USDA INVESTS $3.7 MILLION IN REGIONAL POTATO BREEDING PROJECTS TO STRENGTHEN U.S. POTATO INDUSTRY

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has awarded $3.7 million to four regional projects dedicated to advancing potato breeding, research, and Extension efforts across the country. These investments fall under the Special Research Grants Program – Potato Breeding Research, a long-standing initiative that supports the development, testing, and release of improved potato varieties for commercial use.

The program aims to accelerate the creation of high-value potato varieties by combining classical breeding with cutting-edge molecular and biotechnological approaches. By coordinating efforts across universities, federal agencies, industry partners, and multiple states, the program enhances the efficiency of limited resources while delivering new varieties that meet the evolving needs of growers, processors, and consumers.

For 2025, NIFA has selected four institutions to lead funded projects:

• Michigan State University
• Texas A&M AgriLife Research
• University of Maine
• Washington State University, for its project titled “Northwest Potato Variety Development: Improving U.S. Food Security and Quality, Consumer Health, and Production Efficiency.”

Collectively, these projects focus on improving yield, disease resistance, quality traits, and sustainability across U.S. potato production regions. The outcomes are expected to strengthen food security, increase industry competitiveness, and support the long-term vitality of one of the nation’s most important specialty crops.