National Potato Council

"For almost 25 years, U.S. potato growers faced the Sisyphean task of trying to gain full market access for U.S. fresh potatoes in Mexico," writes NPC's Kam Quarles. "Any time we thought we were close to finalizing a permanent, lasting deal, a new regulatory or legal hurdle was thrown in our way to force us to restart from the bottom of the hill. "Now, as we look behind us and remember the battles that brought us where we are today, the Mexican market presents an exciting and growing opportunity for the U.S. potato industry." Read the full article in Spudman Magazine ??

While the long-debated H-2A program is a separate issue from immigration reform, agricultural insiders say that updating the process to better document workers and meet the labor needs of farmers, writes Spudman Magazine. “There’s a lot of politics at play in setting that Adverse Effect Wage Rate,” says NPC CEO Kam Quarles. “The intent of creating that very high mandatory minimum wage is to drive people away from the program, as are a number of other bizarre requirements that are forced on employers from the H-2A program. “This has been a longstanding problem with H-2A. The Adverse Effect Wage Rate is one of the most glaring examples of a deeply infirmed program.” Read the full story here: https://lnkd.in/etUzKhW5

Like the rest of DC, NPC is working to keep ahead of the moving tariff target. With things changing by the day – or sometimes by the hour – we brought together a group of potato trade and supply chain experts to update growers on the current state of play. Guests: Mark Klompien, President/CEO, United Potato Growers of America Matt Lantz, Senior Vice President, Global Access at Bryant Christie, Inc. Kam Quarles, CEO, National Potato Council Download and subscribe to the Eye on Potatoes podcast on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to podcasts: https://lnkd.in/eR9nhuwT

“During our Washington Summit, we were pretty clear that using the threat of tariffs as leverage to get a better deal and to allow trade to flow even more freely to valuable export markets — that can be a benefit to U.S. growers,” NPC CEO Kam Quarles tells Spudman Magazine. “If tariffs go on on a permanent basis, and all of the retaliation that would result, the impact overall on the supply of potatoes that will likely remain in the U.S market because it won’t have export markets as a pressure relief … it’s very hard to come up with any reasonable economic analysis that would believe that’s going to end well for growers.” Full story ??

??NPC in the News! Western Ag Network's Lane Nordlund joined us last week in DC to report on NPC's Washington Summit, which brought together potato growers from around the country to advocate for critical policies affecting the industry. From securing Farm Bill funding to tackling trade challenges and biosecurity threats, industry leaders made their voices heard on Capitol Hill. https://lnkd.in/eQDz49Hf

The House Ag Committee met this week to examine the economic crisis in farm country, featuring perspectives from across ag, including growers who are pushing for a bipartisan farm bill that prioritizes investments in specialty crops. NPC's Kam Quarles spoke with RFD-TV about the outlook for the farm economy, the rising cost of labor, and tariff developments.

NPC congratulates Brooke Rollins on her confirmation as USDA Secretary. Her leadership comes at a critical time for American farmers, as we work to pass a new Farm Bill, secure essential funding for research, and develop new foreign markets for U.S. specialty crops. Read NPC’s full statement, including how we look forward to working with Rollins to solve rural America’s most pressing challenges. ?? https://lnkd.in/eetW-j-d

In January, Potato LEAF marked its fifth anniversary of advancing leaders in the U.S. potato industry! ??? A 2024 graduate of the Leadership Institute and this year's Grower Leader – Colin Szawlowski of Valley Spud, LLC in Hadley, Mass. – joined NPC COO Michael Wenkel for an Eye on Potatoes podcast where they discussed the incredible success of Potato LEAF programs and the exciting impact ahead in 2025. ?? Tune in to learn how these initiatives are shaping the industry's future. ?? https://lnkd.in/eXeX6KXd #PotatoLeadership #PotatoExpo #LeadershipDevelopment #PotatoIndustry

“My top industry tip is to invest time in building strong relationships and collaborations — and never underestimate the power of telling your story on Capitol Hill." See what drives our very own Hollee Alexander, CMP and why she was named a recipient of Spudman magazine's 2025 Impact Awards. READ MORE ??