CapitalPress.com
Friday, May 20, 2022
Mexico opens door to full
access for fresh U.S. spuds
By BRAD CARLSON
Capital Press
The U.S. has started exporting
fresh potatoes into Mexico beyond
the 16.15-mile border zone that previ-
ously marked their limit.
Full-country access has been an
issue for some 25 years. Mexican
regulators granted it, but an industry
group said the agency lacked authority
to do so. The Mexican Supreme Court
just over a year ago rejected that argu-
ment and granted full access.
The U.S. and Mexico struck an
agreement in late 2021. Mexican reg-
ulators last month made fi nal U.S. site
visits.
The National Potato Council said
Mexico in 2021 was the second-larg-
est market for U.S. fresh potato
exports. Value was about $60 million
last year and has the potential to grow
to $250 million annually in fi ve years
if full access continues.
“This is an important moment for
the U.S. potato industry and our part-
ners in the federal government who
have fought for decades to restore
access to this vital market,” council
President Jared Balcom, a Washing-
ton grower, said in a release. “But we
know the work is not over if we are to
keep the border open.”
“These are the fi rst shipments that
are free to move anywhere in the
country, so this is an important fi rst
step,” council CEO Kam Quarles told
Capital Press.
“We recognize, though, that this
will likely generate substantial push-
back from the Mexican potato indus-
try,” he said. The council will work
closely with USDA to ensure a fair
trading relationship continues.
Quarles said the new shipments are
coming late in the season when there
Getty Images
Fresh U.S. potatoes are being shipped all over Mexico under a new
agreement.
are fewer potatoes to export.
“The real test is going to come
toward the end of 2022 and the begin-
ning of 2023, when growing volumes
of exports are entering Mexico and the
Mexican potato industry is likely to
be pushing back against that compe-
tition,” he said.
“This will be a multi-year process
to keep the market open and to grow
these valuable markets,” Quarles said
May 12. “Today is a good day and a
great fi rst step.”
Ross Johnson, Idaho Potato Com-
mission international marketing direc-
tor, said the state’s shippers were
“fi rst across” because of work done
beforehand.
“We have stayed in touch with buy-
ers over the years, and that has devel-
oped some strong relationships,” he
said. Idaho thus could participate
promptly in the expanded market
even though some states off er better
pricing.
Idaho exports about 20% of its
potatoes. Distance from ports is a lim-
iting factor. Johnson said total exports
could increase over time due to the
expanded opportunity in Mexico.
But proper execution is the imme-
diate priority, he said.
“Restrictions are pretty tight, so
our shippers are making sure they are
maintaining quality and are consis-
tent so they don’t have any red fl ags
come up at the border crossing,” John-
son said.
USDA said one of the benefi ts of
full-country access is that Mexico can
get more safe, high-quality U.S. fresh
potatoes.
Zak Miller, Idaho Farm Bureau
Federation CEO, said starting to ship
U.S. fresh potatoes throughout Mex-
ico addresses one of the biggest road-
blocks the industry has faced, and also
means “Mexico has access to the best
potatoes in the world.”
“This is truly a historic event, and
one we’re celebrating,” said John
Toaspern, Potatoes USA chief market-
ing offi cer. “But we also must be very
mindful of the previous issues and
stay vigilant to permanently keep the
market open.”
Retail potato sales
mixed in quarter
By BRAD CARLSON
Capital Press
Retail potato sales in the
quarter ending in March
increased by 7.2% in value
but dropped by 5% by weight
compared to last year, refl ect-
ing higher prices and a trend
toward smaller consumer
packages, Potatoes USA
reported.
Volume sales were below
those of 2020, when panic
buying began in response to
COVID-19, but were higher
than in 2019, the national
marketing group said..
Prices increased by 12.8%
overall from the fi rst three
months of last year, averaging
$2.02 per pound, according to
Resources Inc. data.
Kayla Dome, Potatoes
USA global manager for retail
programs, said the move to
smaller package sizes refl ects
some easing of COVID-19
concerns as people shop more
frequently and buy less bulk
packages.
Retail potato sales see “a
return to what we were see-
ing before the pandemic,” she
said.
Dome said chips are again
popular in smaller bags for
snacks and potatoes in 1-
and 2-pound bags comprise
a higher percentage of store
sales volume compared to
2019.
Yellow potato sales are
increasing, as they were in
2019.
Chip sales increased by
11.9% in value and declined
0.6% in volume even as unit
sales rose by 0.2% — show-
ing a reduc-
tion in pack-
age sizes. Unit
sales represent
the number of
packages sold.
Frozen pota-
toes dropped in
Kayla
dollar, volume
Dome
and unit sales.
Canned potatoes increased in
dollar, volume and unit sales.
Dome said frozen sales
remain higher than in 2019.
The year-to-year drop for the
January-March quarter could
partly refl ect supply factors.
She said the gain in canned
potato sales may be a result of
retailers carrying more of the
product. And, she said, peo-
ple who stocked up earlier
may be “running low in their
pantries.”
Fresh potato sales posted
an increase in dollar sales
and a decline in volume and
unit sales. Only packages
sized between 1 and 2 pounds
increased in dollar, volume
and unit sales. Five-pound
packages, which comprise
45% of total volume sales,
increased by 5.9% in dollars
and dropped in volume by
1.2%.
Yellow and white pota-
toes were the fresh category’s
only types to post sales gains
in dollars and volume. Retail
sale of Russets — 57% of
fresh volume — had volume
sales drop by 10.2% as dollar
sales rose by 1.5%.
The highest fresh price
increases were 15.7% for
purple potatoes and 13%
for Russets, Potatoes USA
reported.
TWIN FALLS, Idaho — Idaho FFA members have a new team of state officers, who were announced at the end
of the organization’s annual convention last month.
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After the FFA members boarded buses for home on a four-day high of FFA exuberance, Capital Press sat down
with the new officers to get their reaction.
615 Holly St., Junction City
Halee Bohman, the new state president, is a senior at Troy High School and president of the Troy FFA chapter.
She plans to attend the University of Idaho to major in agricultural business and political science.
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“I’m overwhelmed with emotion for sure and humbled to be given this opportunity among some of my closest
friends,” she said.
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The new officers formed a close bond as candidates, she said.
Elizbeth Shaw, the new state vice president, is a senior at Parma High School, vice president of the Parma FFA
chapter and president of the Western Idaho FFA District. She plans to attend the University of Idaho to major in
elementary education and horticulture/urban agriculture.
Proud Supporter of FFA
“I’m still in shock. I just can’t believe it actually came true,” she said of her successful run for office.
Proud Sponsor of FFA
She didn’t always have the confidence to put herself out there, but her FFA adviser saw leadership qualities and
pushed her to be the best version of herself, she said.
In her role as a state officer, she wants to “inspire and motivate and inform Idaho FFA of the importance of
agriculture,” she said.
State Secretary KaLisi Griggs is a senior at Sugar-Salem High School and president of the Sugar-Salem FFA
chapter. She plans to take a year off from school to focus on being a state officer and then enter a physician’s
assistant program at Weber State University.
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Silverton, Oregon
5450 W. 11 th , Eugene, OR
State Treasurer Mackenzie Malson is a senior at Fruitland High School and vice president of the Fruitland
FFA chapter. She plans to attend the University of Idaho to major in agricultural economics with the hope of
pursuing a law degree.
Proud
Supporter
of
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State Reporter Ember Mendoza is a senior at Rigby High School and is president of the Rigby FFA chapter. She
plans to attend the College of Eastern Idaho to become a certified Emergency Medical Technician.
“I’m excited and (in a state of) emotional overload. It’s going to be a great year,” she said.
Proud
Supporter
of FFA
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State Sentinel Korby Lindsey is a senior and is a student
adviser for the Rigby FFA chapter. He plans to take a
year off from school to focus on being a state officer.
After that, he plans to attend Utah State University to
become an agriculture teacher.
“I wasn’t expecting to make the first cut,” he said of
the candidate process.
He had planned on running for state office since
freshmen year, and “it’s good to know all my hard work
paid off,” he said.
Proud
Supporter of
Nyssa Tractor
Spec
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Her goal is to “reach out to chapters that are not as successful and struggling with membership and just let
them know they can make a difference in FFA, even in agriculture,” she said.
“This week has been the most emotional week of my life. It’s been so much fun, and it hasn’t quite sunk in yet,”
she said.
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“I’m excited. It kind of seems surreal, really fun but a roller coaster of emotion,” she said.
His goal is “to be that inspiration to kids like past
officers. My main goal is to inspire the next
generation of agriculture,” he said.
Front row, from left, are Halee Bohman, president; and
Mackenzie Malson, treasurer. Back row, from left, are
KaLisi Griggs, secretary; Korby Lindsey, sentinel; Ember
Mendoza, reporter; and Elizbeth Shaw, vice president;  
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(503) 769-2205