Potato Review

‘More certainty needed for essential workers’ THE National Potato Council (NPC) participated in an agriculture industry roundtable discussion with U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Senator Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), and Senator Mike Crapo (R-Idaho) this week in an e„ort to find bipartisan support for legislation that would improve upon the House-passed Farm Workforce Modernization Act. NPC CEO Kam Quarles released the following statement after the meeting: “This morning’s meeting with Secretary Vilsack, Senator Bennet, and Senator Crapo on agricultural labor reform was very positive. During the roundtable, the industry partners committed to working with them in supporting a bill in the Senate that will secure a bipartisan 60-vote majority. We must act immediately as the current broken system means higher costs for family farms, more uncertainty for essential farm workers, and a less secure immigration system for all Americans. The House took a strong bipartisan step toward solving that crisis and we urge the Senate to assist Senator Bennet and Senator Crapo in building on that success with their improvements this summer.” www.potatoreview.com POTATO REVIEW JULY/AUGUST 2021 51 INTERNATIONAL Senator urges rethink on potato research funding cut A US senator has urged the Agriculture Secretary to reconsider a proposed cut to potato research funding and pledged to work to preserve the critical funding that supports Maine potato farmers. At an Agriculture Appropriations Subcommittee hearing, US Senator Susan Collins, who represents Maine, questioned US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack on why the department’s proposed Fiscal Year 2022 budget has eliminated funding for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) Potato Breeding Research Program. This funding supported research at the University of Maine that led to the development of a new potato variety called the Caribou Russet, which has proven incredibly popular and successful in both fresh and processing markets. “As you are well aware, the potato industry is an essential part of the agricultural sector in Maine, and it is the economy in many rural communities, particularly in the northern part of our state,” said Senator Collins. “I appreciate that the [USDA’s] budget would continue the Integrated Pest Management Program, but I am dismayed that it would eliminate the USDA’s potato breeding research program.” “This program played a key role in the development of a new potato variety called the Caribou russet—named after my hometown, I would note—that has boosted the Maine industry with its high yields and its resistance to disease,” continued Senator Collins. “The Department received an overall 9 percent increase in its budget, so why is the potato breeding research program targeted for elimination?” Secretary Vilsack said it’s not necessarily targeted for elimination in the sense that there is a significant increase in the competitive grant programs tat USDA for research. He said: “We want to begin to look for ways in which we support strong research but blend it into our competitive structure as opposed to specifically earmarking specific research projects.” Minimal residues in California The 2019 California Pesticide Residue Monitoring Program Report, published by the Department of Pesticide Regulation, has revealed that 96% of fresh-produce samples, including potatoes and other vegetables, collected by DPR scientists in 2019, had no detectable pesticide residues, or amounts below the US Environmental Protection Agency’s safety limits. The findings are based on 3,274 samples from around 500 stores, distribution centres and outdoor markets which were tested for pesticides and pesticide-breakdown products. 3% reduction in the contract price NEGOTIATIONS between growers and processors in Idaho resulted in an average 3% reduction in the contract price, according to Dan Hargraves, Southern Idaho Potato Cooperative executive director. This means prices are down 20-40 cents per hundredweight, depending on the processor and grower.