“Smart Storage Strategies for Late Season Potatoes”: NAPSO hosted timely webinar
As planting season intensifies, the NAPSO reminds growers to prioritize their storage facilities. On May 15, 2025 NAPSO hosted an essential online webinar, “The Final Countdown: Smart Storage Strategies for Late Season Potatoes,” to help maximize the value of late-season stored crops.
The webinar featured two distinguished presenters: Eric Evans, President of Agri-Stor, and Sastry Jayanty, Professor and Extension Specialist at Colorado State University.
With over 30 years of experience in sales and service for post-harvest storage solutions, Evans leads Agri-Stor, a company with nearly 60 years of expertise serving growers, processors, and packers. Jayanty brings his extensive academic and extension expertise to address critical storage challenges.
NAPSO’s webinar was intended to spotlight the often-overlooked storage details during the busy planting season, ensuring growers protect their high-value crops.
Download a copy of the presentations as a pdf file here.
The video recording of the webinar below can also be viewed on YouTube here.
Workplace Safety in Potato Storage Facilities
The video below was produced by NAPSO. It provides an in-depth overview of essential safety practices for potato storage facilities. Covering key topics such as employee training, personal protective equipment (PPE), safe machinery operation, manual handling techniques, facility cleanliness, and emergency preparedness, this resource is designed to help managers and workers ensure a safe and efficient work environment. Watch now to learn how to implement best practices that protect both employees and stored potatoes.
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Introduction to NAPSO’s New YouTube Channel: A Hub for Potato Storage Excellence
The North America Potato Storage Organization (NAPSO) is excited to announce the launch of its brand-new YouTube channel. Our YouTube channel will over time feature a variety of videos that delve deep into the world of potato storage, including insightful overviews of NAPSO’s mission and ongoing initiatives.
Whether you are a seasoned professional or new to the field, NAPSO’s YouTube channel is destined to become an invaluable resource, offering a comprehensive collection of videos that will keep you informed, inspired, and at the forefront of potato storage excellence. We invite you to subscribe to our channel and join us on this exciting journey as we continue to champion the future of potato storage, one video at a time.
Access the NAPSO video channel here: www.youtube.com/@NAPSO-videochannel
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“Storing for Success: Protecting Potato Seed & Preventing Disease”
NAPSO’s third webinar focused on potato seed storage and was hosted on February 24, 2025. The event attracted an impressive 120 attendees from across North America and beyond.
Moderated by Emily Merk, NAPSO Communications Coordinator, the webinar featured two distinguished experts in the field:
• Kasia Duellman, Extension Seed Potato Specialist at the University of Idaho, who shared in-depth insights into tuber-borne diseases, seed handling, and physiological age considerations.
• James Alford, of Alford Custom Ag/Premier Seed LLC, who provided a practical perspective on receiving, handling, and storing seed potatoes effectively.
Download a copy of the presentations as a pdf file here. Watch the video also on the NAPSO YouTube channel here.
“Potato Storage: The First 45 Days”
NAPSO hosted the second webinar in its ongoing webinar series titled “Potato Storage: The First 45 Days” on November 4, 2024. This pivotal event was designed specifically for potato farmers and potato storage managers aiming to enhance the quality and longevity of their potato crops during the critical initial storage phase.
Featured Speakers:
- Addie Waxman, Ph.D.
Topic: ‘Navigating the First 45 Days’: Key strategies and essential practices for successful potato storage management.
Dr. Waxman emphasized the necessity of effective storage decisions to maintain quality and minimize losses during long term storage. - Eric Evans
Topic: Sprout Control in Storage
Eric will cover effective strategies for managing sprouting, ensuring potatoes maintain their quality and are market-ready when needed. - Vijay Choppakatla, Ph.D.
Topic: Disease Control in Storage
Dr. Choppakatla will present the latest methods for controlling storage diseases, helping farmers prevent the spread of pathogens that can devastate their crops.
NAPSO Webinar ‘Preparing for a Successful Storage Season’
NAPSO is excited to share the recording of NAPSO’s inaugural webinar, “Preparing for a Successful Storage Season.” This webinar brought together industry experts to discuss critical strategies for optimizing potato storage practices, ensuring that growers and storage managers are equipped with the knowledge they need for a successful season. It was facilitated by Emily Merk, NAPSO Communications Coordinator (pictured in the thumbnail).
Nathan Gelles from Decco Post-Harvest kicked off the webinar with an in-depth presentation on the vital role of sanitation in potato storage. His presentation underscored the importance of early storage preparation, starting with decisions made at the planting stage, emphasizing the fact that effective storage management begins well before harvest.
Todd Forbush from Techmark, Inc. delivered a detailed presentation on field selection and its impact on a successful storage season. Forbush focused on the complex factors influencing potato sugar content and specific gravity, key to maintaining quality during storage.
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Introducing the North America Potato Storage Organization (NAPSO): A New Era in Potato Storage Solutions
The founders of NAPSO are excited to introduce you to a groundbreaking initiative that promises to reshape the future of potato storage across North America. In this informative video, the four founders present the mission and goals of the organization, emphasizing the critical role of efficient storage in ensuring the sustainability and profitability of the potato industry.
NAPSO is dedicated to elevating the importance of potato storage through targeted education, innovative research, and the development of cutting-edge, sustainable storage solutions. This initiative is not just about extending the shelf life of potatoes but also about maintaining their quality and nutritional value while optimizing energy consumption and reducing waste.
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Introduction to NAPSO’s Vision: Transforming Potato Storage Across North America
The North America Potato Storage Organization (NAPSO) invites you to explore its mission through this introductory video, where the four founders share their vision of revolutionizing potato storage practices across the continent. NAPSO is dedicated to enhancing sustainability, boosting profitability, and simplifying the complexities of potato storage. By fostering collaboration and promoting education, NAPSO aims to lead the way in implementing innovative solutions that benefit both seasoned farmers and newcomers alike.
Join NAPSO on this exciting journey towards a more sustainable and profitable future in potato storage. Stay tuned for their first full in-person summit in 2025, and learn how you can contribute to shaping the future of the potato storage industry. Watch the video to discover how every stored potato can count towards a better tomorrow.
NAPSO Founders:
Addie Waxman, McCain Foods
Emily Merk, Restrain Bill Orr, 1,4Group
Lukie Pieterse, Potato News Today
