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July 22, 2016 Simplot plans GMO-only seed potato farms By JOHN O’CONNELL Capital Press PARK CITY, Utah — Simplot Plant Sciences of- ficials say their company intends to eventually award contracts for propagating its Innate line of biotech potato seed exclusively to farmers willing to forgo raising conventional spuds. The planned move is among a host of precautions intended to aid in identi- ty preservation of Innate, said Erik Gonring, Simplot Plant Sciences industry af- fairs manager, while offer- ing a recent update on the technology to growers at the National Potato Coun- cil’s summer meeting. As Gonring noted, fail- ure to keep biotech spuds segregated from conven- tional spuds caused market disruptions several years ago when Monsanto at- tempted to commercialize a biotech potato, called New- Leaf. Gonring said Simplot has strict operating proce- dures governing each stage of production — such as covering truck beds with tarps and using segregated storage. He said the compa- ny has also informed major processors and dehydra- tors about tests available to detect the Innate genet- ic sequence. Furthermore, Simplot keeps records indi- cating where all Innate po- tatoes are at a given time, he said. Gonring said Simplot has applied for approval of Innate in the top 10 foreign spud markets and hopes to get approval from Japan later this year. In the meantime, Japan has announced plans to be- gin testing a small percent- age of potato shipments for the presence of a biotech trait. The Washington Potato Commission’s executive director, Chris Voigt, said growers in his state are most concerned about the poten- tial for volunteer Innate spuds to spread. Gonring said Simplot has language in its agreement requir- ing commercial growers to avoid planting convention- al spuds in a field after an Innate season and requiring volunteer monitoring for several years. The first gen- eration of Innate was ap- proved Nov. 10, 2015, with sales targeting the chip and fresh-cut potato markets. Genes from other pota- toes were added to prevent the spuds from browning when cut, reduce bruising and lower levels of a po- tentially harmful chemi- cal formed in certain fried foods, called acrylamide. “We’re part of this new and emerging trend of crops in the biotech market that have traits focused on benefiting the consumer,” Gonring said. He said 6,500 acres of first-generation Innate spuds were planted this season, and the company’s studies show a 15 percent increase in usable spuds when Innate is packed. By December, the Envi- ronmental Protection Agen- cy is expected to deregulate second-generation Innate Russet Burbanks, which will include the original traits plus enhanced cold storage and late blight re- sistance. Simplot Plant Scienc- es spokesman Doug Cole said Simplot is raising 200 acres of second-generation Innate this season for seed propagation. Cole said the sec- ond-generation improve- ments will be revolutionary for the chipping industry, making it possible to store popular chip varieties for up to nine months. Current- ly, most chip varieties must be processed shortly after harvest. CapitalPress.com 7 GMO spud sponsors Boise Olympic cyclist By JOHN O’CONNELL Capital Press PARK CITY, Utah — Boise cyclist Kristin Arm- strong will head to the Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro with the apparent distinction of being the first athlete ever sponsored by a crop bred using biotechnol- ogy. Armstrong will be 43 when she pursues her third Olympic gold medal, com- peting in the individual women’s time trial. She’ll also be raising awareness about the nutri- tional value of potatoes — and Simplot Plant Sciences’ Innate line of genetically modified Russet Burbanks and Ranger Russets in par- ticular. Marketed under the White Russet label, the first generation of Innate russets contains traits introduced from other potatoes to keep them from browning after cutting, reduce bruising and reduce the formation of a potentially unhealthy chem- ical, called acrylamide, found in certain fried foods. The second generation of Innate, which awaits ap- proval by the U.S. Environ- mental Protection Agency, will include the original traits, plus enhanced cold storage and strong resis- tance to the destructive late blight pathogen. “I’ve known folks at Simplot for a long time, and since potatoes are an excel- lent source of energy and nutrition, the partnership makes sense, especially because White Russet po- tatoes have health and sus- tainability benefits,” Arm- strong told Capital Press via email. “There’s noth- ing in these potatoes but potato.” Armstrong, who works promoting healthy lifestyles with St. Luke’s Boise Med- ical Center, typically eats potatoes with her meals be- fore racing, believing they give her a lift. “Potatoes give me just the right combination of nu- trients and energy, as well as potassium for leg recov- ery when I need it,” Arm- strong said. When she’s not compet- ing, Simplot spokesman Doug Cole said, Armstrong will pose for photos in a White Russet jersey, and she’ll assist Simplot with a social media presence. Cole said the sponsorship contract with Armstrong will expire some time next year, and the company will re-evaluate it then. “She’ll be talking about how she uses potatoes in her training diet, and as an athlete and a mom, how a higher quality potato makes a lot of sense,” Cole said. Armstrong will train in Texas to acclimate to higher humidity prior to racing in Rio. “I couldn’t be proud- er to have the opportuni- ty to once again represent my country in the Olympic games,” Armstrong said. “I am obviously excited to be on the team, and I am to- tally focused on my train- ing so that I can win an- other gold medal for Team USA.” Courtesy of Simplot Plant Sciences Olympic cyclist Kristin Armstrong, of Boise, sports a White Russet jersey at the Twilight Criterium race in Boise on July 16. Armstrong has been sponsored by Simplot’s Innate Russet Burbank, which was bred with biotechnology. 30-4/#04N