Deficit Irrigation Program and Potato Sales Higher
**Irrigators cut off water to a huge portion of farmland in California’s Imperial Valley in early August after the federal government approved a program designed to bolster water levels on the Colorado River.
The agreement, authorized by the Bureau of Reclamation and the Imperial Irrigation District, would pay farmers participating in the “deficit irrigation” program if they stop irrigating and sacrifice one or two hay cuttings.
**Retail sales of U.S. potatoes increased by both volume and dollar sales in July 2023-thru-June of this year.
www.morningagclips.com reports, volume sales increased by 1.3%, and dollar sales for the year increased by 4.6% to $18.3 billion.
Fresh potatoes saw volume sales increase 2.2%, and potato chips were up 0.2%.
Frozen potatoes remained steady.
The largest volume increase was in deli-prepared sides at 5.4%, at 6% of overall sales.
**Albertsons told a federal judge that layoffs, store closures and leaving certain markets would be on the table if its planned merger with Kroger is blocked by the Federal Trade Commission.
The Associated Press reports, the merger, in which Kroger would buy Boise-based Albertsons for $24.6 billion, was announced in 2022.
Since then, the companies have faced the FTC suit that alleges the deal would lead to higher grocery prices, lower-quality products and less choice.
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