November 2015
Country
Seed Crop Reports
POTATO COUNTRY 6777 NE Vinings Way #1324, Hillsboro, OR 97124
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Summer Heat Affects Crop, Markets
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Vol. 31 No. 7
Country
Table of Contents
www.potatocountry.com Columbia Publishing 6777 NE Vinings Way #1324 Hillsboro, Oregon 97124 Phone: (509) 248-2452
November 2015 6 Lane Farms
Editorial Board
Favorable Season, Fast Harvest
14 Buyan Ranch, Inc.
Washington State Potato Commission
The Golden Rule of Shipping Seed
(509) 765-8845
1 8 2015 Pacific Northwest Seed Reports 20 Low Canadian Dollar Yielding Added Dividends
Oregon Potato Commission
for Canadian Growers
26 TRB Dykema, LLC.
New Growers Prove to be Quick Studies
34 Lake Farms
Chris Voigt
Executive Director
(503) 239-4763
Bill Brewer
Executive Director
Insect Identification Quiz: Andy Jensen, Ph.D., regional research director, Washington, Idaho and Oregon potato commissions. Disease Identification Quiz: Dr. Jeff Miller, plant pathologist and president and CEO of Miller Research, Rupert, Idaho.
Potato Country Contacts
Growing Clean Seed Amid a Water War
Denise Keller........................
[email protected] Editor
J. Mike
[email protected] Publisher / Advertising Manager
Departments
Jeraleh Kastner..................
[email protected] Production / Circulation Manager
D. Brent
[email protected]
10 Insect Quiz
Consultant
11 Calendar
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].
12 PGW 22 Market Report
ADVERTISING SALES For information about advertising rates, mechanics, deadlines, copy submission, mailing, contract conditions and other information, call Mike Stoker at (509) 949-1620 or email
[email protected].
24 In the Market
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION U.S........................ 1 year, $18.00; 2 years $31.00, 3 years, $41.00. Canada.................. 1 year, $30.00; 2 years $49.00; 3 years 68.00. Foreign.................. 1 year, $45.00; 2 years $85.00; 3 years $121.00. Payments accepted by check, Visa, MasterCard or American Express. Subscriptions can be entered online at www.potatocountry.com. Email address changes/corrections to
[email protected] or send to Potato Country, 6777 NE Vinings Way #1324, Hillsboro, OR 97124.
30 Disease Quiz 31 In the News
On The Cover Rob Lane, owner of Lane Farms in La Grande, Ore., checks soil moisture and inspects tuber quality in a Shepody field midJuly. Photo courtesy Lane Farms
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Potato Country
Crews sort seed as it makes its way into the cellar at TRB Dykema, LLC. Photo courtesy TRB Dykema, LLC. See story on page 26.
November 2015
Potato Country magazine (ISSN 0886-4780), is published nine times per year, mailed under permit No. 410, paid at San Dimas, CA. It is produced by Columbia Publishing, 6777 NE Vinings Way #1324, Hillsboro, OR 97124. Copyright 2015. 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 Publishing. For information on reprints call (509) 949-1620. CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED Send to: Potato Country, 6777 NE Vinings Way #1324, Hillsboro, OR 97124
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Lane Farms
Favorable Season, By Denise Keller, Editor
T
his year, harvest at Lane Farms in La Grande, Oregon, was fast and furious – just the way potato harvest should be, says grower Rob Lane. The crop was amazing, the weather was ideal and the harvest was completed in record time. The grower chalks up the speedy harvest to new sorting equipment purchased this year, one of several upgrades made on the farm in the last decade. Lane’s ongoing investment in the farm stems from his interest in utilizing the best tools available, while the timing of his purchases reflects his appreciation of a lesson taught to him by his father, a former banker. “My dad said, ‘if you can’t pay for it
outright, then don’t buy it,’” Lane recounts. “Even though my dad wasn’t a farmer, his wisdom on how to use and spend money was invaluable to me. Now I can afford to buy these things because I took the correct road to get here.”
Taking a Career Detour
Lane’s career path took a sharp turn in 1990. He was studying communication at Boise State University when he learned of an opportunity to run a seed potato farm. Pete Taggares, an Othello, Washington potato grower and a business acquaintance of Lane’s father, was looking for someone to manage his La Grande farm, which produced seed for his largescale operation
including what is now Threemile Canyon Farms in Boardman, Oregon. With no previous farming experience, Lane and his brother took the job managing 500 acres of seed potatoes. After receiving some training the first year on the job, they were on their own to learn through much trial and error. In 1998, the brothers purchased the business, and in 2002 Lane became the sole owner. Today, Lane Farms spans 1,425 acres with 205 acres planted in potatoes and the remainder in hard red winter wheat and soybeans. Lane purchases Generation II seed mainly from growers in Montana, and sells Generation III seed to commercial growers in Idaho and the Columbia Basin of Oregon
Rob and Carrie Lane, pictured with daughters, 10-year-old Marissa and 8-year-old Natasha, farm 205 acres of seed potatoes in La Grande, Ore. Photo courtesy Lane Farms
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November 2015
Fast Harvest and Washington. Shepody, Ranger Russet and Russet Norkotah have been staples on the farm for the last 15 to 20 years, with Shepody currently accounting for twice the production of the other two.
Investing in the Farm
Lane is a proponent of using technology to his advantage. Assuming a new tool or technique is not cost-prohibitive, he is usually interested enough to give it a try, he says. The grower has been using variable rate irrigation for eight years and variable rate fertilizer for five years. Both have been useful in dealing with the “variety pack” of soil types on the farm, which includes sandy loam and clay with soil variances
every 15 to 20 acres. Variable rate fertilizer application has been especially beneficial. Applying fertilizer based on grid sampling “has made all the difference in the world,” Lane says, noting that it resulted in a more even crop and size distribution and increased yield so much that he had to reduce the amount of acreage planted – “a great problem to have.” In recent years, Lane has begun updating various pieces of farm machinery. He purchased equipment to do in-furrow fertilizer applications about three years ago, which has been fantastic in facilitating quicker seed germination. In the last year or two, he also bought new tractors to pull
larger discs, allowing him to cultivate fields more quickly. The most recent purchase of the new sorting machine has been worth its weight in gold, Lane says. With the equipment’s high-speed capability to sort single drops from regular-size seed as it goes into the cellar and sort out the oversize spuds, harvest took 11 days compared to the usual two to three weeks. This greatly reduced labor expenses, Lane says, and he is confident that the sorter will soon pay for itself. “I wish I had gotten the equipment sooner, but it took me a while to get the farm and ground paid off, then I could start with equipment,” the grower explains.
Rob Lane digs up a Ranger Russet plant to check tuber quality about two months prior to harvest. Photo courtesy Lane Farms
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While Rob Lane utilizes technology such as variable rate irrigation and variable rate fertilizer, the grower is also diligent about spending time in the fields checking the soil moisture and plants. Photo courtesy Lane Farms
“There’s no doubt that my dad taught me an extremely valuable lesson that if I can’t pay for it, don’t buy it. I didn’t want to get in over my head. Had I bought on credit and had a bad year, I could have gotten pinched.”
Growing a Clean Crop
Even with technology and modern equipment, still more is required to produce a quality crop. “You still have to get your boots dirty,” Lane points out. “Without a doubt, a
hands-on approach is the silver bullet.” Potato Virus Y (PVY) remains the most challenging disease to manage, especially given that PVY symptoms can be particularly difficult to detect in Shepody and Russet Norkotah, both of which Lane
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grows. The grower combats the disease by starting with clean seed, walking the fields daily and rogueing the crop diligently to stay ahead of any disease outbreaks. He also works to keep plants healthy by taking weekly petiole and soil samples and adding micronutrients accordingly. “I want my customers to have a nice, clean crop. If seed has disease in it, it’s going to affect the customer’s yield, and he’s going to be looking for another source,” the grower says, adding that Lane Farms has served some of its customers for more than 10 years. “As a seed grower, you want 100 percent quality because your reputation is everything. If you start sending out seed that’s too big or too small or doesn’t look good, word of mouth will kill you.” This year’s seed crop was excellent, Lane says, thanks to ideal growing conditions throughout the season. Daytime high temperatures approached 90 or 95, and nights cooled off to 45 or 55 degrees. Like most crops in the Pacific Northwest this year, the potatoes matured about 10 days to two weeks ahead of normal. Lane vine killed in mid-August, and then waited for the weather to cool down, giving the skins
SureFire Ag Systems
Rob Lane inspects spuds as they make their way from the field to storage. With the purchase of new potato sorting equipment, pictured in the background, the grower was able to complete harvest in record time. Photo courtesy Lane Farms
an extra week to 10 days to set, before harvesting in his usual timeframe of mid-September. Yields were 5 to 10 percent above average, and the majority of the tubers were good size for seed. “The uniformity is really nice on the
Ranger Russet, Russet Norkotah and Shepody. Nothing is misshapen, and we took out the oversize, so it looks good,” Lane reports. “Customers should be most pleased with what they’re going to get next year.”
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Insect Biology Quiz Dr. Andy Jensen
As we turn the calendar from October to November, it’s time again for the annual scary critters quiz! In the three photos below are four different critters that some people find scary. Questions: 1. What is each critter? 2. Critters very similar to these – such as closely related species – are associated with potato production in some way. How, when or where?
A.
B.
C. This material is provided courtesy of Andy Jensen, Ph.D., Regional Research Director for the Idaho, Washington and Oregon Potato Commissions. He can be contacted at: (509) 760-4859 or
[email protected]
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Potato Country
November 2015
ANSWERS, Page 33
Calendar Nov. 18-19 Pacific Northwest Vegetable Association Conference and Trade Show, Three Rivers Convention Center, Kennewick, Wash. Contact Sheri Nolan, (509) 585-5460 or visit www.pnva.org.
Dec. 15-16 Washington State Potato Summit, Grand Hotel, Spokane, Wash. Contact Washington State Potato Commission, (509) 765-8845.
2016
Editor’s Note: To have your event listed, please email the editor, Denise Keller, at
[email protected]. Please send your information 90 days in advance.
LANE FARMS
• Ranger • Shepody • Norkotah •
Generation 3 Certified Seed Potatoes
Jan. 12-14 Potato Expo 2016, The Mirage, Las Vegas, Nev. Visit www.potato-expo.com.
Jan. 14-15 NPC 2016 Annual Meeting, The Mirage, Las Vegas, Nev. Contact Hollee Alexander, holleea@nationalpotatocouncil. org.
Jan. 19–21 48th Annual Idaho Potato Conference and 37th Ag Expo, Pond Student Union Building and Holt Arena, Pocatello, Idaho. Visit http://web.cals.uidaho.edu/ potatoconference/.
Jan. 26–28 Washington-Oregon Potato Conference, Three Rivers Convention Center, Kennewick, Wash. Visit www. potatoconference.com.
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Convenient Location Situated along I-84 in Northeast Oregon Save on freight with La Grande’s easily accessible location 2 hours to Caldwell, Idaho 2 hours to the Tri-Cities in Washington Quality Seed Grown in the isolated Grande Ronde Valley Grown in accordance with Oregon’s strict seed standards Visit our website
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Rob Lane Cell: 541-786-LANE (5263) Fax: 541-963-9737 November
Potato Country
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Potato Growers of Washington
It’s Time to Correct Futu Incentives and Disincenti I
n a prior column, I wrote about the declining yield trend that we have been seeing and its impact on grower returns. Besides the lower yields, growers this past year have been also experiencing the painful impact of multiple deductions for quality due to excess heat. When our contracts were designed, the intent was that the upside and downside of the quality incentives would be in relation to the impact that the processors
12
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November 2015
would experience in their plants due to waste or lost efficiency. For the most part, that has always been true and accurate as there would normally be only one or, at most, two attributes resulting in a deduction. However, this year, we have seen more than a few days where grower returns were exceptionally low, yet the potatoes were not below the rejection level for any attribute. The reason this occurred was that multiple quality attributes resulted
in deductions that, when combined, were exponentially greater than what we believe the impact to the plant was. For instance, we saw fields that received deductions for size, specific gravity, shape (only 6 ounces and above were included in the shape incentive, so size is hit twice) and having a few sugar ends. In one case, I remember well over half of the base price was lost, yet the potatoes were not rejectable. This subject has come up many times
ure Potato Contract ives in the grower discussion during negotiations, and it has always been downplayed because no one could imagine this happening here. But now that we have firsthand experience that it can and has, it needs to be fixed and will be a very high priority in all future contract talks. While it is too early to make any predictions as to what the final outcome will be this year, I fully expect that future contracts will have either fewer incentive/ disincentive scales or a floor as to the maximum amount of deductions allowed.
No matter the form in which the risk is addressed, it will result in growers having more stability going forward in case we have another year like this one, or even on a good year a grower has a field that does not perform. One of the most common comments we have heard this year is that the risk in the contract is so great that it takes the profit from three fields to make up for the losses on one bad field. Not all growers have dozens of fields to spread their risk over, so one underperforming field
By Dale Lathim Potato Growers of Washington
may result in no profit for the year or, in some cases, a financial loss on the entire farm even with a good crop on their other potato fields. Between the lower yields and some cases of reduced quality, the grower base is in need of a market correction in the contracts. It is our desire to restore more reality to the downside in the potato contracts and to be sure that when the industry talks about sustainability, the contract grower should be part of that consideration.
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Buyan Ranch, Inc.
The Golden Rule of By Denise Keller, Editor
The Buyan family grows 200 acres of seed potatoes in Sheridan, Mont. Pictured, from left, are Marcus, Mike, Peggy and Bill, with 9-year-old grandson Clintin in the front. Photo courtesy Buyan Ranch, Inc.
B
ill and Peggy Buyan strive to follow what could be considered the “golden rule” of the seed potato business: ship seed to your customers in the condition you would like to receive it. This serves as the motto at Buyan Ranch and one of the reasons customers return year after year. With more than two decades of experience in the potato business, the Buyans 14
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November 2015
manage about 200 acres of potatoes on their Sheridan, Montana farm. Russet Burbank has been the staple variety through the years and currently accounts for a quarter of the farm’s spud ground with Umatilla Russet making up most of the balance. The Buyans start with mini-tubers and grow seed out through Generation III, which they sell mostly to commer-
cial growers in the Columbia Basin, as well as to some customers in Minnesota and North Dakota. When seed reaches its destination, it should be ready to be cut and planted, according to the growers. “We’re really particular about what we ship out to our customers,” Peggy says, listing oversized and misshapen tubers as examples of what is sorted out. The Buyans say they go beyond grad-
Shipping Seed ing requirements when sorting seed. Phone calls from customers saying the seed looks great going through the cutters makes the extra diligence worthwhile. “We could have gotten a few more dollars if we hadn’t culled so much, but it’s not just about the dollars,” Bill shares. “It’s about trying to give our customers a great product that they want to purchase year after year.”
Growing a Clean Crop
Providing customers with a quality product starts in the field at Buyan Ranch. Bill plants at a tight spac-
ing of 7 to 7.5 inches to limit tuber size, and then checks the size profile each day starting in early August to determine the ideal timing for vine kill and harvest. Timing is also crucial in applications of fertilizer, insecticides and other inputs, the grower says. “With growing seed potatoes, things have to be done on time and done correctly,” Bill says. “We never cut corners on our crop inputs for the potatoes, whether prices are really good or we think they may not be as good. We have too high of a dollar cash crop to risk not making an application.” Like most growers, the Buyans find
Potato Virus Y (PVY) to present the greatest challenge. They protect their potatoes through a number of practices including making fields less attractive to aphids by planting a border crop of winter wheat to eliminate bare ground around field edges. In the last three years, they have also benefited from the use of crop oils as a means of inhibiting aphids from transmitting the virus. Applications are made every three to four days beginning at plant emergence. In addition, the Buyans separate the farm’s nuclear and Generation I plots so that if one becomes infected, it will not affect both generations. And last but not
November
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The Buyans, pictured rogueing a field of Umatilla Russets, rogue fields four or five times each growing season to keep ahead of any potential problems. Photo courtesy Buyan Ranch, Inc.
least, the growers rogue the fields four or five times during the growing season. “We feel like that’s what we need to do to give ourselves and our customers the best product we can. It doesn’t mean we’re not going to have PVY or have a problem, but we’re going to try to do everything possible to prevent it,” Bill explains. “I’ve come to the conclusion that seed potatoes will never be completely clean of PVY unless the future brings resistant varieties or some new chemical modes of action.” This year’s Russet Burbank crop was very clean of PVY and the Umatilla Russets had just a minor amount of infection, Bill reports. Overall, the grower is happy with the crop he put into storage this fall. Although the excessive heat early in the season resulted in a higher percentage of
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Buyan Ranch, Inc. sells Umatilla Russet and Russet Burbank seed. Pictured checking the progress of the Russet Burbank crop are Bill, Marcus, Mike and Clintin. Photo courtesy Buyan Ranch, Inc.
oversized seed and caused some of the bigger Burbanks to be misshapen and knobby, the majority of the seed was blocky and uniform. Yield was about average on the Russet Burbank crop, and the Umatilla Russet yield turned out to be slightly above average and better than expected.
Farming as a Family
Bill Buyan is a third-generation Montana farmer with fourth and fifth generations in the wings. In the 1920s, Bill’s grandparents, Guy and Lucille George, started raising beef cattle and dairy cows near Whitehall, Montana, where they also grew potatoes from the 1940s until the sale of the farm in 1968. Meanwhile in 1961, Bill’s parents, Bill Sr. and Leona Buyan, started a cattle ranch on the land currently farmed
by Bill and Peggy. Bill Sr. passed away in 1977, so Bill, age 18 at the time, partnered with his mother on the farm for many years. Leona, now 88, still lives on the farm, serves as president of Buyan Ranch and just retired from sorting spuds five years ago. But the cattle business was tough in the 1980s with prices well below the cost of production, Bill recalls, so the family began looking for an opportunity to diversify. In 1992, the Buyans partnered with Dennis Day in growing seed potatoes. The Buyans had the land, and Day, a former potato inspector, had the “potato know-how.” The two started with 40 acres and had their first crop of Generation II Russet Burbank seed for sale in 1993. But being new in the business, they still hadn’t sold any seed by
Bill and Peggy Buyan’s younger son, Mike, runs the windrower during harvest and works on the ranch during his time off from his job as a bush pilot in Alaska. Photo courtesy Buyan Ranch, Inc.
February of that year. As it turns out, quite a few seed growers in the Ronan, Montana area had just received winter grow-out results with heavy PVY infection, according to Bill. The standard practice was to flush out the seed and start anew, he says, but most of the seed producers in the state had already sold their Generation II seed. “When they went looking for other seed, we were the only ones that had any. So PVY actually helped us to market our first crop, or I don’t know if we would have sold that first crop,” Bill recounts, adding that he sold out within two days.
The Buyans take pride in carefully sorting seed before shipping. Peggy Buyan, pictured sorting Russet Burbank seed, oversees the cellar and shipping operations of the farm. Photo courtesy Buyan Ranch, Inc.
After a couple years, the new grower expanded to about 80 acres and doubled acreage once again in 2000 when he built an additional potato storage shed and became one of the first growers in the state to plant Umatilla Russet – a numbered variety at the time. For the last two years, in addition to Russet Burbank and Umatilla Russet, the Buyans have been growing Clearwater Russets, which will be available to customers in two years. In addition to the spuds, the family grows hard red spring wheat, alfalfa hay and grass hay, and also raises 400 Black Angus mother cows. In all, they tend to a total of 3,000 acres.
The Buyans take great pride in operating a family farm and believe their hands-on involvement helps ensure a quality product. Bill drives truck while Peggy oversees the cellar and shipping. Their older son, Marcus, runs the harvester and has been farming full-time since returning from college in 2011. Younger son, Mike, is a bush pilot in Alaska, but runs the windrower and works on the ranch during his time off. And Marcus’ 9-year-old son, Clintin, loves to help on all parts of the ranch. With their sons and grandson actively involved in the family operation, Bill and Peggy are excited to see what the future holds for Buyan Ranch.
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2015 Pacific Northwest Seed Montana Seed Potato Crop
By Nina Zidack, Montana Seed Potato Certification director The 2015 crop is in the cellar following a very mild and frost-free harvest season. Reported yields are average to slightly above average in Gallatin, Beaverhead and Madison counties. The growing season brought unique challenges with temperatures above 100 degrees Fahrenheit during late June and early July, which influenced tuber set. The remainder of the growing season was relatively mild with optimal growing conditions, which finished out the second and third sets nicely. Lake and Flathead county areas were hotter and drier throughout the growing season, and some farms in Lake County were placed on irrigation restrictions, which reduced yield. Montana seed potato acreage inched 3 percent higher to 10,242 acres compared to 10,136 acres in 2014. Russet Burbank is holding as the dominant variety with 4,312 acres, followed by Umatilla at 1,572 acres and Ranger Russet at 1,236 acres. Standard Norkotah continues to decrease and is now down to 241 acres, a 38 percent drop from a year ago. Norkotah Texas lines have increased 40 percent from 389 acres to 650 acres, and Idaho lines have increased 30 percent from 57 to 82 acres. Norkotah Colorado 3 increased 7.5 percent to 442 acres. For two consecutive years, Clearwater Russet production has more than doubled and is now at 265 acres. Teton is also on a steady increase and is now at 55 acres. A 18
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total of 56 varieties were registered for certification. In Montana, production of seed with very low virus levels is enhanced by our growers’ practice of planting all Generation I potatoes as family units. Each unit is planted with the daughter tubers from a single nuclear generation plant. During the summer, each unit is 100 percent tested for PVY and PVA. If a test comes back positive, the whole unit is removed. In addition, all Generation II fields are tested for PVA, PVY and PVX, and Generation III fields are virus tested if they are being grown for recertification. We also test for all three viruses in the winter grow-out, which will be planted in November on the island of Oahu, Hawaii.
Oregon Seed Potato Crop
By Jeff McMorran, Oregon Seed Certification Service Planting conditions were near ideal in most of Oregon’s seed potato production areas in 2015; however, unusually hot weather occurred during much of the growing season. This warmer weather did not seem to negatively affect yields or tuber quality however, although inspectors did notice increased levels in blackleg, white mold, and Alternaria-like leaf spotting in many lots. Harvest conditions were a bit warm at the beginning of the season, causing some delays, but turned into comfortably warm, calm autumn days and cool, fair nights for the rest of the harvest
season. Yields were exceptional for many varieties resulting, in some cases, in a scramble to find adequate storage space. Water shortages in some areas continued to be a looming issue resulting in increased commercial production in traditional seed areas. Mosaic and other serious diseases were either absent or well within tolerable levels for most seed lots. Our harvest inspectors observed very few internal issues. Oregon had 2,860 acres of seed potatoes entered for certification in 2015, about average. Russet Norkotah (and RN selection) was the primary variety, accounting for 18.5 percent of Oregon production, by acres. However, other fresh market varieties like Gala, Blushing Belle (HO2000), Yukon Gold, Purple Majesty, Chieftain and others now make up about 20 percent of Oregon seed production. Processing-type varieties make up the major category of seed produced at about 55 percent. These were predominantly Ranger Russet, Umatilla Russet, Shepody, Alturas, Atlantic and Frito-Lay varieties. This year, the “old standby” Russet Burbank only made up 1.2 percent of Oregon seed acreage. The source of Oregon-grown seed continues to be predominately Montana, Nebraska and Canada, with only 7 percent of our production coming from Oregonproduced stock (based on acres planted). Nevertheless, this year 31 percent of our lots were first or second field year production (Nuclear and G1 class in Oregon), so this situation is likely to change. The primary class produced continues to be G2 at 34 percent of acres planted.
Reports
Growing Quality Seed For 62 Years!
Specific information on the varieties and acreage produced in Oregon can be found on our website at http://seedcert. oregonstate.edu/potatoes.
Washington Seed Potato Crop
By Scott Bedlington, Washington State Seed Potato Commission chairman Washington state seed potato growers report a good season. Certified seed potato acreage is up roughly 5 percent in Washington state. Increased acreage appears to be again in the yellow, red and specialty varieties, with the whites and russets staying about the same. Planting generally started early on the West Coast. Summer was very hot and dry, producing lots of heat units for a very quality crop. Seed size appears to be similar to last year. Late blight was not an issue due to a dry, warm summer and fall. Expect the quality of seed to be very good due to a very favorable growing season. Harvest weather this year was very accommodating to our growers. With cool fall nights and dry days, harvest went very smoothly and ended early. Yields are reported to be average to above average. Department of Agriculture reports very low aphid pressure and very few seed lots showing any sign visually for PVY. All field readings and varieties can be found in the 2015/2016 crop directory or online at www.waseedpotato.com.
Left to right: Sid, John, Jonathan, Carl, Nick and Cliff. Derived from Meristem Culture Try our Very Uniform and High Producers Rigid Sanitation Program in Field and Storage LINE SELECTIONS Long Rotations on Isolated Fields on Russet Burbanks, Modern Air and Humidity Control in All Storages All available Seed Generation II & Generation III Umatillas and Teton Russet A beautiful, smooth crop
SCHUTTER SEED FARM 3627 Wooden Shoe Rd., Manhattan, MT 59741 Sid: (406) 539-6478 l John: (406) 580-6446 Nick: (406) 539-6125 l Cliff: (406) 580-6818
November
Potato Country
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Low Canadian Dollar Yielding Adde By Myron Love
C
anadian potato growers this year are anticipating an enhanced bottom line as the result of the continuing decline in value of the Canadian dollar in comparison to its American counterpart. The Canadian dollar is currently worth just under 80 cents American. “We are expecting that the lower value of the Canadian dollar may be a factor in our pricing,” says Kevin Brubacher, office services/field manager for the Ontario Potato Board. Most Canadian vegetable growers sell their products through marketing boards or farmers’ co-ops. Dan Sawatzky, general manager of Manitoba’s Keystone Potato Processors, adds that Manitoba growers are expecting to see a slight increase in pricing, with the exchange rate playing a role in that, as well as an increase in volume. And Clement Lalancette, director general of the Potato Producers Federation of Quebec, agrees that the exchange rate will play a significant part in pricing. Quebec, in eastern Canada, has about 43,000 acres planted
in a variety of red, yellow and white potatoes. In Quebec, the table market accounts for more than 50 percent of production, with 10 percent for seed and the remainder for fries. Lalancette reports that Quebec growers are anticipating a bumper crop this year. “Actually, we have had high yields on average for the past six years as more and more of our producers are installing irrigation systems,” Lalancette notes, estimating that up to 50 percent of Quebec growers now use irrigation systems, and the number is growing by the year. “It makes for greater stability.” Brubacher notes that Ontario growers have been using irrigation systems for a number of years. Ontario, Canada’s largest province, has over 35,000 acres under cultivation. The crop is divided evenly between processors and the fresh market. “We are expecting a slight increase in yield over last year,” Brubacher reports. “The weather was favorable. We had timely rains in the spring and most of the summer. We had a dry spell
MANHATTAN Seed Potato Growers Family Operations Committed to the Highest Standards in the Industry Isolation Ideal for Insect Control All Seed Summer and Southern Tested for Virus Excellent Quality Controlled by Rigid Rouging and Sanitation Practices Many Varieties Available with Good Readings Top Yields and Tuber Uniformity from Years of Line Selecting Eugene Cole Bill Cole Glenn & Verne Droge Dan Dyk Doug Dyk TRB Dykema Foth Farms Sid & Tim Kamps Bill & Scott Kimm
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ed Dividends for Canadian Growers towards the end of the summer, but the crop is still looking good.” To the east of Ontario and Quebec, Prince Edward Island, Canada’s smallest province, has long been known as the potato capital of Canada. Greg Donald, general manager of the Prince Edward Island Potato Board, reports that in early October the yield looks to be as good as last year, noting the need to be careful with mid-harvest projections. “The weather has been pretty good. We had a few more wet days this year.” In Prince Edward Island, growers plant about 90,000 acres of potatoes annually. Donald reports that Russet Burbank is the most common variety planted, with Goldrush and Yukon Gold also in the mix. He adds that 60 percent of PEI potatoes are sold to processors, 30 percent is sold on the fresh market and 10 percent is for seed. Over the past 20 years, the west central Canadian province of Manitoba has become the second largest Canadian potatogrowing region. Growers planted more than 67,000 acres this
past season – about 4,000 more than last year – with Russet Burbanks dominating. Sawatzky reports that the McCain plant in the province uses most of the potatoes in its processing operation, with the Simplot plant taking most of the rest. The acreage also includes some potatoes for seed and the table. The next largest growing region is in Alberta in western Canada. Alberta growers plant 53,000 acres – largely Russet Burbanks – of which 39,000 are set aside for sale to processors. “The growing conditions were ideal,” says Terence Hochstein, the executive director of the Potato Growers of Alberta. In British Columbia, Murray Driediger, president and CEO of BC Fresh, reports that record heat over the summer has resulted in above average yields. “We are pleased with how the crop matured,” he says. “The quality is excellent.” British Columbia growers produce red, yellow and white potatoes, all for the processing market.
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Market Report
Summer Heat Hurt North S
ummer growing conditions have thrown numerous curve balls into the potato market this year. The impact is becoming apparent as the 2015 harvest winds down, but more surprises are possible. A negative acreage report dominated table potato markets through the summer months. Buyers mostly ignored the potential impact of summer heat in the Pacific Northwest, as prices moved lower on expectations for another potato surplus. The impact of summer heat on production and quality is only now becoming apparent, as the fall harvest wraps up. In contrast to the Pacific Northwest losses, growers in the Midwest and East are reporting record or near-record yields on their crops. The market impact of these developments varies regionally, as well as by industry sector. On June 30, USDA reported that growers planted 955,300 acres of fall potatoes in 2015. That is 18,400 acres more than they planted in 2014, a 2 percent increase. The growing season got off to an early start, holding promise for above-trend yields across the U.S. The combination of high yields and extra acreage convinced both buyers and sellers that 2015 would be another surplus production year. Though heat had already started to take a toll on potato yields and quality in both the Columbia Basin and Idaho, the industry chose to ignore those developments in its market assessment. However, losses created by the summer heat have been too large to ignore forever. USDA will not issue its first estimate of crop production until after we go to press. However, it seems clear that production will fall short of 2014 levels in both Idaho and Washington in spite of acreage increases in those two states. In addition, quality issues with this year’s crop will reduce pack-out rates and processing recovery rates for the remaining potatoes. Fryers have convinced themselves that they will have enough raw product without the need to tap open market supplies in the Pacific Northwest in spite of this year’s low yields. A number of factors, including the strong value of the U.S. dollar, have put a damper on French fry exports in recent months. Fryers believe that the downturn in export sales will be sufficient to bring raw product supplies in balance with their needs. If demand for finished product improves, plans call for turning first to Canada and then to Maine and the upper Midwest for extra raw product (all three areas are reporting strong yields this year). Only if supplies in those areas were to become exhausted would they turn to the Pacific Northwest for additional raw product. Summer heat took a toll on russet table potatoes throughout the Pacific Northwest. Columbia Basin table potato shipments have been running 17 percent behind the 2014 pace since the beginning of August. Some of that decline may be a response to poor prices, 22
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November 2015
but crop-year shipments are likely to be off by a minimum of 5 percent. The outlook for Idaho fresh potato shipments is even more ominous. Idaho supplied 35.4 percent of all fresh potatoes shipped from the 2014 crop. Current evidence suggests that fresh shipments from Idaho’s 2015 crop could fall 10-20 percent short of the 2014 pace. During the peak of harvest, between September 1 and midOctober, Idaho’s fresh potato shipments fell 7.6 percent short of the 2014 pace. For much of that period, prices continued to move lower in spite of the reduced shipments. The market failed to react to the slowdown until harvest came to an early end and it became apparent that the shipping slowdown was not a temporary anomaly. As the harvest came to a close, Idaho’s average shipping prices jumped more than 20 percent in one week. Prices were still moving higher at press time, as the market worked to cope with a new reality. Summer weather was not universally bad for potatoes. From North Dakota to Maine, and points in between, growers are reporting record or near-record yields on this year’s potato crop. In those areas, storages have filled up. Some growers may not be able to find places to hold all of their potatoes. In a few extreme cases, growers may abandon fields where there is no storage for the potatoes. Extra production in those growing areas may be sufficient to offset reduced production in the Pacific Northwest, and other growing areas, at least on paper. Reported production may be close to the 2014 potato crop. However, the mix of potatoes will be much different, and some of the potatoes may not exist. Does USDA’s June “Acreage” report include phantom potato acreage? We may not know the answer before January, or later. Growers in both Minnesota and Wisconsin question the acreage reported for those states. Data for Minnesota appear to be extremely questionable. According to USDA, Minnesota growers planted 50,000 acres of potatoes this year. That is actually 1,000 acres less than USDA reported for the state’s planted area on June 30, 2014. However, USDA reduced the 2014 estimate by 8,000 acres in its November “Crop Production” report. It trimmed the estimate by an additional 1,000 acres when it released revised final data for the crop on September 11. It is difficult to believe that Minnesota growers boosted acreage by 22 percent this year with no increase in processing capacity, no increase in contract volume and an extremely weak potato market. Similar arguments can be made for Wisconsin acreage, though the magnitude of changes is not nearly as significant, and USDA actually revised its estimate of the state’s 2014 acreage upward at the end of the season. Whether Minnesota’s potato acreage estimate is accurate or not, it is important to remember that the state has limited capacity to
hwest Potato Crops By Bruce Huffaker, Publisher North American Potato Market News
move potatoes through fresh market channels. Therefore, any extra production will need to go to processors (chip, fry and dehy operations), or it will have to be disposed of through nontraditional channels such as cattle feeding. Wisconsin has more capacity to move product through the fresh market, but a substantial portion of that state’s extra potatoes are varieties normally used for chip manufacturing and frying. Supplies of fresh potatoes are likely to be in a closer balance with demand than they have been in the past several years. Prices are likely to reach levels that will tempt early potato growers to plant more potatoes than they did for the 2015 crop. Growers in some fresh potato production areas, including Maine and Wisconsin, may be able to boost shipments to offset some of the shortfall in shipments from the Pacific Northwest, but they have neither the capacity nor the right type of raw potatoes to make up for the western shortfall. Reports indicate that storage chip potato supplies will be plentiful in growing areas east of the Rocky Mountains. The biggest challenge for growers has been to find adequate storage to hold their crop. Quality is good, though elevated solids may result in excessive bruising. Nevertheless, we expect northern chip plants to extend the storage season through most of May and, in some cases, into June. That is likely to reduce the available chip potato contract volume for growers in Florida and south Texas, and perhaps in some of the growing areas that produce raw product for use during the first half of June. Though more surprises are likely as the storage season progresses, orderly marketing of the 2015 potato crop is still the best
way to take advantage of the current supply situation. Supplies of table potatoes are limited enough that growers need not rush to take advantage of any price rally that materializes. On the other hand, if growers hold on to more potatoes than usual to take advantage of an anticipated price spike at the end of the season, the spike may not materialize. The best strategy, both for crop-year profits and for the long-term health of the industry, would be to maintain an even flow of potatoes through the marketing period relative to normal seasonal marketing patterns. Available supplies are likely to be down from last year throughout the season, but spreading those supplies out would help to preserve long-term demand for potatoes and potato products. Editor’s Note: To contact Mr. Huffaker, or to subscribe to North American Potato Market News (published 48 times per year), write or call: PO Box 135, Shelley, ID 83274; telephone (208) 525-8397; fax (208) 525-8569; or e-mail
[email protected].
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Potato Country
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In the Market
Syngenta Introduces Company Rolls Out New Fungicide for Improved Conveyor Rhizoctonia Belt Potato growers have a new option for controlling Rhizoctonia. Syngenta’s new fungicide Elatus® contains two active ingredients: the company’s recently registered broad-spectrum Solatenol® fungicide and azoxystrobin, both of which are said to be very active against Rhizoctonia species. Elatus will improve size distribution and crop stand uniformity, enhance crop health and optimize tuber quality, according to Syngenta. In addition, the product fits into disease management programs with no cross-resistance to strobilurin or triazole fungicides. Visit www.syngenta.com.
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Fungicide/ Bactericide Approved for Organics Cambridge Engineered Solutions has introduced PacLite, a new lighter-weight flat-wire conveyor belt. The belt’s weight, strength and variable openings should allow it to work well for rock traps where dirt, stones, stems and debris need to be separated from potatoes and other root crops such as carrots, beets and turnips, at the early stages of processing. According to the company, PacLite is 30-50 percent stronger than a standard flat-wire belt and weighs 10 percent less than its predecessor, PacTitan®. PacLite is available in standard and heavy-duty versions and features Cambridge’s NokLokTM picket technology, a proprietary form of interlocking links that increases strength, durability and product sta-
ChampION++™, a fungicide/ bactericide from Nufarm Americas, Inc., is now listed with the Organic Materials Review Institute. The product is labeled for control of early blight and late blight in potatoes. ChampION++ is a new dry formulation (water dispersible granule) of copper that features consistently smaller particles and other unique formulation attributes to provide more thorough coverage – and thus better disease control – with less environmental loading, according to the company. The smaller particle size is also said to enable users to apply a significantly lower rate of copper and still achieve effective disease control.
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November 2015
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TRB Dykema, LLC.
New Growers Prove to be Quick Studies By Denise Keller, Editor
The Dykema brothers, David, Kurt and T.J., farm 150 acres of seed potatoes in Manhattan, Mont. Photo courtesy TRB Dykema, LLC.
26
Potato Country
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A
learning experience, a fun challenge and an adventure are among the phrases brothers T.J., Kurt and David Dykema use to describe their first three years of growing seed potatoes. The Dykemas are among the newest faces in the Montana seed potato industry, having just planted their first spuds in 2012. There’s a steep learning curve to getting started in the business, the brothers say, but they are climbing it at a steady pace thanks to their neighbors’ willingness to share advice and their own willingness to consider new ways of getting the job done.
mostly farmed hay and grain and raised beef cattle. T.J., Kurt and David were doing the same, while also working part-time jobs. Wanting to trade in their part-time jobs for full-time farming careers, they began to look for opportunities to earn more income per acre. When Ron Dyk, a seed potato grower leasing ground from the Dykemas, retired, they bought him out. The Dykemas currently farm 1,000 acres with 150 acres set aside for potatoes and the rest of the ground devoted to hay, grain and cattle. The growers buy Generation II Russet Burbank and Umatilla Russet seed from another producer, and sell certified Generation III seed to commercial growers in Washington and Oregon. This year’s seed was of good size and free of Potato Virus Y, according to the growers. However, yield was about 5 to 10 percent below average. They attribute this mostly to the extremely hot weather in June, and in part to a late blight infection in midAugust. This was the first time the disease hit Montana’s Gallatin Valley. “We all thought it was just horrible
Getting Started
The Dykema brothers represent the fourth generation of their family to farm in Manhattan, Montana. Through the years, they had worked for other potato growers in the area and had helped neighbors with potato harvest. But with the exception of some potatoes grown by their grandfather, the crop was not part of the rotation on their own family’s farm. Older generations including their dad, Ranger Dykema,
because we hadn’t experienced it before. But talking to other people that have dealt with it in the past, it was a very minor incident,” T.J. reports. To keep the infection from further spreading in the field, the Dykemas decided to vine kill a week ahead of schedule, which may have affected yield. They plan to study the farm’s preventative fungicide program to determine if there are ways to better prevent late blight in the future.
Learning the Ropes
With the farm’s fourth potato crop out of the field, the Dykemas feel like they’ve come a long way in a short amount of time. Learning all that is entailed in growing seed potatoes hasn’t been easy, but it has been enjoyable. “I have no complaints. It’s been a great experience, and every year has been a little different,” Kurt says. “To me, it’s a fun challenge. But, I like challenges.” Weather has been responsible for a fair share of the challenges. Although the growers have been fortunate to avoid any major disasters in the early years of their venture,
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The Dykemas sell Umatilla Russet and Russet Burbank seed (pictured here) to commercial growers in Washington and Oregon. Photo courtesy TRB Dykema, LLC. David and Kurt Dykema pull up a Umatilla Russet plant to check tuber set mid-season. Photo courtesy TRB Dykema, LLC.
hailstorms are typical in the area. This year, three significant hailstorms – one in midJuly and two the following week – damaged the potato plants, but had minimal effect on the tubers. The growers recall a hailstorm leveling the fields in 2013. Water is an ongoing challenge, as the farmers pull irrigation water from a seasonal ditch with young water rights. With this year’s particularly hot and dry weather, the ditch dried up on July 3, a few weeks earlier than usual. To keep crops irrigated, the growers had to rely on well water, which increased expenses. But the greatest hurdle for the new potato growers has been absorbing the sheer volume of information needed to grow a quality seed crop. They have been able to draw from their previous farming experience, but still had to learn about tillage, field preparation, plant nutrition and rogueing nuances specific to potatoes. In addition, they have found that growing potatoes requires more inputs and more time in the field than their other crops.
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Along with the obstacles inherent in adding a new crop to the rotation comes one advantage, the growers say. “The benefit to being new is we don’t have any habits yet,” David explains. “It’s all new, so we’re not going to have the tendency to do something just because that’s the way we’ve always done it. We’re going to question everything we do because we haven’t done it before.” As they learn this new crop, the growers are searching out solutions that make sense for their operation, even if it’s different from what other farms are doing. Without previous generations to turn to for advice, the Dykema brothers sometimes seek feedback on the practicality of their ideas from neighbors and friends in the industry. Among the adjustments they have made is changing the seed spacing at planting. The first year, they followed the wide spacing used by Dyk, who also owned his own fresh-pack shed and sold oversized potatoes on the fresh market. Not set up for freshpack, the Dykemas wanted more uniform, smaller seed-size tubers. They tweaked the spacing in years two and three, eventually adopting a spacing of 7.5 to 8 inches, and are satisfied with the results.
The growers also revised the farm’s fertility program by changing from all dry, granular fertilizer to now using a combination of dry and liquid fertilizers. The change resulted in a cost savings by reducing the amount of dry fertilizer applied in the fall, which has the potential to be lost during the winter, and has enabled the growers to apply fertilizer in-season based on petiole samples. The Dykemas have also streamlined various processes with minor modifications to their equipment. For example, they added a tillage bar on the back of the planter to form more uniform hills and rip out the tractor’s tire tracks, which will increase water absorption. This adaptation saves an additional pass through fields that do not need to be dammer diked after planting.
Continuing to Learn
With each season, the growers gain more knowledge and expect to continue learning for as long as they’re in the business. “Do we have it all down? No, I don’t think so,” David reflects. “Do we know enough to move forward and do a good job? Yes, I think we’re there.” Looking ahead, the Dykemas would like to expand their potato acreage, but are limited by ground availability in the area, as well as their desire to effectively manage production.
T.J. Dykema gives seed a final inspection before it is piled in storage. Photo courtesy TRB Dykema, LLC.
“We’re not trying to be too big for what we can handle on our own. Our day-to-day operations are done within the family,” T.J. says. “Quality is very important to us over quantity.” To maintain quality, the growers try to carefully monitor soil moisture levels, routinely rogue fields and thoroughly sort seed shipments. “The level of workmanship that you put into it is as important as the methods used,” David points out. “I think the level of workmanship in this valley is very high, which helps us because we have very good role models to look at.”
Attention to detail for over 40 Years
Coles Corner Farms, Inc. Umatilla Seed Potatoes 4620 Churchill Road Manhattan, MT 59741 406-282 7287 Cell 406-920-0793 November
Potato Country
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Know Your Potato Diseases
Disease Identification Quiz Dr. Jeff Miller
The photos below show problems that were encountered by growers in the Pacific Northwest during the 2015 growing season. 1. While walking in a field early in the growing season, I saw the wilted plant in Photo A. I first suspected blackleg. However, when I grabbed the stem to pull the plant out of the ground, the above-ground portion of the plant easily came free from the below-ground stem. Closer examination of the below-ground stem showed a tunnel stretching down the row. What caused this plant to wilt? 2. Brown spots showed up in the center of the tubers in Photo B. Is this a result of a disease-causing pathogen? 3. The skin of the tubers in Photo C did not appear wrinkled, but the skin around the eyes appeared to be flaking off. When the skin was peeled, the tissue around the eyes was brown. Is this late blight? 4. The skin on the tuber in Photo D is cracked and split. What caused that to happen? 5. The plants in Photo E have black, slimy stems. Symptoms like this were common in many fields in 2015. What is causing this problem? 6. The tubers in Photo F were found in the same field as those in Photo C. However, the outer skin seemed more wrinkled. When the skin was peeled off, the brown discoloration appeared darker, almost copper-colored. Is this just a more severe case of what is visible in Photo C, or is this something different altogether?
A.
B.
(Photo courtesy Dr. Nora Olsen, University of Idaho)
D.
E.
C.
F.
Dr. Jeff Miller, a plant pathologist, is the president and CEO of Miller Research, Rupert, Idaho. He can be contacted by phone: (208) 5315124; cell: (208) 431-4420; email:
[email protected]
30
Potato Country
November 2015
ANSWERS, PAGE 33
In the News
Trans-Pacific Partnership Heads to Congress
With the Trade Promotion Authority bill signed into law this summer, which gave President Barack Obama “fast-track authority” in negotiating international trade deals, the president agreed to the Trans-Pacific Partnership this fall. The historic free trade deal between the U.S., Canada and 10 countries across the Asia-Pacific region will eliminate or significantly reduce tariffs on numerous U.S. products. The agreement will provide “a more level playing field in trade for American farmers,” according to a statement from Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. The agreement and its removal of unfair trade barriers will increase American agricultural exports, Vilsack said, listing vegetables among the exports expected to increase. The agreement must now be voted on by Congress, where it is expected to meet some opposition.
USDA Approves Second Generation of Innate
The USDA has given its stamp of approval to the second generation of J.R. Simplot Company’s genetically modified Innate potatoes. Like the first generation of Innate, the second generation has reduced susceptibility to blackspot bruise and reduced production of acrylamide formed by baking or frying. The second generation also features North American late blight resistance and lowered reducing sugars. The potato now awaits approval by the FDA and EPA, which the company expects within a year. Commercial planting would likely begin in 2017. The first generation of Innate potatoes were grown on 400 acres and marketed as White Russets. Simplot plans to market about 2,000 acres of the potatoes next summer. A third generation of Innate with resistance to Potato Virus Y is said to be in the works.
Governor Inslee Promotes Washington Potatoes in Asia
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee promoted Washington state frozen potato products during a recent international trade mission to South Korea and Japan. Sporting a Washington State Potato apron, Inslee handed out French fries made from Washington potatoes to dozens of customers at restaurants in Seoul, South Korea, and Tokyo, Japan. Trade mission delegates also met with trade partners to highlight Washington state industry and products and to discuss the hurdles exporters faced with the months-long West Coast port slowdown. Japan and Korea are two of the most important markets for Washington state potatoes. The markets combined for nearly $300 million dollars’ worth of frozen potato exports from Washington state last year.
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In the News
EPA Overhauls Agricultural Worker Protection Standard
In the first revision since 1992, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has updated the Worker Protection Standard intended to protect farmworkers and their families from pesticide exposure. The new set of rules will prohibit anyone younger than 18 from handling pesticides and require buffer zones around treated fields. It will also increase the frequency of pesticide training for farmworkers from every five years to every year. Other revisions include requirements for additional documentation and recordkeeping. Farm owners and their families will be exempt from the proposed rules. Many of the rules that EPA is proposing nationwide have already been adopted in states including Washington and California through state regulation. The majority of the EPA’s rule revisions will be effective approximately 14 months after the rules are published in the Federal Register, which is expected to happen by the end of the year.
Idaho Potato Commission Appoints New Commissioner
The Idaho Potato Commission has appointed James Hoff as a new commissioner. Hoff is a fourth-generation Idaho potato grower whose family farm, Hoff Farms, is in Idaho Falls. He has been involved with his family farming operation since he was 13 years old. He is currently the chief operating officer of the farm and is eager to jump into this new leadership
position. Hoff will serve a three-year term on the nine-member commission. Fellow commissioners Dan Nakamura and Lynn Wilcox were also sworn in for second three-year terms during the commission’s October meeting.
Cougars, the OPC owes foodbanks in Washington 41,500 pounds of potatoes. However, the WSPC is matching the bet, making for a total of 83,000 pounds of donated potatoes, which will provide an estimated 250,000 servings to people in need.
Retired Potato Researcher Dies
Colorful Potatoes May Fight Colon Cancer
Gary Reed, a retired entomologist at Oregon State University (OSU), passed away in Hermiston, Oregon, on September 29 at age 73. Reed worked as the superintendent at the OSU Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center until his retirement in 2005. Colleagues credit him with converting the experiment station from an animal research facility in disrepair into a thriving crops research station. Prior to starting work with OSU, where he also did insect and virus research on potatoes, Reed worked for USDA in Indiana. Reed is survived by his wife of 52 years, one daughter and two granddaughters, all of Hermiston.
Foodbanks Score Big With Potato Bet A friendly wager on a football game will send 83,000 pounds of potatoes to foodbanks in Oregon and Washington. The Washington State Potato Commission (WSPC) and Oregon Potato Commission (OPC) placed a bet that for every point scored during the Washington State University versus Oregon State University game, the commission of the losing team would donate 500 pounds of potatoes to a foodbank in the winning team’s state. Based on the 52-31 victory by the WSU
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Purple potatoes may inhibit colon cancer, according to scientists at Penn State University. Baked purple-fleshed potatoes suppressed the growth of colon cancer tumors in petri dishes and in mice by targeting the cancer’s stem cells. The portion size for a human would be about one large purple-fleshed potato per day. The researchers cite several compounds in purple potatoes that work together to impact cancer cells, including color-generating compounds known as anthrocyanins, and chlorogenic acid, both of which are antioxidants, and resistant starch. Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society.
Potato Industry Hits the Links for Charity
Columbia Basin potato producers, processors and industry representatives set a new event record by raising $61,915 to benefit the Spokane Ronald McDonald House Charities at the second annual Ag World Golf Classic. More than 100 golfers participated in the tournament, held June 16 at Canyon Lakes Golf Course in Kennewick, Washington. Ronald McDonald House Charities of Spokane provides temporary lodging, comfort and support for families with children accessing medical services in Spokane, and supports related efforts to improve children’s health in the region. The third annual Ag World Golf Classic is scheduled for June 13, 2016.
Know Your Diseases Answers (from page 30)
Know Your Insects Answers (from page 10)
1. Photo A shows the result of rodent feeding. The tunnel is believed to belong to a field mouse or vole. Additional inspection of the underground stem and tubers in the hill showed that whatever rodent was responsible, it had eaten a significant portion of the plant. Rodent damage was particularly severe in southern Idaho in 2015.
1. The insect in Photo A is a fly in the group called Psychodidae, or moth flies. Photo B shows the business end of a crab spider. Photo C is the photo with two insects: the caterpillar is a hornworm, larva of a species of hawk moth, and the brown cocoons attached to it hold the parasitic wasps that have developed inside the caterpillar.
2. The problem in Photo B is not a disease caused by a pathogen, but rather a disorder known as brown center. This disorder has also been called incipient hollow heart, brown heart or sugar center. Brown center can occur when small tubers are subjected to cool temperatures (below 55 degrees Fahrenheit) for several days during tuber initiation. 3. With as much late blight as has been seen around the country, late blight would be a good guess. However, the lesions in Photo C are symptoms of pink eye. Pink eye is also a physiological disorder and not a disease. While some organisms have been associated with this condition, none have been proven scientifically to be the cause. 4. The tuber in Photo D exhibits a disorder known as elephant hide or alligator hide. This disorder is believed to be caused by environmental factors, but it is not well understood. 5. Photo E depicts aerial vine rot believed to be caused by Pectobacterium atrosepticum (formerly Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica). However, Dickeya dianthicola (formerly Erwinia chrysanthemi) was reported in multiple northern states in 2015. Tubers can also exhibit soft rot symptoms. 6. This is not the same thing as what is shown in Photo C. The tubers in Photo F are infected by Phytophthora infestans, the cause of late blight.
2. Moth flies, as shown in Photo A, are one of the many groups that are associated with rotting tubers in storage. They are also commonly found in bathrooms and kitchens; larvae can live in drain plumbing and sewer lines. Crab spiders, as shown in Photo B, are common on foliage and flowers in potato fields. As for the critters in Photo C, hornworms sometimes appear in potato fields, developing into caterpillars about 4 inches long. Species of wasp are parasites of important potato pests, such as aphids and loopers, and can be abundant, especially in certified organic production.
2016 University of Idaho Potato Conference
37 th Annu Eastern Id al aho Ag Expo AG EXPO
Holt Arena January 19-21, 2016
Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Trade Show and 48th Annual University of Idaho Potato Conference
ISU Pond Student Union Building January 20-21, 2016
Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, 8 a.m. to noon For more information call: 208-529-8376 Toll Free: 800-635-2274 Fax: 208-522-2954 November
Potato Country
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Lake Farms
Growing Clean Seed By Denise Keller, Editor
Jack Lake grows 160 acres of Russet Burbank, Alturas, Ranger Russet and Atlantic seed in Ronan, Mont. Photo courtesy Lake Farms
F
arming at the end of a ditch, Ace Lake became tired of fighting for water, so he moved his family farm from Idaho to Montana’s Mission Valley in 1934. Now, two generations and the better part of a century later, Ace’s grandson Jack Lake is still farming that land and, ironically, still facing water wars that have been known to result in headaches, hardships and headlines. Or perhaps more than irony, it is a testament that water, as a valuable and limited resource, is 34
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grounds for a never-ending battle. “They say whiskey is for drinking, water is for fighting,” Lake says with a laugh. “I don’t think that’s ever going to go away.”
A Water Fight
Lake farms 1,000 acres in Ronan, Montana, located on the Flathead Indian Reservation. For years, water usage has been a source of contention between the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and area irrigators. The conflict was compounded by a proposed com-
pact that would essentially spell out water rights of the tribe and irrigators. Lake supports the compact because it guarantees irrigation water on the reservation, he says, whereas opposition provides neither solutions nor certain outcomes but rather a court battle that could take decades. Farmers rely heavily on irrigation water in Ronan, which is classified as a semi-arid region based on its average annual precipitation of 15 inches. This year, a lack of spring rain followed by a hot, dry
d Amid a Water War summer intensified the area’s water deficiencies. “The challenge this year, by far, was drought,” Lake says. “In a regular year, we barely have enough water. In a year like this, we’re really hurting.” While Lake Farms has access to wells, its main water source is the Flathead Irrigation Project. Water from the project was temporarily turned off the first week of July to allow reservoirs to recharge, and canals were dry for the season by the end of August. Lake had sufficient water for his 160 acres of potatoes, but estimates that the farm’s grain production, which accounts for 500 acres, was down by 25 percent as a result of the drought. For as hot and dry as the year was, the potato crop fared well, Lake says. High temperatures early in the season did affect the initial tuber set, so while most of the potato lots will go by with a simple
blessing, some will have some oversize to be pulled out. Overall, it was a nice seed year, the grower says, with tubers of good quality and yield right around average.
A Clean Crop
Lake Farms produces Russet Burbank, Alturas, Ranger Russet and Atlantic seed. Lake buys Generation II seed from another producer and sells Generation III seed to commercial growers in the Columbia Basin. “Commercial growers in Washington are making their money on yields, so they need to be hitting on all cylinders. So we feel a lot of responsibility to provide quality seed that will produce a quality product for our customers,” Lake explains. Lake, who serves on the Montana Potato Improvement Association board of directors, takes great pride in providing his customers with disease-free seed and is quick to
give a portion of the credit to the Montana State University Seed Potato Certification Program. “Montana has pretty stringent rules and regulations, and it has really served us well,” the grower says. “We’re constantly flushing out our seed and starting over with product that is 100 percent free of all three pathogens: bacteria, virus and fungus. And we’re doing it in probably the shortest timeframe of anybody in the world. That’s a big part of what keeps the whole state’s product in demand.”
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Continuing, Lake points out, “You can have all those rules, but you still have to put in the work and make sure you keep up with your spray program, you have to have the eye to rogue, and you have to care. And you can go through the process and stay within the tolerances, but you can only be as perfect as the environment will let you be.” To address Potato Virus Y, which remains a challenge, Lake starts with clean seed, and then applies crop oil once a week in addition to insecticides at planting and near the end of the season to keep aphids at bay. Fields are also rogued to remove infected plants before the disease spreads. In addition, the grower is required to spray three times per season to prevent late blight outbreaks in the event that blight moves into the area. “When you’re out in the field bright and early in the morning spraying, rogueing and irrigating, it becomes pretty close to your heart. You want to keep the crop 100 percent clean. For each farm raising seed, it’s their baby,” the grower expresses. “It’s hard to compete with that kind of dedication to the crop.”
A Family of Farmers
Jack Lake checks seed size of Alturas mid-season. Photo courtesy Lake Farms
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That kind of dedication to the crop has been in the Lake family for three generations. Lake’s grandparents, Ace and Agnes Lake, grew hay and raised livestock before adding spuds to the rotation during World War II. His parents, Roy and Evelyn Lake, and uncle, Don Lake, farmed together until establishing their own operations in the mid-1980s. As for Jack Lake, he has fond memories of growing up on the farm, including many days of helping his family pack potatoes into 100-pound bags. “I think I was born to be a farmer. I loved to come home after school and drive tractor,” Lake recalls. “I really wanted to help, but mostly I’d be in the way when they were shipping spuds. Always
Harvest at Lake Farms stretched from Sept. 20 to the first week of October and resulted in yields right around average. Photo courtesy Lake Farms
Jack Lake watches as this year’s potato crop is piled in the cellar. Photo courtesy Lake Farms
Jay Jeppessen, farm foreman at Lake Farms, loads the potato planter this spring. Photo courtesy Lake Farms
changing pipes and rogueing, I was right in the middle of all of it from a pretty young age.” Today, Lake continues to grow hay and grain and raise cattle, although potatoes are the cash crop of the operation. His wife, Sue, handles the farm’s bookkeeping and helps with rogueing. Their son-in-law helps on the farm, as well, giving hope that the farm will stay in the family for yet another generation. “The farm is a good place to raise a family, and it can provide a good living for your family,” Lake concludes.
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WASHINGTON
January 26-28
OREGON
Three Rivers Convention Center, Kennewick, WA
CONFERENCE
2016
w w w. p ot ato c o nf e r e n c e.c o m
Schedule Overview Monday, January 25 1 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Booth Move In
6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Early Bird Reception, Location TBD
Tuesday, January 26 8 a.m. - 10 a.m.
Booth Move In
OREGON 2016 Keynote
WASHINGTON
David Sax
What Food Trends Say 2015 CONFERENCE About Our Society w w w.potatoconference.com
8:55 a.m. - 2 p.m. Spanish Language Session 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Trade Show
1:30 p.m. - 5 p.m. Cultivar Performance Workshop 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.
Trade Show Reception & Potato PAC Auction @ TRCC
Wednesday, January 27 7:30 a.m.
Continental Breakfast
8 a.m. - 11 a.m.
General Sessions
9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Trade Show
10 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Ladies Program
11:00 a.m.
Keynote Address David Sax - What Food Trends Say About Our Society
12 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. Potato Bar 1 p.m. - 4:40 p.m. General Sessions 6 p.m. - 9 p.m.
Leadership Recognition Banquet - Location TBD
Thursday, January 28 7:30 a.m.
Continental Breakfast
8 a.m. - 12 p.m.
General Sessions
9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Trade Show
12 p.m. - 1 p.m.
Hosted Lunch
1 p.m. - 4:10 p.m. General Sessions
Pomegranate juice is out. Greek yogurt is here to stay. Food trends are all around us—and they’re much more influential than we think. James Beard Award winning writer David Sax is the author of The Tastemakers, a new book that examines how food trends have the power to change our culture—and the economy, marketing, business, and health—at a revolutionary pace. David Sax is a freelance writer specializing in business and food. His writing has appeared regularly in the New York Times, Bloomberg Businessweek, Saveur, The Grid Toronto, and other publications. He is also the author of Save the Deli: In Search of Perfect Pastrami, Crusty Rye, and the Heart of Jewish Delicatessen and has won a James Beard Award for writing and literature. “The most successful food trends reflect what’s going on in society at a given time. The cupcake trend reflected a desire for comfort and childhood simplicity in the years after 9/11. The fondue trend took off at a time when Americans were moving out to the suburbs and wanted something a little more sophisticated than, say, a Jell-O salad,” says David Sax, a food and business writer with an eye for the bigger picture. Food trends are not only a collection of photos on Instagram. They have an everlasting effect on our culture, workforce, economy, health, and day-to-day lives. Coffee, pizza, bacon: these are all former trends that sparked massive change in global trade, the food industry, and how we eat together as a family. This is the subject of Sax’s new book The Tastemakers: Why We’re Crazy for Cupcakes but Fed Up With Fondue: “a romp” through the food industry that will “leave readers wondering about how susceptible we are to the charms of any new food” (New York Times).
www.potatoconference.com
