• CFIA Lays Out Process for New Potato Wart Management Plan
• NPC CEO Meets with PepsiCo President in Dallas
• Potato Expo Session Spotlight
• Potato Expo Social Media Toolkit
• Last Chance to Donate to the Potato LEAF Auction

CFIA Lays Out Process for New Potato Wart Management Plan

During this week’s Potato Association of America Certification Section Meeting in Washington, D.C., representatives from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced its process for developing, finalizing, and implementing plans to mitigate the risk of spreading PEI potato wart to the United States.  

Over the next year, the agency expects to complete a review of the risk management documents (which will be available for public comment on Dec. 4), draft a replacement for the current Long Term Management Plan, finalize a new Long Term Management Plan, and negotiate a change in import regulations with USDA APHIS.

“Based on the comment periods and time it will take to review and write new planning documents, we are looking at January 2025 at a minimum before implementation begins on the CFIA side,” said NPC CEO Kam Quarles. “January 2025 will be more than three years after the current crisis began in November 2021. That’s three years before any durable changes will be made by the federal government in Canada or by USDA in order to mitigate this ongoing risk. In the meantime, potatoes from PEI continue to be shipped to the U.S. without any additional measures in place to address the threat APHIS has identified.”

The documents will be made available to the public on Dec. 4 at the following link:

https://inspection.canada.ca/about-cfia/transparency/consultations-and-engagement/eng/1566414558282/1566414728048

NPC CEO Meets with PepsiCo President in Dallas

This week, NPC CEO Kam Quarles traveled to Dallas, Texas, to meet with PepsiCo North American Foods President Steven Williams. Quarles was joined by the leaders of the American Soybean Association, National Corn Growers Association, and the National Association of Wheat Growers as part of PepsiCo’s meeting of its Farm and Food Council.

“We appreciate the efforts of Steven and his entire PepsiCo team in sharing information on their goals and how those align with production agriculture,” said Quarles. “This coming January at the Potato Expo in Austin, we are excited to further amplify this information exchange as Pepsi presents their vision to attendees and hears feedback from producers.”

Quarles is scheduled to host a Potato Expo 2024 panel discussion featuring Laura Maxwell, Senior Vice President of Supply Chain, PepsiCo Foods North America, and Ashin Parikh, Senior Vice President and Market Supply Officer, PepsiCo Foods North American Sourcing and Procurement, on Wed., Jan. 10. For more information visit potato-expo.com. 

Potato Expo Session Spotlight: Reaching the TikTok Generation

Crispy Parmesan Potatoes. Smashed Potatoes. Fondant Potatoes. What do all these dishes have in common? They’ve all gone viral on TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, reaching hundreds of millions of consumers across the globe. Come to the Potato Expo and learn how every member of the potato supply chain – from farmers to public policy advocates – can and should play a role in telling the story of potatoes.

Potato Expo Social Media Toolkit

Speaking or exhibiting at Potato Expo 2024? Let your followers and customers know by adding your branding to the customizable Canva templates available here. 

Last Chance to Donate to the Potato LEAF Auction

For centuries, visitors have enjoyed this national treasure, home to historic Fort Mackinac, world-famous Mackinac Island fudge, and car-free streets full of horse-drawn carriages. This ideal vacation spot is a paradise of exploration with incredible natural landmarks, awe-inspiring sunrises, and unforgettable sunsets.

Thanks to the Michigan Potato Industry Commission for donating this Mackinac Island Adventure to the Potato LEAF auction held at Potato Expo 2024.

The deadline to donate auction items for the live and silent Potato LEAF auctions is tomorrow, Dec. 2. The funds raised through these auctions will support the programs of the foundation, including the annual graduate-level scholarship, the Leadership Institute, and other educational programs centered around developing the next generation of potato industry leaders.

Click here for all the details on how to submit an auction item. 

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202.682.9456 | spudinfo@nationalpotatocouncil.org