Reading Time: 2 minutes There’s a new spud in town, and it’s made to suit Canada’s growing number of diabetics. The new and as yet unnamed potato has a lower-glycemic-index potential, improved digestibility, and can be enjoyed without creating a big spike of sugar and insulin in the body. “As part of improving the food attributes, we’ve been more […] Read more
This spud’s for you — breeders develop new low-glycemic potato
Low-glycemic potatoes don’t cause a big spike in insulin, which makes it suitable for diabetics
USDA clears GMO potato with lower cancer risk
CORRECTED, Nov. 10, 2014 — Washington | Reuters — The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday approved the first genetically modified potato for commercial planting in the United States in more than a decade, a move likely to draw the ire of groups opposed to artificial manipulation of foods. The so-called Innate potato, developed by the […] Read more
Wrigley exec to lead McCain’s in Canada
The president of the Canadian arm of confection maker Wrigley is moving into the head office at McCain Foods’ Canadian business. Shai Altman will take the post of McCain Foods’ president, Canada, effective Oct. 20, replacing Darryl Rowe, who’d held the post since 2010 and announced late last year he’d be leaving the company. Altman, […] Read more
Alberta potato growers fearful of future
So far, high quality along with a strong reputation for hardy and virus-free seed stock has kept potato acreage steady in Alberta
Reading Time: 2 minutes The humble potato is suffering a very bad rap of late — and that has Alberta growers worried. Although full of vitamins, nutrients and fibre, the longtime staple has become vilified in the last decade and grouped with sugar and white flour as an obesity-causing ‘white food.’ And changing demographics and tastes has more North […] Read more
Dutch potato co-op buys control of Alta. seed firm
Dutch potato breeding co-operative Agrico has stepped up its direct interest in the North American seed potato sector by buying control of one of its major seed dealers. The co-op last week announced it has bought a 21 per cent stake in Parkland Seed Potatoes, raising its ownership to 60 per cent of the Edmonton company. […] Read more
Late blight confirmed in Alberta
Specific steps needed to prevent carryover of disease to future crops
Reading Time: 3 minutes Late blight is one of the most serious diseases of potatoes and tomatoes worldwide, resulting in significant yield and quality losses annually. In general, in Alberta, late blight occurs infrequently, but can have devastating impacts in the years when it reaches epidemic levels. “In the summer of 2013, late blight was confirmed in parts of […] Read more
P.E.I. field quarantined with potato wart
A 35-acre field on Prince Edward Island is under quarantine and its crops set to be destroyed after the plot was confirmed to have potato wart. The finding was confirmed last week by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, which has ordered “movement controls” on all equipment, plants, potato tubers and soil from the affected farm. […] Read more
DuPont to shed Kocide fungicide business
DuPont’s copper fungicide Kocide, used in Canada to manage diseases in bean, potato and assorted hort crops, is set to meet a new maker. DuPont Crop Protection announced Wednesday it will sell its global copper fungicide business — including its Kocide and ManKocide brands and trademarks and its Houston, Tex.-based copper fungicide plant — to […] Read more
Potato storage fungicide throws in three actives
A new post-harvest fungicide to preserve potato crops in storage gathers three active ingredients for use against fusarium dry rot and silver scurf. Syngenta Canada last week announced the rollout for Stadium, a combination of fludioxonil (Group 12), azoxystrobin (Group 11) and difenoconazole (Group 3) for control of fusarium and suppression of silver scurf in […] Read more
McCain to shut P.E.I. fries plant
Prince Edward Island’s potato industry can expect a substantial blow this fall as french-fry giant McCain Foods moves to close its processing plant on the island by the end of October. The New Brunswick company, which supplies fries to both the retail grocery and restaurant and foodservice sectors, announced Thursday it will “cease operations” at […] Read more
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