Category:What’s New San Luis Valley Potatoes

Share the Importance of Agriculture with your Students The Colorado Potato Administrative Committee (CPAC) consists of twenty eight potato growers and shippers that are elected by the one hundred seventy five potato growers of the San Luis valley in Southern Colorado. These potato growers typically produce nearly 2.2 billion lbs. of potatoes annually on sixty thousand acres of irrigated farmland. For perspective, that is sixty thousand football fields of potatoes. These fields provide an annual supply of potatoes to over 18.3 million people. It isn’t easy work. Potato farmers must... Read More

FDA Announces New Nutrition Label On May 20, 2016, the United States Food and Drug Administration announced that there will be a new Nutrition Facts label for food products nationwide.  This move to help consumers make more informed decisions about the foods that they purchase and use. First Lady Michelle Obama commented that, “this is going to make a real difference in providing families across the country the information they need to make healthy choices.”  Food manufacturers with annual food sales of $10 and above will have until July 26,... Read More

Colorado Benefits Greatly from Potato Production Informa Economics recently did a study to determine the economic impact of the Colorado potato complex.  What they found was truly astonishing.  In 2014, the potato industry added $596 million to the state economy through a combined business sales output of $1.17 billion and 3,992 jobs!  The potato industry makes up 10% of Colorado’s agricultural and food processing economy. The Potato Industry Creates Many Colorado Jobs The potato industry in Colorado affects much more than the farmers who produce them.  Many indirectly benefit from potato... Read More

How do you grow the perfect potato? You start with the perfect seed of course!    Every successful potato harvest begins much earlier in the year with planting.  Before delicious Colorado potatoes can make it to your plate, they are first grown with the absolute greatest of care by our Colorado growers.   While springtime may evoke images of spring flowers and warmer weather for you, for our hard working Colorado growers, springtime means  getting potato seed in the ground so it’s ready for harvest in the fall. Not Your Average Seed... Read More

Colorado Potato Fun Facts Colorado is the second largest fresh potato growing region in the entire United States! There are over 70 unique varieties of Colorado potatoes! Many Colorado potatoes are grown in the San Luis Valley which is the largest alpine valley on Earth!  This valley sits at 7,600 feet above sea level-which is almost a mile and a half! Many Colorado potatoes are also grown around Greeley, which is near the Denver area! 50,000 to 65,000 acres of potatoes are planted in Colorado each year! That’s around 78... Read More

Durango Receives Nine Salad Bars The Durango School District 9-R was the recipient of nine salad bars as part of the Let’s Move Salad Bars to Schools initiative.  Between the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee and Potatoes USA, all nine of the salad bars that the district needed were donated.  Students and staff alike were excited about the new salad bars and the new lunchtime opportunities they provide. Students Love Their New Salad Bar Linda Weyers and Savannah Schlaufman traveled to Florida Mesa Elementary School in Durango where one of the brand... Read More

Raising the Bar in Saguache Mountain Valley recently became the second San Luis Valley school to receive a salad bar as a part of the US Potato Board’s Salad Bar Challenge.  The new potato bar placed in Mountain Valley is part of an ongoing effort by the US Potato Board and the Colorado Potato Administrative Committee to support healthy eating in schools.  Having healthy options at lunch time can help students develop healthy habits early on. Committed to the Cause The ultimate goal of the program is to increase children’s access... Read More