Eye on Potatoes: A Podcast on All Things Potatoes Eye on Potatoes

After years of delay, on April 28, Mexico's Supreme Court unanimously ruled to overturn a lower court decision that prevented the Mexican federal government from implementing regulations to allow for the importation of fresh U.S. potatoes throughout the country. The ruling, cheered by the U.S. potato industry and its supporters in the U.S. federal government, marks the end of a decade-long legal process that began when Mexico’s potato industry sued its government to prevent competition from imports.

NPC Vice President of Trade Affairs Jared Balcom and NPC CEO Kam Quarles call in to celebrate the decision and discuss next steps, including urging Mexico to immediately reinstate the rules to allow for the normalization of trade between our countries.

Mexico is the third largest export market for U.S. potatoes and products valued at over $270 million in 2020. Despite the restriction to the 26-kilometer border region Mexico is the second largest market for fresh potato exports accounting for 106,000 metric tons valued at $60 million in 2020. The U.S. potato industry estimates that access to the entire country for fresh U.S. potatoes will provide a market potential of $200 million per year, in five years. 

National Potato Council COO Mike Wenkel calls in to talk about the upcoming Leadership Institute Alumni Summit, to be held July 13-15, which will virtually bring together graduates of the Potato Industry Leadership Institute to network, refresh skills,...

Michael Anderson, Vice President of Trade and Industry Affairs for the Corn Refiners Association, joins Eye on Potatoes to talk about CRA's challenges with Mexico and the industry-wide effort to engage the Biden Administration on addressing the quickly deteriorating trade relationship.

NPC President Dominic LaJoie joins NPC CEO Kam Quarles to talk about the council's policy priorities for this session of Congress and provide an update about the first-ever virtual Potato D.C. Fly-In.

2020 NPC President Britt Raybould calls in to discuss some of the ups and downs of the past year, including the industry's unprecedented efforts in D.C. to support family farmers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

How the new political dynamics could impact the ability to pass bipartisan ag labor reform.