A harvest shortfall late in the Red River Valley potato harvest has disappointed some growers, but overall the valley has a nice crop, according to Ted Kreis, marketing director of the Northern Plains Potato Growers Association.

In 2020, yellow potatoes now account for 28 percent of the valley’s fresh crop.  “Increasing production of yellow potatoes has been the trend for the last decade or more,” Kreis said. Red potatoes still hold a predominant position as the core business for Red River Valley growers.

During the Idaho Potato Commission’s October meeting three new commissioners representing the grower sector of the industry were sworn in: Ron Ambrose of Four Ace Farms in Wendell; Mark Darrington of Big D Farms in Declo; and Eric Jemmett of J&S Farms in Parma. Each serve a three-year term. Todd Cornelison of High Country Potatoes and Brett Jensen of Brett Jensen Farms were appointed chairman and vice chairman, respectively.   

MountainKing Potatoes is doubling down on efforts to fill orders of its smaller-sized varieties as retailers brace for packing capacity issues due to a recently authorized fourth round of purchases for the USDA Farmers to Families Food Box program, continued consumer stockpiling during COVID and an increased demand for in-home cooking during the holidays.

ESPN announced that the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl will kick off on Saturday, Dec. 22 at Boise State University’s Albertsons Stadium. It will be televised on ESPN, reaching millions of viewers.

For college football fans, athletes and sports reporters, the FIPB is a much anticipated bowl game. It has become a breeding ground for top NFL prospects like Josh Allen, a first-round draft pick and now quarterback for the Buffalo Bills, who declared his eligibility for the draft at the FIPB when he accepted the MVP award in 2018.

For more than 30 years, Giltner Inc. has been providing the highest level of service to customers seeking efficient transportation and logistics solutions. And throughout that time, the Jerome, ID-based company has continually looked to improve its operations while staying true to its mantra of being “The Better Move.”

So when the opportunity arose last year to expand its offerings via the acquisition of an agriculture company, it jumped at the chance and created a new division called Giltner Agricultural Solutions, better known as Giltner Ag.

Fresh potatoes never truly left the weekly shopping list, but the category received a boost during the early days of coronavirus-influenced panic shopping — and there has been no retreat over the ensuing six months.

“On the retail side, we are still seeing double-digit dollar increases week over week,” said Ross Johnson, international marketing director for the Idaho Potato Commission. “Consumers are learning how enjoyable it is to cook.”