NPC News

U.S. Hosts Mexican Officials for Potato Site Audit

Visitors toured potato fields and sheds that now regularly ship to Mexico

In June, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and the U.S. potato industry hosted five senior plant health officials from the National Service for Agrifood Health, Safety and Quality (SENASICA) of Mexico for a potato site audit in the San Luis Valley of Colorado.

When the Mexican market opened for U.S. fresh potatoes in 2022, the signed agreement required an official audit of the program by the government of Mexico in the first year of shipping. This visit was a fulfillment of that requirement.

During the audit, Mexican officials visited potato fields and four potato sheds that regularly ship to Mexico and spoke to U.S. growers and shippers about how they comply with Mexican requirements for the program.

Issues such as packaging, growing practices, and pest management were discussed. The officials also reviewed shipping records.

“We welcomed this opportunity to demonstrate the serious efforts the U.S. potato industry is undertaking to make the program a success,” says Ted Tschirky, National Potato Council (NPC) vice president of trade affairs.

“We look forward to continuing to build relationships with Mexican customers

NPC Potato Yearbook Now Available

The 2023 edition of the Annual Potato Yearbook is now available, highlighting progress on NPC’s national legislative, regulatory, and marketing priorities.

The Yearbook also features updated U.S. and world potato production and consumption stats, grower and industry contact information, position statements, and program overviews.

Noting the recent release of the Spud Nation economic impact report, which is included in the 2023

Yearbook, NPC President R.J. Andrus writes in his message, “NPC’s Spud Nation report cements the fact that potatoes are an essential component to our prosperity as a nation, built and sustained by America’s potato growers who put people to work in every city and town across our great country.”

“Armed with this report and the relationships we have built with our allies in Congress,” Andrus continues, “NPC and our state partners look forward to ‘Standing Up for Potatoes and consumers,” Tschirky adds, “as we send nutritious, high quality U.S. fresh potatoes to this growing market.” on Capitol Hill’ and moving our industry’s policy interests forward this year and beyond.”

Left: In fulfillment of a fresh U.S. potatoes export agreement with Mexico, the Mexican government conducted a potato site audit in the San Luis Valley of Colorado.

Right: Inspecting the potato crop are, from left to right, Jason Davenport, president of Allied Potato, Inc.; Dr. Mark Davidson, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) deputy administrator for plant protection and quarantine; Francisco Ramirez, general director of plant health for the National Service for Agrifood Health, Safety and Quality (SENASICA), in Mexico; and Walter Gutierrez, plant pathologist and risk analyst at USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

To view an electronic version of the 2023 Annual Potato Yearbook, visit: https://www.nationalpotato council.org/wp-content/ uploads/2023/06/Annual-PotatoYearbook-2023.pdf.