Ag News: Mexico’s Ban on U.S. Potatoes

**The National Potato Council is encouraging Mexico’s Supreme Court to affirm the draft ruling that would overturn Mexico’s ban on U.S. fresh potato imports.

NPC CEO Kam Quarles says a positive decision would represent a giant leap forward in the decades-old effort to provide Mexican consumers with year-round access to fresh, healthy U.S. potatoes.

The case is scheduled to be decided by the five-member Supreme Court today.

**The trend of more meals being consumed at home and more people focusing on health continued in January to boost retail produce sales 9.7% compared to 2019.

IRi’s Jonna Parker tells www.thepacker.com, early on, shoppers were indulging in more comfort foods, but now, with New Year’s resolutions, more than a third, 35%, are eating healthier.

IRi reports fresh vegetables have outpaced fresh fruit, adding for the five weeks ending January 31st, vegetables were up 12.2% compared to the same period in 2019, while fruit was up 7.2%.

www.thepacker.com/news/retail/retail-produce-sales-remain-strong-january?mkt/

**Forestland and farmland already contribute to carbon sequestration, and the American Farm Bureau says those contributions can rise as climate-smart farming practices increase.

A Farm Bureau analysis of federal data shows reductions in agricultural emissions and the importance of finding new ways to capture more carbon in cropland and pastureland.

Farm Bureau says climate goals need to be achieved without harming agricultural production.