Nature’s bounty that fills our plates is vast and varied. At Simplot specifically, innumerable varieties of potatoes and other veggies all play a critical role in feeding a growing world.
Many components contribute to successful planting and harvest seasons for Simplot and our growers. These include weather, water, fertilizer, storage, science and technology. At Simplot we are fortunate to benefit from a wealth of information that helps us leverage all these inputs, resulting in healthier foods, higher yields, and more efficient growing techniques.
Read on to learn more about the two complementary phases in the food lifecycle happening concurrently in the Northern and Southern hemispheres: planting and harvest.
Planting in the Northern Hemisphere
Each year, Simplot contracts with growers for more than 100,000 acres of potatoes and vegetables to process in our North American food factories. Simplot also grows thousands of acres of raw product on its own farms. These potatoes and vegetables are grown in many Northern Hemisphere locations, from across the U.S. to Canada to Mexico.
Planting and Harvest: Feeding Our World, Around the World
June 11, 2024
In the Northern Hemisphere, potato and vegetable planting season typically kicks off in March or April, depending on the region and weather conditions. This time marks the beginning of farmers’ efforts to sow seeds and transplant seedlings into fertile soil, nurturing them through the growing season until harvest time months later.
The U.S. is a major producer of potatoes and vegetables, with vast agricultural regions dedicated to their cultivation. States like Idaho and Washington are renowned for their potato production, and Simplot grows (a lot!) in both.
Harvest in the Southern Hemisphere
Simplot has had operations in Australia for nearly 30 years. There, and in Tasmania, the majority of potato and vegetable harvests happen in the region’s fall months – typically from March to June. More than 300 hardworking Australian growers supply over 400,000 tonnes of produce to Simplot annually, which consumers then enjoy through our Birds Eye and Edgell retail products.
Tasmania is known for its fertile soil and temperate climate. Its diverse landscape ranges from low-lying plains to highland areas, allowing a variety of potato cultivars to thrive. This includes popular varieties like Russet Burbank and Ranger Russet.
Late last year Simplot opened its new state-of-the-art Powranna Potato Storage Facility in Tasmania. This facility provides potato storage for local growers, enabling them to harvest and store potatoes when they are at their prime, minimizing the potential weather impacts on crops left in the ground.
Also in the Southern Hemisphere, Simplot grows crops and operates facilities in Argentina.
Passion for People in Action
The farming of potatoes and vegetables plays a crucial role in feeding the world’s growing population. The produce Simplot and its growers cultivate are staple foods for millions of people around the globe thanks to their versatility and nutritional value.
Simplot is proud of our longtime, collaborative relationships with our grower-partners, which are built on trust and shared values. Through their important work, farmers provide sustenance, contribute significantly to the economic vitality of communities, and play a vital role in supporting global food security. They help feed the world’s population today and for generations to come, which is truly Simplot’s Core Value of Passion for People in action!
Late last year Simplot opened its new state-of-the-art Powranna Potato Storage Facility in Tasmania. This facility provides potato storage for local growers, enabling them to harvest and store potatoes when they are at their prime, minimizing the potential weather impacts on crops left in the ground.
Also in the Southern Hemisphere, Simplot grows crops and operates facilities in Argentina.
Passion for People in Action
The farming of potatoes and vegetables plays a crucial role in feeding the world’s growing population. The produce Simplot and its growers cultivate are staple foods for millions of people around the globe thanks to their versatility and nutritional value.
Simplot is proud of our longtime, collaborative relationships with our grower-partners, which are built on trust and shared values. Through their important work, farmers provide sustenance, contribute significantly to the economic vitality of communities, and play a vital role in supporting global food security. They help feed the world’s population today and for generations to come, which is truly Simplot’s Core Value of Passion for People in action!
