Eye on DC: NPC Sees "Amazing Progress" in New Dietary Guidelines

January 16, 2026

NPC Sees "Amazing Progress" in Supporting Potato Consumption in New Dietary Guidelines
NPC, Specialty Crop Leaders Join Call for Financial Relief Amid Ongoing Farm Crisis
Over 2,100 Attendees Saddled up for Success at Potato Expo 2026 in Dallas
Potato Expo 2026 Crowns New Top Spuds
Secretary Rollins Meets with Potato Industry Leader at PA Farm Show
Potato Expo in the News: CBS News Texas
Jared Balcom Named 2026 Potato Person of the Year
Save the Date for Potato Expo 2027!
A Record $200,000 Raised for Potato LEAF
NPC in the News: RFD-TV
On the Road at Maine Potato Summit
Nominations Open for Spudmwoman of the Year
New Podcast: NPC Reacts to New Food Pyramid
Book Your Room for the 2026 Washington Summit

NPC Sees "Amazing Progress" in Supporting Potato Consumption in New Dietary Guidelines

On January 7, the National Potato Council welcomed the new 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines released by the Trump Administration.

“The National Potato Council's initial review of the new dietary guidelines finds them encouraging. It is positive to see the new consumer graphic feature a whole, fresh potato front and center, identifying it as a nutrient-rich vegetable Americans should eat as part of a healthy diet. We welcome this recognition,” wrote NPC in a statement.

“We are currently analyzing how specific references to processed potato products integrate with the broader guidance in support of potato consumption. We continue to evaluate how these elements align.

“Overall, this marks a significant shift from the challenges the industry faced 10 to 15 years ago regarding federal nutrition policy, when, during the Obama Administration, there was an attempt to remove potatoes in any form from school meal programs. To see the dietary guidelines now celebrate America's favorite vegetable represents amazing progress,” NPC concluded.

NPC, Specialty Crop Leaders Join Call for Financial Relief Amid Ongoing Farm Crisis

The Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance (SCFBA) yesterday joined agricultural organizations from across the U.S. in calling on Congress for immediate financial assistance for America’s farmers and ranchers. Led by the American Farm Bureau Federation, the letter highlighted record-high input costs and historically low market prices in recent years have caused farmers to face negative margins and nearly $100 billion in losses nationwide.

“These trends aren’t just statistics; they represent an economic crisis in rural America,” the group wrote in the letter.

“We greatly appreciate the work of our colleagues across U.S. agriculture and leaders in Congress. The specialty crop industry has been very clear that no less than $5 billion should be dedicated to our growers through this relief package and we stand ready to support that number as Congress moves forward,” said Kam Quarles, NPC CEO.

Specific to specialty crops, the letter noted losses remain deep, stating, “In addition to continuing to pursue federal policies to increase long-term domestic demand for U.S agricultural commodities, we urge Congress to provide immediate economic support to fill in the gap of remaining losses for both field and specialty crop farmers. Additional support will stabilize the farm economy, protect rural communities and ensure a secure food supply. This support must be robust enough to fill in sector-wide gaps.”

Specialty crops – including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, nursery, greenhouse, and floriculture products – generate more than $75 billion annually in U.S. agricultural cash receipts, account for more than one-third of all U.S. crop sales, and support rural economies nationwide. Yet, under the current USDA Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program, $11 billion is allocated to row crops while only $1 billion is reserved for specialty crops and other commodities, with key details on eligibility, payment formulas, and timing still unresolved.

“Any agricultural aid package should reflect the economic contribution of specialty crops, which support rural communities and provide key nutrition,” said the co-chairs of the SCFBA. “Allocating one-third of agricultural relief funding to specialty crop producers through programs like CFAP-2 or MASC would help close the gap in relief funding and ensure the industry receives adequate, proportional support.”

The industry-wide letter follows a call from the Congressional Specialty Crop Caucus in December, urging immediate, equitable and timely economic relief for specialty crop producers.

The SCFBA is co-chaired by Cathy Burns, CEO of the International Fresh Produce Association; Mike Joyner, President of the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association; Dave Puglia, President and CEO of Western Growers; and Kam Quarles, CEO of the National Potato Council.

Over 2,100 Attendees Saddled up for Success at Potato Expo 2026 in Dallas

From Jan. 6-8, potato growers and allied industry members from more than 30 countries packed the 100,000-square foot Expo Hall, as Potato Expo 2026 made its first-ever stop to Dallas, Texas. The event, which came in as a top three event in the show’s 18-year history, featured 196 exhibitors and educational sessions on three stages, sending attendees home inspired, energized, and ready to build their experiences.

Relive the highlights and moments that made this year special in our Potato Expo wrap-up video.

Potato Expo 2026 Crowns New Top Spuds

Last week’s Potato Expo 2026 featured an intense cooking battle with three teams vying for the title of Top Spud. Sponsored by The Little Potato Company, Snack Wars: Little Minis Edition saw the cooking team of Dean Gibson from Paul, Idaho, and TJ Hall from Edinburg, N.D., come out victorious. Congrats to them and thanks to all our competitors!

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins joins Nathan Tallman, CEO of the Pennsylvania Co-Operative Potato Growers (right), and Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding at the Pennsylvania Farm Show. Photo courtesy of Pennsylvania Co-Operative Potato Growers.

Nathan Tallman (left) welcomes House Agriculture Committee Chair Glen “G.T.” Thompson (R-Pa.) to the Pennsylvania Co-Operative Potato Growers’ patriotic booth at the Pennsylvania Farm Show. Photo courtesy of Pennsylvania Co-Operative Potato Growers.

Secretary Rollins Meets with Potato Industry Leader at PA Farm Show

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins visited the Pennsylvania Farm Show yesterday, where she and Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding met with Nathan Tallman, CEO of the Pennsylvania Co-Operative Potato Growers.

Tallman used the opportunity to reinforce critical industry priorities with the Secretary, urging the Trump Administration to prioritize efforts to open Japan for U.S. fresh potato market access, a long-standing trade objective for the industry. The group also discussed the financial health of growers, with Tallman stressing the importance of including specialty crops in emergency aid packages.

Additionally, Tallman thanked Secretary Rollins and Secretary Redding for ensuring the potato remained properly classified in the new food pyramid, announced last week. The decision marks a significant victory for the industry following sustained advocacy to prevent reclassification.

Potato Expo in the News: CBS News Texas

If you thought a potato convention was boring, think again, reports CBS News Texas.

Jared Balcom Named 2026 Potato Person of the Year

The Packer honored Jared Balcom, a fourth-generation potato grower from Pasco, Wash., with its 2026 Potato Person of the Year award. Christina Herrick, The Packer’s produce editor, presented the award to Balcom on Jan. 8 at Potato Expo 2026 in Dallas.

Balcom, owner of Balcom & Moe and 2022 NPC President, received the recognition for his efforts to modernize the organization and his proactive approach to federal policy. His leadership helped secure more than $350 million in federal disaster assistance for growers impacted by government shutdowns and supply chain disruptions.

“He possesses the unique ability to communicate complex issues effectively, whether he is speaking to a grower or a member of Congress,” wrote current NPC President and fellow Washington state potato grower, Ted Tschirky, in his nomination of Balcom. “[He] represents the best of our industry: a grower who protects his family business while dedicating countless hours to fighting for the federal policies that protect us all.”

Balcom continues to serve the industry as a member of the USDA Agricultural Policy Advisory Committee, providing counsel on international trade policy.

Read the full story here.

Save the Date for Potato Expo 2027!

Thanks to all those who showed up, engaged, and helped make Potato Expo 2026 a success. We can’t wait to welcome you back next year as we return to Denver!

🥔Potato Expo 2027

📅January 5-7, 2027

📍Gaylord Rockies, Denver, Colo.

Attendee and exhibitor registration open September 2026.

A Record $200,000 Raised for Potato Leaf

Sold!

Thanks to all the donors and bidders who made the Potato LEAF live auction on the Expo Stage one for the record books. The auction raised more than $200,000 to continue the nonprofit organization’s mission of supporting and developing future leaders of the U.S. potato industry.

Take a look at their upcoming events, including the Leadership in the Field: From Battlefield to Potato Field experience, where they’ll return to the Gettysburg National Military Park for a unique case study of leadership. Applications are accepted through March 6.

NPC in the News: RFD-TV

Last week, U.S. potato growers welcomed the new Dietary Guidelines infographic displaying a potato at the center of the food pyramid. NPC CEO Kam Quarles called into RFD-TV's Market Day Report to talk about the amazing progress that potatoes have made in federal nutrition guidelines, the latest stopgap federal spending bill, the farm economic relief package, and the need for expanded foreign market access for potatoes and potato products.

Watch the segment here.

On the Road at Maine Potato Summit

National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles joined growers in Maine this week at the 2026 Maine Potato Summit to provide an update on the industry’s policy priorities heading into the 2026 Washington Summit in late February.

Nominations Open for Spudwoman of the Year

Spudman Magazine’s Spudwoman of the Year Award recognizes a leader who is making an impact in the potato industry. The winner will be featured in the Spudwoman May/June issue. Nominations are welcomed from all segments of the industry, including growers, shippers, researchers and marketers.

Nominating Criteria:

Employed in some facet of the potato industry
Involvement in outside industry activities and events
Innovative and creative
Local and global perspective
Community involvement
Leadership qualities

Learn more here. Nominations are due by March 27.

New Podcast: NPC Reacts to New Food Pyramid

The Trump Administration released a new Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which includes a new consumer graphic that features a whole, fresh potato front and center, identifying it as a nutrient-rich vegetable that Americans should eat as part of a healthy diet.

In this episode of the Eye on Potatoes podcast, National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles and Beth Johnson of Food Directions break down the release and what it means for the industry.

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