it end?

The current farm bill expires at the end of September. It will need to be rewritten or extended by that date. Otherwise, portions of our agricultural policy will revert to laws written in the 1930s and 1940s. For agriculture and the American public, it is preferable that the entire bill be written to reflect our current and future needs. Simply extending a law that looks backward at our agriculture and nutrition needs is an unproductive use of tax dollars. For the potato industry, we rely upon farm bill programs to deliver value on international trade, agricultural research, pest and disease management, crop insurance and related programs. As a leader in the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance, we have seen the last two bills deliver on each of these issue areas.

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Potato Country

July / August 2018

Together with the Alliance, the following are priorities that the potato industry is seeking in a new farm bill: • Keeping the Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops (TASC) program operating at its full authorized level beyond Sept. 30 • Ensuring the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) allows all specialty crops to access $80 million annually ($105 million including temporary citrus disease funding) • Enhancing the APHIS Pest and Disease Programs to ensure they keep pace with current and future threats • Maintaining funding for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program • Supporting the Market Access Program (MAP) coalition’s efforts to enhance funding for that vital export program Though the budget for the new bill is tight, the amount of money the specialty crop industry is seeking is just a tiny fraction compared to the larger program crops or the livestock industry’s requests. The specialty crop industry does not rely on traditional farm “safety net” programs, but instead focuses on cutting-edge research and stimulating consumer demand both domestically and internationally. Having a strong buy-in to the bill from the fruit and vegetable industry is a positive from both a policy and a political point of view. The commodities that specialty crops represent appeal to urban and suburban consumers, where many of the required votes lie to pass a bill through the House of Representatives. We will be pushing hard for a bill to be completed before the end of September. It needs to contain the right policies for our industry and the American public. This goal is achievable with the focused effort of all our members and their allies.

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Know Your Insects Answers (from page 22)

Photo 1: Stink bug (genus Chlorochroa, one of the common kinds of plant-feeding stink bugs in Northwest potatoes) Photo 2: Lady bird beetle (These eggs are very similar to Colorado potato beetle eggs.) Photo 3: Stink bug (You might think Lygus eggs would be similar to stink bug eggs, but they are not. Lygus eggs are laid individually and partially embedded in the leaf or stem, making them very difficult to see.)

•Search by Variety •Search by Name •Search by State If you are a seed grower, contact me about how to get your info pushed to the top of searches. [email protected] or 503-724-3581

Photo 4: Assassin bug (This kind of bug is not common in potato, but when they are present can be extremely effective predators of many of our pests.)

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Rock/Clod/Eliminators 2015 Spudnik Air Sep 2014 Lockwood Air Vac 2014 Harriston Clod Hopper 4240 x 4-96”drums 2007 Harriston Clod Hopper 240 x 2 -96” drums 1995 Harriston Clod Hopper 200 x 2-80” drums 1994 STI 1260 Sand Machine Even Flows 2000 Spudnik 1800 600cwt 1997 Double L 860 600cwt 1996 Double L 860 600cwt Agritech 100cwt elevator with eye Stingers 2015 Spudnik 30” BC/ Fingers x 2 1994 Double L 30” x 12’ belt 1993 Spudnik 30” x 8’ belt 1991 Double L 833 30” x 12’ belted Chain 1990 Double L 832 30” BC/Finger rolls x 2 1988 Spudnik 2200 30” x 10’ BC/ fingers x 2 Beds 2013 Logan LP22’ bed combo EZ Tarp 2011 Logan LP24’ bed PTO 2009 Logan LP 24’ bed PTO 2007 Ag Bulk Bed 20’ Combo pto/elec Red 1998 Spudnik 20’ Combo 1996 Spudnik 2100 bed 26’ PTO 1996 Double L 801 Combo 20’ 1995 Double L 801 20’ Electric White 1992 Logan 22’ 90series White Electric Trucks 2007 Sterling 13spd MB 425hp, no bed, frame for 22’ bed, has PTO. 1991 Volvo/white L10-280hp cum. Motor, Spicer 7spd, 1999 Double L 801 Bed 20’ combo/ dual drive 1999 IH Auto with Spudnik 24’ bed PTO 2007 Sterling MB 425hp, 10spd, Spudnik 22’ bed Combo

2006 Mack 8LL Logan LP24’ bed PTO 2003 Mack 8LL Spudnik 4400 bed 24’ PTO 1979 Kenworth Dump truck 1976 Peterbuilt Dump Truck Crossovers / Wind Rowers 2008 Spudnik 6140 Four Row LH 2008 Spudnik 6140 Four Row RH 2007 Double L 851 Four row 2003 Double L 851 four row 2003 Lockwood 5000 Four Row LH 1993 Lockwood 2000 Two Row LH Harvesters 2014 Lockwood 574 4 row 2012 Lockwood 474 CR 4 row 2011 Spudnik 6400 4 row 2009 Spudnik 6400 4 row 2008 Lockwood 474H 4 row 2007 Double 853 4 row 2005 Spudnik 6400 4 row 2002 Double L 853 4 row 2000 Double L 873 4 row 1996 Lockwood 4620 two row 1994 Logan 90 series two row Seed Cutters 2013 Better Built 72” 2011 Milestone 72” 2009 Milestone 72” 1998 Milestone 60” 1999 Milestone 48” 1993 Milestone 36” Treaters New Excel 10”x 10’ Liquid/ powder Stainless New Excel 10” x 10’ Liquid/powder Mild Steel 1998 Milestone 42” duster 1993 Better Built 10’ x 8” Milestone 30” barrel

Planters 2014 Lockwood 6 row Pick 36”row Fertilizer 2010 Lockwood 6 row Air Cup 36” 2009 Harriston cup planter 8 row pull loaded 34” 2009 Lockwood 6 row Pick 34” Mechanical 2007 Gruse Bed planter 4 row low acres 2005 Grimme GL 6 row 34” hyd. 2005 Lockwood 6 row Pick 36” 2003 Kverneland 3300 Six row 34” 1994 Logan Four Row cup 36” 1993 Logan Six Row cup 36” Planter/Tare/Piler 2012 Spudnik 1110 30” x 24’ 3ph Double L 815 24” x 24’ 3ph & hyd. 1990 Milestone Utility PIler 16” Water Dammers 2018 Logan Yield Pro 6 row 1991 Ag Engineering Four Row Hyd reset Shredder/Vine Beaters 2012 Newhouse P1952 Pull hitch Tire Roller 36” 2006 Newhouse 4row tire roller 2005 Alloway/Woods 6 row 2001 Newhouse 4 row tire roller 1987 UFT 6 row pull hitch Warehouse/Packaging Tilt belt Warehouse Even flow 600cwt 8’6” x 26’ x 14’ 30” belt 230 V 3ph Odenburg Halo 2000 80” optical grader /rolling table 2011 Tong & Peel Roll Sizer 4 drop large volume, gently used 2012 Kwik Lok 865 Bag closer 2001 Tri Steel Conveyor 18” x 9’ 2013 Tri Steel Elev. Conv 12” x 21’ flights Miscellaneous 2011 Brandt 13 x 70 swing Auger John Deere 24’ Folding Drills 6”

Bruce: (208)390-5120 | [email protected] Evan: (208)757-8481 | [email protected] PotatoCountry.com

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Potato Growers of Washington

Improving Equity and Efficiency in PGW By Dale Lathim, Potato Growers of Washington

I

n previous issues of Potato Country, I have addressed the evolution that Potato Growers of Washington (PGW) has had to make over the past 30 years to not only remain relevant, but to continue to provide a valuable service at a great price. When PGW was born out of the ashes of the original Washington Potato Growers Association, the dues were set at one half of one percent of the value of the average contract for that year. In 1989, that average contract price was $70/ton, so the dues calculated out to 35 cents/ton. That 35 cents/ton has remained the exact same, even though the weighted average value of our contracts today is $140/ ton. With the contract price doubling in that time and the rate of dues paid to PGW remaining at the same fixed amount, dues are now only one quarter of one percent of the value of the contract. One thing that has not remained the same since the inception of PGW is the size of our member growers’ operations. In the beginning, we had over 400 member growers farming nearly 100,000 acres of contracted potatoes. Using a simple average, that calculates to only 250 acres per member. This past year, we had

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Potato Country

July / August 2018

58 member growers that contracted more than 120,000 acres of potatoes, for a simple average of more than 2,000 acres per member. While there have always been growers of disparate sizes, the original founders of PGW felt that a way to even that out was to give each grower one vote in all matters, regardless of the size of their operation. The dues that I mentioned were also capped in an attempt to even out the grower obligation to the organization. This was a very wise idea at the time and has served us relatively well up until the recent few years. As the difference in acreage of our members has ballooned to where the member grower with the biggest operation is now producing more than 100 times more potatoes than the smallest one, the PGW board of directors decided to explore new ways to address this issue and to give PGW a stronger voice at the bargaining table in the future. The board decided to present to the entire membership a proposal to change the structure in a few key ways designed to make it more equitable for all growers to be members of PGW and, at the same time, make the organization more efficient and more effective. A key change proposed and accepted by the members in a grower vote was to remove the cap from the dues and have all growers pay the same amount of each ton of potatoes sold to frozen processors. The target is to collect the same dollar amount in total for the crop year as we have been receiving. But by collecting on all tons, the rate would be reduced from 35 cents per ton down to 14 cents per ton. Most growers will experience a very significant cost savings in their dues, while a few will pay significantly more in total. The second key change is that instead of giving each member one vote, no matter the size of the operation, votes starting in 2019 will be weighted by the prior year’s production of potatoes. For instance, if Member Grower A produced 7 percent of the total volume of potatoes produced by PGW voting members, Grower A’s one vote would carry 7 percent of the total weight of the vote. This system will allow those growers’ voices in the organization to carry an equal weighting to their “skin in the game.” Those with more at stake will have a louder voice. We also made some key changes to the board of directors meant to make our internal operations more efficient and to bring our bylaws up to date with current laws and business trends. Overall, the PGW board of directors has once again taken the bold move of thinking outside the box and being proactive to maintain the effectiveness and efficiency of the organization. This past year, we received the largest percentage settlement on a twoyear contract of any bargaining organization in North America. Rather than patting themselves on the back, board members are looking ahead at ways that they can continue to get the best settlements possible at the most efficient cost to all member growers.

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PotatoCountry.com • May / June 2018 Western focus. National impact.

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