SIMPLOT DIES

J R Simplot, founder of the Idaho-based agricultural company of the same name, died May 25 at the age of 99. Simplot went into business at the age of 14 and started his first produce business at the age of 20. He built his first dehydrating plant in 1941, just in time to begin supplying the military with dehydrated potatoes during World War II. Also during the war, he started what is now Simplot Grower Solutions to help other farmers get the fertilizers they needed. Those businesses continued to grow, as did other Simplot ventures. In the late 1960s Simplot began processing fries for McDonald’s, a relationship that has continued for decades, including the addition of a fry plant in China to supply the fast-food chain’s global expansions. Although he officially retired in 1973 and stepped down as chairman of the board of directors in 1994, he remained involved in the company and the potato industry. He even made an appearance at 2006 World Potato Congress in Boise during the opening gala sponsored by Simplot.

Posted: 7th July 2008

WAR ON PESTS

Development Center (BNCRDC) of the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) is waging a war against the two main enemies of potato farmers - bacterial wilt and potato cyst nematode. Jesus Aspuria, BPI-BNCRDC chief, said in Manila both pests have become a nightmare for potato farmers in the Cordillera, noted as the vegetable capital of the country. “The bacterial wilt is a soil and seed borne-disease that attacks potato plants. Wilting of plants was observed one month after planting,” he said. He said potato cyst nematode, on the other hand, is a soil-pest that also affects potato plants. The BPI-BNCRDC has the procedure to detect if the soil is infected with this particular pest. To address this, the screening of different varieties to select for resistance or tolerant varieties. For the potato cyst nematode, Trichoderma was most effective in preventing this pest..

Posted: 7th July 2008