Field Day Set for this Thursday (August 26) – After a very successful event last year, 2010 NPPGA Field Day will again be held a three different sites along Highway 18 this Thursday. And you will not go hungry; meals will be served at all three locations sponsored by the Potato Associates.

Tour #1: Pancake Breakfast @ 7:00 AM – The day gets started at the Carl Hoverson Farm at the intersection of Hwy. 2 and Hwy 18 just north of Larimore. Presentations and field tours will come from the Field Day organizer and Extension Agronomist Nick David, along with NDSU plant breeder Susie Thompson, USDA researcher Marty Glynn, and U of M plant breeder Christian Thill.

Tour #2: Lunch @ Noon – The second stop will be at the NPPGA Irrigated Research Site located just west of Inkster on the Forest River Colony. There will be plot tours and presentations by NDSU plant pathologists Neil Gudmestad, Gary Secor, Susie Thompson, Harlene Hatterman-Valenti, Julie Pasche, NDSU soil scientist Dave Franzen, and Nick David.

Tour #3: Evening BBQ @ 5:00 PM – The final stop, known as the Twilight Tour will be held at the Loyd Oberg farm just south of Hoople on Hwy 18. Plot tours will again be hosted by Thompson, Secor, Thill, and David. The day will conclude with a BBQ and beverages served by the Potato Associates.

Thanks! - Recognition needs to be given to the following companies and organizations for their generous support: BASF, AMVAC, Nufarm Americas, Black Gold Farms, Bayer CropScience, Hoverson Farms, Forest River Colony, Oberg Farms, O.C. Schulz Farms, RDO Equipment, Dow AgroSciences, Simplot Grower Solutions, RDO Farm Division, Dupont Crop Protection, Syngenta, NDSU Experiment Station, Case IH & Titan Machinery, Valent USA Corp. Ag Products, the North Dakota and Minnesota certified seed growers, NPPGA and the Potato Associates.


Spokely Appointed to NPPGA Board of Directors - Lonnie Spokely (photo left), Nielsville, Minnesota has joined the Board of Directors of the Northern Plains Potato Growers Association. Lonnie will fill out the term of Ron Pape who has decided to step down. Lonnie will represent MN District 2.

Lonnie grows seed potatoes in Minnesota and North Dakota and operates a fresh pack operation in Nielsville, MN with family members under the name Spokely Farms. Lonnie is a well respected member of the potato industry and we welcome him as a valuable addition to the Board of Directors.


Barnesville Potato Days Slated for Friday and Saturday  (August 27,28)- Visitors from across the country will flock to Barnesville, Minnesota this Friday and Saturday, (Aug. 27th and 28th) to experience two days of zany potato activities, taste tempting potato specialties and small town hospitality.
Renowned for its potato production, Barnesville draws on their potato heritage for two days of ‘spud’riffic fun during the annual Potato Days Festival. Each year, over 16,000 tater lovers descend on this town of 2,200 to enjoy bushels of free fun for the whole family.
Often selected as one of the best summer festivals in the nation, the Barnesville Potato Days Festival is always a’peel’ing because of its many unique activities, such as mashed potato wrestling or the Miss Tator Tot Pageant. The festival takes issue with anyone who might think the lowly potato is brown and boring!
It is events like that and the unlikely mix of picking and peeling, carving, car races and cooking, sacking and sculpting that continue to attract and intrigue festival goers each and every year. Add to that a menu that includes Norwegian lefse, potato pancakes, french fries, potato sausage, potato soup, German potato dumplings and you’ve got an award winning combination sure to please young and old alike.
So make plans to visit us in Barnesville, Minnesota on Friday and Saturday for a "smashing" great time!

From NPPGA Marketing & Communications Director, Ted Kreis ~ Red Prices Leveling Off – Red prices out of Central Minnesota have been strong this year, starting out at over $25 per hundredweight for size A reds in totes. But in each of the three subsequent weeks prices dropped about $3 per week, down to $15.50 by August 18th. But this past week has seen a much slower decline, only down 50¢ which may indicate the market has found its price. We could see a repeat of last year when prices out of Big Lake actually rose a bit at the tail end of their shipping season, which would be excellent news for the Red River Valley. The news isn’t quite as good for B size reds that saw the price dip $4 this week, down to $24 per hundredweight. The B market started out at $38 on July 28th. The B price can be much more influenced by the crop size profile than actual demand.

Red River Valley – Another sign prices may have leveled off comes from the Red River Valley where a few potatoes trickle into the summer market. Reds are selling for up to $17 from the Valley, with yellow varieties going for $22. Yields are about average on the early crop. Looking ahead, warm weather and an extended growing season will be needed for the Valley to make up losses from this spring’s cold and wet weather that caused drown-out and seed rot.


Row-crop Field Tour Set at NDSU Carrington Research Extension Center for Sept. 2 - Farmers, crop advisers and agricultural industry representatives are invited to attend a row crop field tour on Thursday, Sept. 2, at the North Dakota State University Carrington Research Extension Center. The tour will begin at 3 p.m. and conclude with a sponsored supper.
Participants will view field research trials and receive production recommendations on dry beans, sunflowers, corn and soybeans, according to Greg Endres, NDSU Extension Service area agronomist. The tour will begin with information on dry beans and sunflowers. Participants will be able to view dry bean varieties being tested at the Carrington REC and receive a review of their performance. Bean production management research being conducted by NDSU, including considerations for direct-harvest of upright varieties, will be highlighted. Also, discussion will include management of bean diseases, such as rust, white mold and anthracnose.
Sunflower information will include an overview of production research. Also, plant protection specialists will discuss pest challenges, including sunflower rust, white mold and head-infesting insects. Following a short break at the REC headquarters, the tour will continue at 5 p.m. with a focus on corn and soybeans. The discussion on corn will include a seasonal review and late-season plant development. Also, the audience will view corn production trials that include work with plant nutrition and harvest management.
Tour participants will hear presentations and be able to view research trials on soybean varieties, crop establishment and plant nutrition. In addition, plant pathologists will show samples and discuss soybean disease management, including white mold, cyst nematode and other root and stem diseases. These are diseases farmers should be scouting for in their fields before harvest in preparation for future soybean production.
Refreshment and meal sponsors are the North Dakota Soybean Council, National Sunflower Association and North Dakota Corn Growers Association and Utilization Council. Each organization has been invited to provide brief updates on its activities during supper.
Four continuing education credits will be available for certified crop advisers. Additional information about the tour is available from the Carrington REC at (701) 652-2951 or at http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/CarringtonREC/.

Carrington Research Extension Center Features Weed Exhibit - Growing weeds on purpose is not something most North Dakota producers would be fond of doing, but that is what is happening at the North Dakota State University Carrington Research Extension Center. "The CREC Weed Arboretum has about 60 living weeds available for viewing during the growing season," says Greg Endres, NDSU Extension Service area agronomist. "People can use the arboretum to identify weeds in their fields or yards, which is the first step in effective weed management. The next step is to consider using cultural, chemical, mechanical or biological controls and then choose the best combination if necessary."
Along with formal and informal education during tours at the CREC, photos and weed samples from the arboretum are used during other tours and winter meetings. The weeds at the arboretum are identified by common names and grouped according to their lifecycle, including annual, winter annual, biennial and perennial. The weed arboretum was established 17 years ago and is the only outdoor NDSU living weed exhibit, according to Endres. He got the idea for the weed arboretum after attending a national agronomy meeting in Texas in 1993.
The arboretum has most of the weeds that are listed as noxious weeds in North Dakota, such as salt cedar, purple loosestrife and yellow toadflax. Individuals or groups are welcome to visit the weed arboretum. Guided tours can be scheduled by contacting the center.