National Potato Council

09/03/2026

"That's not how economics works," NPC's Kam Quarles tells
The Packer, rejecting Canadian claims that U.S. potato dumping is occurring in a single province, while operating legitimately throughout the rest of the country.

Quarles says it’s impossible for U.S. growers to operate two different business models: one illegally dumping in British Columbia and another operating on a level playing field in the other provinces.

"The Americans have never dumped into British Columbia,” he says. “They’ve never dumped into any Canadian province or anywhere else around the world for that matter.”

Read the full story here:

The organization argues high floor prices and strict administrative hurdles cost U.S. producers millions in lost exports.

09/01/2026

"Keeping this disease out of the United States should be the first priority both for the United States as well as our Canadian partners," NPC's Kam Quarles tells RFD-TV in an interview about new USDA rules to prevent the spread of potato wart.

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New regulations aim to reduce the threat from Prince Edward Island while allowing safe trade to continue.

08/31/2026

NEW PODCAST: ' Jeannie Tapley & NPC's Kam Quarles join the Eye on Potatoes podcast to discuss recent progress in protecting U.S. growers from potato wart, new waste disposal requirements for bulk shipments, and the impact on Maine growers.

📻https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/aphis-amends-rules-on-prince-edward-island-potato-imports/id1491815515?i=1000786542773

08/27/2026

RELEASE: Canadian trade authorities are facing criticism from U.S. potato producers over strict administrative hurdles that effectively block American participation in the review of British Columbia's 40-year-old anti-dumping order.

Read here: https://www.nationalpotatocouncil.org/national-potato-council-challenges-canadian-bureaucratic-hurdles-silencing-u-s-growers-in-b-c-anti-dumping-review/

08/21/2026

NPC today welcomed the announcement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) amending the federal order regulating potatoes from Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada.

“The National Potato Council thanks Secretary Rollins, Undersecretary Hoskins and APHIS for acting so responsibly to address this potato wart disease threat,” said Kam Quarles, NPC CEO. “This action is another step in ensuring that this virulent disease never becomes established in our country, thereby avoiding billions of dollars in negative economic impact and thousands of job losses to America’s family potato farms and the communities they support.”

APHIS has spent recent months conducting listening sessions with potentially impacted facilities regarding these changes. The new federal rule does not limit or halt any operations, instead requiring responsible handling of waste that may carry disease. The new regulations will feature a 45-day implementation period.

Read more by visiting https://www.nationalpotatocouncil.org/national-potato-council-applauds-aphis-action-to-mitigate-potato-wart-threat-from-prince-edward-island.

08/17/2026

Late last week, Kam Quarles, CEO of the National Potato Council and co-chair of the Specialty Crop Farm Bill Alliance, joined the Agri-Pulse Open Mic Podcast to talk about the challenges faced by specialty crop growers, including high input prices, low commodity prices and persistent inflation. Quarles says government bridge assistance has been well short of losses and the economic storm has claimed some farms. He's concerned that the lack of adequate farm labor is pushing more production south of the border. Quarles explains why he is optimistic about farm bill passage this year and is hopeful for a successful conclusion to the USMCA review.

Agri-Pulse is a trusted source in Washington, D.C., with the largest editorial team focused on food, fuel, fiber and farm policy coverage. Agri-Pulse presents a balanced perspective on a wide variety of issues.

08/13/2026

Disagreements over SNAP funding stalled the Farm Bill in Committee last week, pushing negotiations until after the Senate's recess. NPC's Kam Quarles explains why this pause offers lawmakers a window to draft bipartisan solutions rather than shutting down the process for the year.

🎧https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/d-c-update-farm-bill-stalls-in-committee/id1491815515?i=100078299655

08/04/2026

What key policy issues and growing conditions are impacting U.S. potato growers this summer? We sat down with NPC VP of Legislative Affairs and Idaho grower Dean Gibson to analyze the Western harvest outlook, Senate Farm Bill developments, and ag trade priorities.

🎧Subscribe and set to auto-download on Apple Podcasts or search for "eye on potatoes" wherever you listen to podcasts. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/farm-and-policy-update-with-dean-gibson/id1491815515?i=1000779301941

08/03/2026

"With our borders finally secure and 50 original bipartisan co-sponsors backing this bill, NPC is urging Congress to act on the Securing Agriculture’s Workforce Act to protect our family farms and safeguard America’s food supply," NPC's Mike Wenkel writes in Growing Produce.

The National Potato Council is urging Congress to pass the Securing Agriculture's Workforce Act to protect our family farms and safeguard America’s food supply.

07/30/2026

National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles tells Nicole Heslip, Anchor/Reporter, Brownfield Ag News the bipartisan Securing Ag Workforce Act does not grant amnesty as some Republicans have been arguing.

“You’re going to either offshore your food supply or you’re going to massively drive up costs on the American consumer if you don’t take an approach that is balanced and thoughtful, and understands that we’re in a very competitive global marketplace,” he says.

A divide is growing over farm labor reforms under consideration in Congress. National Potato Council CEO Kam Quarles tells Brownfield the bipartisan Securing Ag Workforce Act does not grant amnesty as some Republicans have been arguing. “You’re going to either offshore your food supply or you’...